By Diyar Guldogan
WASHINGTON (AA) - A group of US Senate Democrats urged President Donald Trump on Wednesday not to make concessions that could undermine national security interests ahead of his planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea.
In a letter sent to Trump before Thursday’s talks, the lawmakers warned against trading away longstanding security safeguards such as export controls and investment restrictions on critical technologies in exchange for what they called “empty promises and illusory wins."
"Ahead of your meeting with President Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday, we write to urge you not to negotiate away America and our allies’ national security. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) poses a fundamental threat to U.S. national security, economic prosperity, and global leadership," they wrote.
They criticized several recent decisions by the Trump administration, including the lifting of export controls on artificial intelligence (AI) chips that could be used by China for military applications such as autonomous weapons and intelligence platforms. The lawmakers also cited reports that the administration discouraged Taiwan’s president from transiting through the US and accused Trump of failing to fully enforce restrictions on TikTok’s operations in the US.
"America’s export controls, investment safeguards, and our longstanding security partnerships must not be on the negotiating table," they wrote.
They also urged Trump not to weaken the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) or hinder the Treasury Department’s Outbound Investment Security Program, which is designed to prevent US companies from contributing to sensitive technology development in countries of concern.
"You have expressed confidence that you will leave South Korea this week with a 'really fair and really great trade deal.' We urge you to understand that any deal that sacrifices America or our allies’ national security is neither," the letter concluded.