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Senator Marco Rubio (R- Florida) slammed President Donald Trump’s decision to help Chinese telecommunications company ZTE to restart its business. On Sunday, Pres, Trump tweeted that he is working with Chinese President Xi Jinping to help ZTE “get back into business.” He instructed the Department of Commerce to get it done.

The problem with ZTE is national security and espionage

On Monday, Sen. Rubio said the President’s decision to allow ZTE operate in the U.S. without tighter restrictions is “crazy.” He emphasized that the problem with the Chinese telecom company is national security and espionage.

Problem with ZTE isn’t jobs & trade, it’s national security & espionage. Any telecomm firm in #China can be forced to act as tool of Chinese espionage without any court order or any other review process. We are crazy to allow them to operate in U.S. without tighter restrictions https://t.co/AXtTDgufc9

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) May 14, 2018

In 2012, the Congressional Intelligence Committee recommended to the U.S. government to avoid doing business with ZTE and Huawei. The Committee explained that the Chinese government has influence over the two telecom companies. It could use the companies to gather intelligence, intercept high-level communications, and shut down network systems during national emergencies. In short, the U.S. government cannot trust ZTE or Huawei. The companies pose a national national security threat. In another  tweet, Sen. Rubio said he hopes Pres. Trump is not backing down to China.

I hope this isn’t the beginning of backing down to China. While Chinese companies have unrestricted access to U.S. market & protection of our laws many U.S. companies have been ruined after #China blocked market access or stole their intellectual property https://t.co/zUFmiul786

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) May 14, 2018

China vowed to fight back U.S. tariffs 

In April, the Commerce Department prohibited U.S. companies from selling products or services to ZTE over the next seven years.  The ban comes after the Chinese telecom company violated the U.S. trade embargo against Iran and North Korea.  Technology experts considered the ban a “death sentence” since ZTE will not have access to U.S. technology and hardware critical to its business. Take note that the Pres. Trump repeatedly accused China of trade abuses and stealing intellectual property of American companies. Earlier this year, his administration imposed tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum as a punishment.