It's now clear to U.S. officials that China, once considered a possible economic and political ally, has become an emerging threat to national security, U.S. companies and American workers, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said Wednesday.
"China's reprioritization away from economic growth toward national security and its assertive military behavior means that we have to rethink how we protect our national security interests while also promoting our interests in trade and investment."
"Probably most disturbingly is they're accelerating their efforts to fuse economic and technology policies with their military ambitions," Raimondo said.
"China today poses a set of growing challenges to our national security," she said.
But in areas that have no potential to undermine our interests, our values, our national security, our economic security, and at the same time using every tool in our toolbox to protect our companies and counter unfair economic practices," Raimondo said.