[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 93 (Wednesday, June 6, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S3002]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                            Trade with China

  Now, Mr. President, on another matter, one that I talked to the 
Acting President pro tempore about this morning--our trade negotiations 
with China--as I said many times before, I am closer to President Trump 
on trade with China than I was to either President Obama or President 
Bush. I want our President to succeed in winning real concessions from 
the Chinese on longstanding issues, like intellectual property theft 
and market access. I believe that unlike previous Presidents, President 
Trump was serious about being tough on China to achieve our goals. But 
week after week, I keep reading reports that President Trump and his 
team are not being tough with China. They are conciliatory or 
accommodating, whether it is our national security or our economic 
security, where China is now eating our lunch.
  Yesterday it was reported that the Trump administration would agree 
to relax penalties on the Chinese telecom giant ZTE. If the reports are 
true about a sweetheart deal for ZTE, President Trump has put China 
first, not America first. If these reports are true, once again, 
President Xi has outfoxed President Trump, the so-called deal maker.
  ZTE has repeatedly violated U.S. sanctions and lied to U.S. officials 
about their efforts to rectify those violations. Their technology has 
been deemed a national security threat by the FCC, the FBI, and the 
Pentagon. Again, let me repeat that. Their technology is a national 
security threat, according to our defense and law enforcement 
authorities. Why on Earth is the Trump administration considering 
relaxing penalties on such a bad actor?
  Some reports suggest that the Trump administration is forgiving ZTE 
to set up an exchange for a short-term, limited purchase of U.S. goods 
from China. If that is the case, what a terrible deal that is for 
America. Our No. 1 priority should be reducing the threat of 
intellectual property theft. Intellectual property theft not only 
threatens our short-term economic outlook, but it threatens our long-
term leadership in high-tech industries, middle-class jobs of the 
future, and the security of our country.
  To relax penalties on ZTE, a proven threat to American intellectual 
property, in a possible exchange for something as small as a one-time 
purchase of goods is like trading away your star player for a last-
round draft pick. By backing off and letting ZTE off the hook, China 
wins. If the reports are true, Congress should move in a bipartisan 
fashion to block this deal right away.
  On top of the ZTE matter, there is no apparent path forward with the 
ongoing trade negotiations--nothing concerning intellectual property 
theft, nothing concerning market access, not even a framework. The two 
recent negotiations with China, led by Secretary Mnuchin and then by 
Secretary Ross, have failed to produce anything that is concrete, real, 
lasting, and important to America.
  The administration keeps sending different officials with different 
priorities to lead discussions with China. Some are tough on China, and 
others are soft. Some have the President's instincts in mind, and 
others do not. Secretary Mnuchin and Ambassador Lighthizer are in 
totally different camps. I am in the Lighthizer camp, but dissension is 
causing tremendous confusion and making our bargaining position so much 
weaker.
  President Trump ought to direct our negotiators--all of our 
negotiators--to be tough with China and to stick with it.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.