President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday targeting investments in companies owned or heavily influenced by the Chinese Communist Party.
"President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to protect American investors from funding Communist Chinese military companies, including those designated by the Department of Defense in June and August of 2020. Many of these companies are publicly traded on stock exchanges around the world, and individual investors in the United States can unknowingly provide funds to them through passive institutional investment vehicles such as mutual funds and retirement plans," White House National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien released in a statement. "The President’s action serves to protect American investors from unintentionally providing capital that goes to enhancing the capabilities of the People’s Liberation Army and People’s Republic of China intelligence services, which routinely target American citizens and businesses through cyber operations, and directly threaten the critical infrastructure, economy, and military of America and its allies and partners around the world."
"President Trump has no higher priority than the security of the American people," he continued.
In a new financial slap at China, Pres Trump issues Executive Order barring US investment in companies with ties to China's military. The order is intended to cut off access to US capital that would help China expand and modernize its military, intelligence & other security ops.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) November 12, 2020
On Capitol Hill, the move is being applauded.
#China's massive military buildup is a direct threat on our national security & the free world. American companies should NOT be helping our greatest adversary on this mission.
— Rep. Michael Waltz (@RepMichaelWaltz) November 12, 2020
Right move by the Trump administration to keep American money out of the #CCP's pocketbook. https://t.co/unyI7iaeKS
Meanwhile, China is taking center stage in the battle over Georgia's U.S. Senate races.
Sen. Tom Cotton:
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) November 10, 2020
"Joe Biden has a 48-year history of selling out American workers and jobs to China. So, that’s another reason why we need to elect David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, who have been tough on CCP from the very beginning.”#Election2020