China on Tuesday condemned measures targeting it in a new U.S.
defence act, saying it would comprehensively assess aspects that beef up the role of a panel
tasked with reviewing foreign investment proposals.
China’s complaints about the act come as the world’s two biggest economies engage in an
increasingly bitter fight over trade, levying tariffs on each others’ products.
U.S. President Donald Trump signed a 716-billion dollars defenxe policy act on Monday
that authorises military spending and waters down controls on U.S. government contracts
with China’s ZTE Corp and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd.
The National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA), strengthens the Committee on Foreign Investment in
the U.S. (CFIUS), which reviews proposals to determine if they threaten national security.
That measure was seen as targeting China.
China’s Commerce Ministry said it had noted the inclusion of CFIUS in the act and would “comprehensively
assess the contents”, paying close attention to the impact on Chinese firms.
“The U.S. side should objectively and fairly treat Chinese investors, and avoid CFIUS becoming an obstacle
to investment cooperation between Chinese and U.S. firms,” the ministry said in a statement.
Chinese and U.S. companies seek greater cooperation on investment, it added, urging the two countries’
governments to heed the voices of their companies, and provide a good environment and stable
expectations.
Monday’s legislation also calls “long-term strategic competition with China” a top priority for the
U.S., which should improve the defence capabilities of self-ruled Taiwan, claimed by China as a
wayward province.
In a separate statement, China’s foreign ministry said the U. S. passed the act in spite of China’s
strong objections and it was dissatisfied with the “negative content related to China”.
The ministry said that China urges the U. S. to abandon Cold War thinking and correctly and
objectively view relations, and not implement the act’s negative clauses about China, so as to avoid
harming cooperation.
Taiwan thanked the U.S. for its consistent support.
Taiwan would “continue to actively coordinate with the U.S. government to stably deepen the security
partnership between Taiwan and the United States on a mutually beneficial basis”, Taiwan’s foreign
ministry said.
The U.S. has no formal ties with Taiwan but is the island’s strongest ally and sole foreign arms supplier.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen is visiting the United States this month, stopping off first in Los
Angeles and then in Houston on her way to and from Paraguay and Belize.
China has complained to Washington about the visits.