Hi Mandy,
Confronted with news of the type which you quoted, I should be extremely suspicious (If the story is about China, it is believed without question, this has been so since the 19th century). The fact that you could not find a source for confirmation heightens the suspicion that it is actually a slanderous ploy (with no intention to introduce that bill). The originator knows very well that the intended effect on the political climate is achieved even if a retraction is issued later. Early 2000 was at the height of the anti-Chinese surge in the US...
The a-historic character of the internet is another interesting point: you are probably in the minority if you look up the date of a "news" item..