Washington (May 14, 2018) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), top Democrat on the East Asia Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement after President Donald Trump announced in a tweet he is directing his Commerce Department to “give massive Chinese phone company, ZTE, a way to get back into business, fast. Too many jobs in China lost. Commerce Department has been instructed to get it done!” Senior American intelligence officials have questioned the security of products made by Chinese telecommunications company ZTE, which also was found by the Commerce Department to be in violation of American sanctions by selling to Iran and North Korea and then hiding the exports and rewarding ZTE executives, which the company acknowledged.

“President Trump seems to care more about Chinese jobs than American security,” said Senator Markey. “ZTE violated sanctions against Iran and North Korea and is a suspected U.S. security risk. China as the largest shareholder of ZTE, has a responsibility to operate in good faith within the laws and norms of the international system, including by stringently enforcing sanctions. As we continue to negotiate on tariffs and discuss North Korean denuclearization ahead of the upcoming Trump-Kim summit, anything short of that is unacceptable. America’s national security is not a bargaining chip For President Trump to use in his reckless trade war games.”

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