Congress unveils $900B defense bill targeting China with tech bans, investment crackdown, US troop pay raise

The US Congress has unveiled a massive $900 billion defense bill aimed squarely at China, with several key provisions designed to limit the country's growing technological and economic influence. The legislation includes significant restrictions on investment from Chinese companies, bans on certain technologies sourced from Beijing, and expanded diplomatic efforts to monitor China's global activities.

The bill also provides for a 4% pay raise for enlisted US military personnel, expands counter-drone capabilities, and invests in advanced missile defense systems, including the Golden Dome shield and nuclear modernization programs. It will direct additional funding towards Taiwan's security cooperation program, strengthening the country's posture in the Indo-Pacific.

The bill also includes several measures aimed at protecting American consumers and businesses from Chinese-made goods. A ban on certain technologies sourced from China has been introduced, while new regulations require contractors to provide technical data to maintain and sustain major US military systems. The measure is intended to reduce "vendor lock-in" and ease maintenance delays across the fleet.

The bill also establishes a new AI futures steering committee, tasked with producing long-range forecasts and policy recommendations on advanced AI systems, including artificial general intelligence. Additionally, it directs the State Department to deploy a new cadre of regional China officers at US diplomatic posts around the world, responsible for monitoring Chinese commercial, technological, and infrastructure activities.

The legislation also includes several provisions related to Israel, including a directive for the Pentagon to avoid participating in international defense exhibitions that bar Israeli involvement, and authorization for funding for key missile defense systems used jointly with Israel.

$900 billion is way too much for defence, don't they get bored or something? Like what's China even gonna do with all that cash? And can we talk about the pay raise for enlisted US military personnel? 4% might sound nice but it's not like they're getting paid peanuts. It feels like we're just throwing money at the problem without actually solving anything.

And what's up with all these restrictions on Chinese companies and tech? Like, isn't that just gonna hurt American consumers in the long run? We already know how hard it is to get things done in the US when everything is restricted. And those AI forecasts? Sounds like just a bunch of nerds trying to predict the future without actually knowing what's gonna happen.

And Taiwan's security cooperation program? That sounds like a recipe for disaster. Can't we just talk to China and try to figure something out? It feels like we're just playing hard to get or something. And Israel? Like, can't they just come up with their own defence systems instead of relying on us all the time?

idk about this huge defence bill ... on one hand, it's good that they're addressing china's growing influence and protecting american consumers from chinese-made goods . but 900 billion dollars is a crazy amount of money ... and what's the real strategy here? are we just trying to contain china or actually making friends in the region ? also, isn't it true that the pentagon's already got its eye on china? did they really need a whole new bill for this?

This new US defense bill is looking pretty serious . I mean, $900 billion is a ton of cash and it's all aimed at taking down China . But what really gets me is the parts that are trying to control tech investment from Chinese companies - isn't that just going to backfire? Won't it just push everything under the radar?

And then there's this whole thing with Taiwan... I get why they're doing it, but aren't we kinda escalating things by directly involving ourselves in their conflicts again? Plus, all these advanced missile defense systems - are we really sure that's gonna keep China at bay or just create more problems down the line?

I do think it's interesting that there's an AI futures steering committee being established though... what does that even mean for us in the long run? Will it be like a super-secret AI team keeping us safe from all these emerging threats? Or is this just another way to justify more military spending?

I gotta say... this bill is like, super interesting . I mean, China's been growing so fast, it's like they're taking over or something . But seriously, limiting their influence is a good thing for the US and its allies. The fact that we're investing in AI futures steering committee makes me think about the future of warfare... it's crazy to imagine what kind of tech will be out there in 10 years . And I'm all for protecting American consumers from those cheap Chinese goods, but at the same time, it feels like we're being a bit too aggressive, you know? Like, shouldn't we just try to understand and collaborate with them instead of trying to contain them?

"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest."

Wow this is insane how much money they're throwing at China, like what's going on over there? Interesting I mean, I get it, security and all but can't we just talk to them instead of putting up a big wall? Anyway, the 4% pay raise for enlisted personnel is kinda cool who wouldn't want more cash?

I just read about this new defence bill in the US Congress . I gotta say, it's a bit worrying to see all this focus on China . As someone who's lived through some tough times, I think we need to be careful not to create an enemy out of every country that's just trying to make a living and compete on the world stage.

I mean, sure, we've got concerns about their tech and economic influence, but is this really the best way to address those issues? I'm not saying we should just sit back and do nothing . But maybe we need to think about building partnerships and finding ways to work together rather than pitting ourselves against each other in a big game of geopolitics.

And what's with all this fuss over AI? It's like we're trying to predict the future or something . I'm just hoping that whoever's in charge of this new steering committee knows what they're doing and isn't too busy chasing after ghosts .

I'm still trying to get my head around this massive $900 billion defense bill ... I mean, it's clear that the US is taking a strong stance against China, but isn't this just going to escalate tensions and lead to more conflicts?

On the other hand, I can see why they'd want to invest in counter-drone capabilities - those things are getting way too advanced . And a 4% pay raise for enlisted military personnel is definitely a good thing for them .

But what's up with all these new regulations on contractors and tech data? That just sounds like more bureaucracy . And isn't it weird that they're creating an entire AI futures steering committee? Like, are we really going to regulate AI that much?

I'm also not sure about the part where they're directing funding towards Taiwan's security program - shouldn't they be focusing on actual diplomacy rather than just trying to contain China?

omg u guys can't believe the scale of this $900 billion defense bill it's like they're trying to build an army just to counter china's presence in asia but seriously what's the point of investing so much into a region that's not even stable themselves? and have you seen the 'vendor lock-in' regulation, like how does that even work on a global scale

What's up ? Just saw this crazy bill from the US Congress about China it's like they're trying to take a punch at China hard but at the same time trying to protect their own interests too I mean, who doesn't love a good game of geopolitics? But seriously, 900 billion is a lot of cash they must be expecting some big pushback from China and Israel's got its own stuff going on with the golden dome shield so this bill better be smooth sailing or it'll be a major mess what do you think?

idk about this $900 billion defense bill ... seems like the US is just setting itself up for more of a war economy . all these restrictions on Chinese investment and tech are just going to create more animosity, making it harder for the two countries to coexist in the future . and what's with the AI futures steering committee? sounds like a bunch of techno-jargon to me ... I mean, can't we focus on more pressing issues like climate change or economic inequality instead of throwing money at the military-industrial complex ?

I'm low-key worried about how aggressive this bill is #ChinaUSRelations #DefenseSpending

The US government seems to be putting a lot of pressure on China right now , which might not necessarily be the best approach. I mean, we're already dealing with cyber threats and espionage from China - do we really need even more restrictions?

But at the same time, I get why they'd want to protect American interests . It's a tough balance to strike between keeping our economy secure and not being too confrontational .

I'm also curious about how this bill will impact Israel - it seems like some pretty sweet deals are going on there #IsraelUSDefenseDeal

And what about the long-term implications of investing in AI ? We're talking about artificial general intelligence here, which sounds like sci-fi, but could be a game-changer .

Let's hope we can find a way to navigate these complex issues without resorting to too much aggression #FuturesSteeringCommittee #AIsecurity