Originally published October 6, 2023 6:58 am PDT
The program is designed to replenish the government’s stock of COVID-19 tests.
QUICK FACTS:
- On September 25, the White House launched its fifth program to send free COVID-19 testing kits to U.S. households.
- Two hundred million tests will come from 12 “domestic” manufacturers, costing $600 million.
- More than half of the reported domestic companies are connected to China.
- The company receiving the largest amount of funding is iHealth, which was given $167 million to supply the COVID tests.
- iHealth is a California subsidiary of Andon, a company based in Tianjin, China.
- Another California-based company, CorDx, is connected to the Beijing Entrepreneur Culture Group.
- Li Yufeng, leader of the Group, is also the executive vice president of the Hebei Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, whose goal is to promote “directives and policies of the [Chinese Communist] Party and the nation to member firms,” according to The Epoch Times.
- Houston-based company Azure Biotech is another entity connected to China, as the company’s director, Frank Lou, also represents Hangzhou-based company Assure Tech.
- Yet another company, Biotest, based in Hangzhou, acquired San Diego drug test manufacturer Advin Biotech in 2015.
- The total amount of funding awarded to the Chinese-affiliated companies iHealth, CorDx, Azure, and Advin is about $320 million.
RESPONSE FROM U.S. LAWMAKERS:
- The degree to which Chinese entities are connected to U.S. companies is “very concerning,” said Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA). “Anytime we’re using Chinese companies, I think we need to be skeptical about that.”
- “It’s a waste of taxpayer monies to be sending out those test kits,” Senator Roger Marshall similarly stated. “I think that this is a total overreaction by the CDC and the White House and a waste of taxpayer money.”
BACKGROUND:
- American Faith reported late last month that Joe Biden’s Wilmington, Delaware home was the beneficiary address for bank wires originating in Beijing from Chinese nationals.
- House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-KY) explained that in 2020, the President avowed to the American people that his family had not received any money from China, a statement now believed to be false.
- The payments under scrutiny are associated with Jonathan Li, a Chinese national who had developed a business relationship with Hunter Biden during Joe Biden’s vice presidency.
- The first transaction of $10,000 was received by Hunter Biden from Wang Xin on July 26, 2019, and another wire of $250,000 from Jonathan Li and Tan Ling reached Biden on August 2, 2019.
