Senators Introduce Legislation to Ban China’s Alipay in US
Udumbara
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Republican senators have introduced a bill that would ban a Chinese digital payment platform in the United States, citing national security concerns.
“The Chinese Communist Party has made it clear that it will use every tool available to spy on Americans and steal our data, and apps like Alipay are no exception,” Scott said.
“Americans don’t want their personal and financial information being funneled straight into the hands of the Communist Chinese regime to use against us—it’s a threat to their lives and national security.”
Scott said the legislation “will close another door that could allow a CCP-controlled entity to access [U.S.] financial systems and spy on U.S. citizens.”
Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and Jim Justice (R-W.Va.) cosponsored the legislation.
Tuberville added that the legislation will ensure that China “doesn’t have a foothold” in the U.S. banking sector.
“Alipay is Chinese spyware and presents a huge risk to national security. It should not be in our stores, and it is unacceptable that American payment kiosks are facilitating the totalitarian surveillance of tourists from China,” Ogles said.
“Every day, agents of China are working to steal U.S. trade secrets to be weaponized against the United States. These bad actors continue to put our country’s security at risk and we cannot wait back and let the worst-case scenario happen,” Pack said. “We must continue to take precautionary action against these actors to protect American interests.”
Citing a 2024 academic analysis, he said that Alipay poses “significant concerns about its data governance structure” and retains “discretion over data collection, retention, and international data transfer.”
“This is a security vulnerability, as China’s government can compel companies to share data in compliance with its National Intelligence Law,” Clemens wrote.
He pointed out that Alipay recently launched a service that allows AI developers to “seamlessly integrate payment services into applications.” He warned that the development “shows how these platforms could, in the future, become more embedded in the broader U.S. digital ecosystems.”
Clemens added that U.S. pharmacy chain Walgreens had been accepting Alipay at its stores.
“If Chinese payment platforms gain a larger foothold in the United States, the risks to economic competition, individual freedoms, and national security will only grow,” Clemens wrote.
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