U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) has called out global consulting giant PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) over its deepening relationship with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and raised concerns about potential risks to U.S. security.
Rubio sent a letter to PwC Global Chairman Mohamed Khande, questioning the firm’s work with CCP-controlled entities and the impact it could have on PwC’s integrity in handling U.S. government contracts.
In recent years, PwC’s China division has consulted officials in Xinjiang, a region where Beijing is accused of committing genocide against Uyghurs and other Muslim groups.
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Additionally, PwC appointed Daniel Li, a CCP member, as head of its China and East Asia operations, and has aligned its consulting services with China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a strategic infrastructure project that the U.S. considers a threat to its economic interests.
“Simultaneous engagements with foreign adversaries are unacceptable,” Rubio stated, criticizing PwC’s deep connections with CCP-controlled clients,” said Rubio. “Global firms like PwC, who have prospered from a democratic order founded on American values, can no longer seek to cater to, and profit from, both sides of this conflict.”
Rubio’s letter includes detailed questions about PwC’s contracts with Chinese state-owned companies, its stance on Taiwan, and safeguards to ensure U.S. government contracts are not influenced by PwC’s work with Chinese entities. The letter also questions whether PwC’s consulting services have ever promoted cooperation with China’s BRI, potentially influencing U.S. policy decisions.
Rubio’s demands for clarity come amid increased scrutiny of PwC by Chinese regulators, who recently fined the firm $62 million following issues with its Evergrande audits.
The senator’s letter highlights PwC’s attempts to appease the CCP, including the appointment of Daniel Li to win favor with Chinese authorities. PwC’s consulting unit in Xinjiang, which signed a recent $200,000 contract with local authorities, is particularly concerning, given the region’s ongoing human rights abuses.
PwC and other Western firms face increasing pressure to choose between U.S. and Chinese interests, as conflicts in global values and economic competition continue to deepen.
Senator Rubio has requested detailed responses from PwC by November 15, demanding transparency from a firm that holds numerous U.S. government contracts.
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