I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6524 
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to carry out a study on Chinese 
support for Afghan illicit finance, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 28, 2022 
Mr. LYNCH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to carry out a 
study on Chinese support for Afghan illicit finance, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. STUDY ON CHINESE SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN IL-
LICIT FINANCE. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) Though China and Afghanistan share only 
a small land border, when it comes to illicit financial 
activity between the two countries, China has a dem-
onstrated history of permissiveness regarding traf-
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ficking and money laundering that could support 
both the Taliban and its associates. 
(2) A 2014 Financial Action Task Force report 
titled, ‘‘Financial Flows Linked to the Production 
and Trafficking of Afghan Opiates’’ found evidence 
of import/export companies registered in China that 
were transferring funds to Afghanistan, likely as 
part of trade-based money laundering schemes cen-
tered around illicit opium production and trafficking, 
which, per the United Nations Office on Drugs and 
Crime (UNODC), is one of the Taliban’s main 
sources of income. 
(3) Since the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan 
in August 2021, China has announced its willingness 
to lend financial support and legitimacy to the 
Taliban-led government in Afghanistan, including 
Afghan Interior Minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, a 
member of the U.S.-sanctions designated Foreign 
Terrorist Organization, the Haqqani Network. 
(4) China’s permissive policies regarding Af-
ghan illicit finance run counter to the strategic in-
terests of the United States with respect to coun-
tering trafficking and preventing terrorist groups 
from accessing the international financial system. 
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(5) China’s role as a critical source of financial 
wherewithal for the Taliban and its associates to 
process and implement drug and other illicit-activity 
transactions warrants further study as these actions 
pose a threat both to the safety and security of the 
people of Afghanistan and the international commu-
nity. 
(6) Congress needs to better understand how 
China could leverage its relationships and resources 
within Afghanistan and how these activities could di-
rectly or indirectly provide financial support to ter-
rorist organizations, including the Taliban and its 
associates. 
(b) STUDY.— 
(1) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of the Treasury shall provide to the Com-
mittee on Financial Services of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Banking, Hous-
ing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate a report on the 
financial activities of China and Chinese entities in 
connection with the finances of Afghanistan and the 
Taliban. 
(2) MATTERS
INCLUDED.—The report under 
paragraph (1) shall include the following: 
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(A) An assessment of the activities under-
taken by the People’s Republic of China and 
Chinese-registered companies to support illicit 
financial networks in Afghanistan, particularly 
such networks involved in narcotics trafficking, 
illicit financial transactions, official corruption, 
natural resources exploitation, and terrorist net-
works. 
(B) An assessment of financial, commer-
cial, and economic activities undertaken by 
China and Chinese companies in Afghanistan to 
support Chinese policies counter to American 
strategic interests. 
(C) Any recommendations to Congress re-
garding legislative or regulatory improvements 
necessary to support the identification and dis-
ruption of Chinese-supported illicit financial 
networks in Afghanistan. 
(3) FORM.—The report under paragraph (1) 
may include a classified annex. 
Æ 
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