[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 200 (Wednesday, December 19, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S7828]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 CHINA

  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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