Witness tells Michigan committee Chinese influence poses risks to critical minerals, biotech, universities and digital platforms

LANSING — Michael Sobolek, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute testifying for the Vandenberg Coalition, warned Michigan—s House Committee on Homeland Security and Foreign Influence on Nov. 5 that the People—s Republic of China poses a multi‑vector risk to U.S. supply chains, biotechnology, universities and digital platforms.

"The Chinese Communist Party is not a normal government," Sobolek said in his prepared remarks, arguing Beijing seeks "to reshape the world to its advantage" and can damage the United States "from within" through supply‑chain ties, university relationships and digital access. He told committee members the CCP has multiple levers of influence, including control of rare‑earth processing, components used in robotics and access to genetic databases.

Sobolek identified four priority vulnerabilities: critical minerals, robotics (and related AI components), biotechnology and higher education. On critical minerals he said China—s export controls earlier this year were "a serious warning shot," adding the country controls a large share of global rare‑earth processing and that many U.S. defense systems and clean‑energy technologies depend on those supply chains. He cited the Mountain Pass mine reopening and a long‑term purchasing arrangement with MP Materials as a partial protective measure but said "mining alone isn—t enough" without domestic…