In a recent interview, Sze Chan, co-chair of the Asian American outreach team for Kamala Harris, expressed deep concerns about the 2025 Project. She pointed out that this initiative reveals a significant number of anti-China policies, including proposals to ban updates to popular applications like WeChat and TikTok, as well as a revival of the “China Initiative.” Chan warned that these measures could effectively target Chinese Americans and potentially lead to a new wave of discrimination reminiscent of past exclusionary laws.
Chan explained, “The 2025 Project is over 900 pages long, covering various aspects of national governance. The problematic nature of this initiative stems, in part, from the fact that more than 140 of its contributors were part of the Trump administration or campaign team. The current vice-presidential candidate, who is a close ally of the project’s architect, even wrote the foreword to one of their publications. The ultimate goal appears to be the undermining of government and the imposition of a religious framework on American society.”
She further elaborated on how the project aims to return educational control to states, arguing that if a state decides that subjects like math or science aren’t valuable, then children could end up only studying politically aligned or religious texts. “Is this the future we want for our children?” Chan questioned, also highlighting the alarming proposition to significantly cut funding for public schools in favor of so-called “school choice,” disproportionately impacting poorer communities.
On healthcare, Chan criticized the plan’s intent to privatize Medicare, allowing insurance companies to set their own rules while blocking federal efforts to negotiate lower drug prices. “In the end, it’s the ordinary citizens who will suffer,” she lamented.
Chan addressed the potential backlash against the Chinese American community, recalling the hate crimes during the pandemic fueled by rhetoric from Trump, who irresponsibly labeled COVID-19 with terms like “kung flu.” “If we face another ‘Red Scare,’ how many innocent Chinese Americans would be affected?” she asked, emphasizing the dangers of the proposed policies that could lead to detention or deportation of those labeled as undocumented.
Lastly, she drew attention to the project’s dangerously vague directives about economic disengagement from China, warning that the Department of Commerce may target familiar apps like WeChat and TikTok for surveillance concerns, effectively banning them in the U.S.
Chan concluded with a call to the Chinese American community, urging voters to recognize the serious implications of the 2025 Project and to make their voices heard at the ballot box, opposing candidates who support such initiatives.
