China

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHUMER. As trade negotiations with China continue this week, I want to press the President again to stay tough and hold out for the best possible deal. If China is unwilling to make significant reforms to its economic model, President Trump must be prepared to walk away.

I believe the President's instincts on China are right. I have not been afraid to say so, despite our vast political and moral disagreements. But if we are going to be successful in these negotiations, it will be up to President Trump--no one else--to keep the pressure on Chinese leaders this week.

There are a few things he can do. The most significant point of emphasis for the President should be Huawei, the Chinese telecom giant. China has responded to the administration's justified restrictions on Huawei, unlike any other action the President has taken. It is our greatest source of leverage.

President Trump, hold tough on Huawei. Don't let there be giant loopholes.

I am told that under the purported proposal being talked about, 80 percent of Huawei's products could still be sold to us. If we have a total boycott of Huawei, then China will beg us to come to the table and make real concessions. It is the best leverage we have--even better than the tariffs. China wants Huawei to dominate the world. They will find a way to do it unless we are tough as can be.

I say to President Trump: I know these multinational corporations are pressuring you to cut a quick deal. The President should not listen to these big corporations who want him to cut a deal quickly. Many of these same corporations are the ones that have shipped jobs overseas through the last decades. They are the ones that took jobs away from American workers and moved them to China. I understand those corporate executives. They are supposed to be totally subservient to their shareholders. Their shareholders say: Whatever you have to do to bring the price up, do it.

That hurts American workers. It hurts American security. It hurts the American economy, especially when it comes to Huawei.

President Trump, don't listen to the siren call of those same corporations that have created part of the problem with China to now get you to back off. Yes, they will have a little pain. They have made billions at large from dealing with China and letting China get away with stuff like taking jobs away from the United States into much lower paid, lower standard jobs in China.

Trade negotiations with China are far too important to the future of American business and American workers to sacrifice just because a handful of American corporations are worried about their quarterly profits. Their quarterly profits are nothing compared to America maintaining its technological dominance, its technological superiority that China keeps trying to steal from us, in some ways legitimate, in many ways not.

Another point of emphasis for the President's team--this is one the President cares less about, but that is OK--is China's human rights record. China released a new policy outlining the use of force against Hong Kong's protest. Its military built up forces along the border. We have seen this movie before at Tiananmen. It was a horror movie--one that resulted in hundreds, if not thousands, of unarmed Chinese citizens being mercilessly slaughtered by their own Army under the direction of the Chinese Communist Party. We cannot have a sequel to this atrocity. The administration should push back against China's militarism and stand up for the autonomy and democratic rights of Hong Kong citizens.

I have read some of these columns where they say: Can't we get along? We can't get along because, first, China doesn't play fair and has stolen trillions of dollars and millions of jobs from America and seeks to keep doing it. They have been duping our Presidents, pushing them around, making agreements, and breaking them. Second, we can't get along with China because of what it does to its citizens--the Uighurs in Western China and now the citizens of Hong Kong.

What we have seen with China is that when we are tough and strong, they back off. When we show any glimmer of weakness--as we are showing in floating a deal, a lessening of the restrictions on Huawei--they take advantage.

Let me say this to all of those in this administration who are urging the President to back off on Huawei and let them buy some of our products. There is a bipartisan group here in this Senate who will work very hard to prevent that from happening legislatively. The most likely vehicle is the NDAA. I think we will get broad support from Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate. So to those in the administration who are trying to back off, don't even try it.

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