$600 billion annually American businesses large and small have been sacrificed, and our economic potential has been stolen by the Chinese Communist Party. While I am proud that America still boasts the most effective military in the history of the world, I cannot ignore the vast improvements in technology that China is developing to compete with America, and now China has a larger army and navy than the United States. I'm not trying to scare you, but this is the raw result of years of not taking the competition with China seriously.

While American companies want access to China's growing market, the Chinese Communist Party has required those companies to enter into partnerships with China, giving ultimate control of their operations in China to entities with ties to the Chinese Communist Party. These partnerships effectively expose our businesses to CCP-sponsored wholesale theft of intellectual property, advanced technologies, and consumer data, and China has taken advantage.

China has used the stolen intelligence to strengthen its military and use ever more aggressive tactics to intimidate its Pacific neighbors, particularly in the South China Sea, and to threaten U.S. allies such as South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, and most notably Taiwan.

But it's not just their military might. Recently, there has been an intensification of highly suspicious activity by Chinese undersea cable repair company SB Submarine Systems. The company's vessels are contracted to repair the vital undersea communications cables that connect the modern world. Inexplicably, these vessels are sometimes Turned off China hides its transponders to make them untraceable, and while its activities are unknown, it is reasonable to assume it has access to our data. And China is not limited to the seas: we have seen its spy balloons cross our skies, and examples of Chinese attacks on our critical infrastructure are numerous and growing.

My point is, China is playing a long game and hoping we don't pay attention. Unfortunately, under Joe Biden's administration, we are just watching and wondering instead of taking action. It is time for us as a nation to seriously and passionately confront Chinese aggression to ensure the next great American century.

That starts with strengthening our defenses. We must give our military the resources it needs to remain strong and prepared for any conflict. And we must strengthen our cybersecurity to protect our critical infrastructure and thwart theft of our intellectual property. Without strong cybersecurity, our oceans do little to protect us.

China has demonstrated a clear desire to infiltrate all of the systems that control our water, our electricity, and nearly all of our other critical systems. We cannot allow them to do the same to our military.

“China has consistently engaged in unfair trade practices, subsidizing its own products to undermine American companies, and dumping Chinese products in the U.S. market in an attempt to undermine and destroy American manufacturers. We cannot tolerate this type of trade that is so harmful to American manufacturing and American workers.

Our economy is our best weapon to take on China, because China benefits greatly from access to the U.S. market. This position of strength must be used wisely and to our advantage: first, to grow our economy, cut regulations to unleash American ingenuity, and then impose tariffs and restrictions on Chinese imports, especially when China engages in unfair trade practices.

One area where both the economy and national security are at risk is Biden's reckless EV regulations. Over 80% of the world's cell supply The components needed to produce the batteries that power electric vehicles are controlled, sourced, and fabricated in China. This forced shift to EVs not only denies America a choice, it also makes us overly dependent on China. We must end this madness and allow the market to dictate the auto industry.

It is long past time to seriously consider the Chinese threat to every aspect of American life. When China first opened up to Western investment, the idea was that economic engagement would help create a foothold for democracy in China. We know that was wrong, and it is time to push back against their encroachment. I am up to the task.

Mike Rogers is President Trump's endorsed Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in Michigan.

The views and opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Daily Caller.