China

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, on China, negotiations are ongoing between the Trump administration and Chinese officials about a potential detente in our trading relationship. Of import to the Chinese is the recent arrest of Huawei's CFO on charges of violating U.S. sanctions law, which is only one area of concern when it comes to Huawei's technology.

Let me be very clear. The United States should not make any--any-- concessions until and unless China makes credible and enforceable commitments to end all forms of theft and extortion of American intellectual property.

As Ambassador Lighthizer recently pointed out--and I cannot commend him enough for the good job he is doing--during the Obama administration alone, China made no fewer than 10 independent commitments to get rid of forced technology transfers and cyber theft policies.

As we know, China cyber espionage continues unabated. Just last week, it was confirmed that China was behind the data breach of Marriott hotels, and we know that they continue to require any company that sells things--and there are so many companies that sell things in China--to transfer their technology.

If we continue on this path that we have for the last 10 or 15 years, we will no longer be the leading economy in the world. All the great ideas Americans have because of our free and open and entrepreneurial system will be stolen, purloined, and China will dominate.

We are there for fair competition. China doesn't compete fairly. I have to say, neither the Bush nor the Obama administration stood up strongly to China. This administration shows signs of doing it.

My message to President Trump: Don't back off. Follow Mr. Lighthizer, not those in your administration, as reported, the Senate, Mr. Mnuchin, Mr. Ross, and others, who want to settle for next to nothing. That would be a disgrace.

President Trump has tried the conciliatory approach. He let ZTE off the hook in hopes of gaining concessions from China on North Korea and got none. North Korea continues to expand its nuclear capabilities.

Mr. President, do not make the same mistake again by interfering in the case of Huawei's CFO. Mr. President, do not capitulate on U.S. trade policy without meaningful, ironclad commitments from China to end its predatory trade practices, its theft of our intellectual property, and until China allows U.S. companies to compete freely in its markets without technology transfer or other coercions. To do otherwise would put the future of this great Nation at great risk.

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