China, in his words · 2016 campaign · № 28

On China

Accused China of an 'economic assault' and of stealing government secrets by cyberattack

“Our president has allowed China to continue its economic assault on American jobs and wealth, refusing to enforce trade deals and apply leverage on China necessary to rein in North Korea. ... He has even allowed China to steal government secrets with cyber attacks and engaged in industrial espionage against the United States and its companies.”
Said
, Foreign policy speech hosted by the Center for the National Interest, Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D.C.
Subject
cyber theft and trade
Threat
Economic and military
Topic
Foreign policy
Era
2016 campaign

What the record showed

In April 2018 the Commerce Department barred U.S. suppliers from doing business with Chinese telecom company ZTE over sanctions violations. On May 13, 2018 he tweeted that he and Xi Jinping were 'working together to give massive Chinese phone company, ZTE, a way to get back into business, fast,' and the ban was lifted on July 13, 2018 after ZTE paid a $1 billion penalty and put $400 million in escrow. In February 2020 the Justice Department charged four members of China's military with the 2017 Equifax breach, which exposed data on about 145 million Americans.

Sources

  1. Remarks on Foreign Policy The American Presidency Project (UC Santa Barbara), Apr 27, 2016
  2. Tweet: 'President Xi of China, and I, are working together to give massive Chinese phone company, ZTE, a way to get back into business, fast' Twitter (@realDonaldTrump), May 13, 2018
  3. U.S. Lifts Ban That Kept ZTE From Doing Business With U.S. Suppliers WRAL (The New York Times), Jul 13, 2018
  4. Chinese Hackers Charged In Alleged Cyber-Theft Of 145 Million Americans' Data NPR, Feb 10, 2020