Change Chinese embassy’s US address to honour coronavirus whistle-blower doctor Li Wenliang, Republicans say
- Under new bills introduced in both the Senate and House, the official address of the Chinese embassy in Washington would be changed to 1 Li Wenliang Plaza
- This legislation comes as House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy unveils a new task force that would conduct probes into a wide range of China-related issues
Congressional Republicans continued their assault on Beijing on Thursday, launching a campaign to change the address of its embassy in Washington in honour of the late coronavirus whistle-blower doctor Li Wenliang, and announcing the establishment of a party-led “China task force” in the House of Representatives.
Under new bills introduced in both the Senate and House, the official address of the Chinese embassy in Washington’s leafy northwest would be changed from 3505 International Place to 1 Li Wenliang Plaza.
“Renaming the street outside of the Chinese embassy ensures that Dr Li’s legacy is never forgotten and will serve as a stark reminder to the Chinese government and Communist Party that the US will stand with the oppressed and not with their oppressors,” said Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, one of the bill’s original cosponsors.
If enacted, the legislation would require that maps, regulations and any other official records referencing the location be updated to reflect the name of the Wuhan doctor, who was silenced by authorities when he tried to raise an early alarm about the new coronavirus.
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While physically located in the city of Washington, the embassy sits on a tract of federal land. Under the legislation, the federal government’s administrator of general services would be directed to erect signs bearing the new street name in the style of Washington’s signage.
