Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoHillicon Valley: FBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden | Treasury Dept. sanctions Iranian government-backed hackers Treasury Dept. sanctions Iranian government-backed hackers The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - Pence lauds Harris as 'experienced debater'; Trump, Biden diverge over debate prep MORE warned governors of the United States on Saturday that China was targeting individual states to try and expand its economic and political influence.

The U.S.'s top diplomat addressed the state governors at National Governors Association meeting in Washington, telling them that a think tank controlled by the Chinese government had assessed all 50 governors on their attitude toward China and given each one a label: “friendly, hard-line or ambiguous.”

“So here’s the lesson. The lesson is the competition with China is not just a federal issue,” Pompeo said, the Associated Press reported.

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“It’s happening in your states with consequences for our foreign policy, for the citizens who reside in your states and indeed for each of you,” Pompeo added.

The secretary also warned the leaders to be wary of Chinese investment and influence, especially through "diplomats, students and organizations," according to the news source.

Pompeo relayed similar concerns during his recent five-nation tour of Europe and Central Asia. While he was in London, he reportedly called the Chinese Communist Party “the central threat of our times.”