Gen. Herbert “Hawk” Carlisle USAF (ret.), President and CEO, National Defense Industrial Association: “China’s theft of our intellectual property has had a significant impact on our national security and our economic productivity, the very basis of our strength as a nation. Our military is simply the best the world has ever seen because of the men and women who volunteer to serve and because of the vitality and quality of our defense industry and entrepreneurs. Our innovators are the envy of the world, but they simply cannot compete against a Chinese Communist Party led-strategy to steal their ideas and their technological breakthroughs. Critically, our military and our defense industry will be weakened and undermined if it cannot benefit from private sector innovation. NDIA and all of our members welcome the efforts by the Trump Administration to redress this misconduct, and are hopeful that more action will be taken to arrest China’s attempts to undermine our economic and national security interests worldwide.”

Dr. Zack Cooper, Senior Fellow for Asian Security at the Center for Strategic and International Studies: “China’s intellectual property theft and other unfair trade practices undermine not only the U.S. economy, but also U.S. national security. Economic competition must take place within a rules-based system that rewards hard work and protects innovation. China’s intellectual property theft unfairly erodes U.S. competitiveness and weakens U.S. industries, including the defense industrial base. Beijing has also used economic pressure to unfairly coerce U.S. businesses, allies, and partners. It is appropriate that the United States work with businesses, allies, and partners to protect our workers, industries, innovations, and independence.”

Richard Ellings, President of the National Bureau of Asian Research: “Due to [its] economic success, its rapid military buildup, and [its] apparent ambitions, China is the major issue in global affairs. Key to its success so far has been its acquisition of technology and trade secrets by every legal and illegal means. In the past decade Chinese entities have stolen several trillions of dollars of intellectual property from American companies from across the country, costing millions of jobs. I welcome the Trump Administration’s announcement to investigate this issue and taking every responsible step toward driving down IP theft and putting the conduct of U.S.-China relations on a realistic and more sustainable footing.”

The Honorable Dr. Patrick M. Cronin, Former Assistant Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development: “China employs all means to appropriate others’ technology and intellectual property. The Trump Administration is to be applauded for urgently investigating new ways of containing threats as diverse as economic cyberespionage, hostile takeovers of high-tech business, and unfair rules imposed on joint ventures. At risk is not just American leadership and competitiveness. At risk is the very ability of the United States of America to remain a sovereign state.”

ADM Dennis Blair, USN (Ret.), former Director of National Intelligence: “The President’s action today is an important and overdue first step. The United States badly needs a full court press of strong cooperative actions both by the government and the private sector to defend one of America’s most important resources and competitive advantages–its ideas, inventions, copyrights, proprietary business information and strategies. They are currently being stolen by both foreign companies and governments, using a combination of hacking, official policies and traditional espionage. Many foreign countries and companies are involved, but China is the worst offender. This problem has been discussed and bemoaned for years without action. Jon Huntsman and I have called for a series of actions under legislation already passed by Congress to take action against those who benefit from these illegal actions, and I am delighted to see the executive branch starting down this road. With persistence and firm action, we can ensure American individuals and companies benefit from their entrepreneurial achievements.”

Phebe Novakovic, Chairman and CEO, General Dynamics: “This commitment from the Administration comes at a critical juncture. The threat to our intellectual property is real and increasing. We see these types of threats in our defense and commercial aerospace businesses. We support the President’s action today to help protect the intellectual property of our nation’s industrial base.”

Thomas A. Kennedy, Chairman and CEO, Raytheon Company: “State-sponsored intellectual property theft is a problem for the U.S. defense industry and our military capability. It poses both economic and national security concerns. We applaud President Trump for taking the necessary steps to protect our industry and our country.”

David Alexander, President, General Atomics – Aeronautical Systems: “We are encouraged by the President’s commitment to address Chinese intellectual property theft. The U.S. Defense industry has certainly been subject to these aggressive actions and intellectual property theft has been extremely detrimental to U.S. National Security. We look forward to supporting the President’s actions in this space.”

Dr. Michael Pillsbury, Director of the Center on Chinese Strategy, The Hudson Institute: “China’s attack on U.S. intellectual property is a national security challenge of the first order, as well as a persistent check on our economic growth. By taking bold and decisive action to protect our intellectual property, President Trump is showing the world that the United States will stand up decisively for our national interests and put America First.”

Professor Stefan Halper, University of Cambridge: “Since China joined the WTO in 2001, 2.4 million U.S. jobs have been lost and 60,000 U.S. manufacturing firms have been forced out of business. Entire regions of the country have been hollowed out. Intellectual property theft–70% by China–now costs the U.S. some $600 billion a year. A thorough review of this problem, and a rebalancing of the trade relationship, is urgent. The Administration is to be commended for initiating that today.”

Former U.S. Representative J. Randy Forbes (R-VA), Founder of the Congressional China Caucus: “China’s assault on American intellectual property threatens our military edge and economic competitiveness. It is a serious threat to our national security and can only be countered by bold, aggressive action in support of our national interests. I commend President Trump for his leadership on this issue.”

Richard Lawless, former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for East Asia and Pacific Affairs, 2002-2008: “China was invited to joint WTO and, in so doing, embrace and abide by the rules and obligations of that organization. China has leveraged its WTO membership and market position to strip technology and the underlying IP from U.S., Japanese, and European firms active in all advanced technology sectors. An objective and factual examination of this systemic theft and coerced transfer of critical IP and its impact on the defense industrial base of these nations is long overdue.”

Marillyn A. Hewson, Chairman, President and CEO, Lockheed Martin Corporation: “Lockheed Martin welcomes the Trump Administration’s focus on the critical need to protect U.S. defense and aerospace industry intellectual property. The continued theft and unlawful transfer of American defense know-how is of national security concern and threatens to undermine the competitiveness of U.S. industry.”

Wes Bush, Chairman, President, and CEO of Northrop Grumman: “Technological innovation is the heart of our national security and the bedrock of our economy. Theft of these innovations erodes our security and diminishes our economic competitiveness. This is an important action to address the serious problem of state-sponsored intellectual property theft.”

Roger A. Krone, Chairman and CEO, Leidos Inc.: “We appreciate the President’s focus on this grave issue, and support his escalated stance on dealing with those who would try to perpetuate these crimes. Safeguarding our intellectual property against nation-state sponsored cyber theft is key to protecting our national security, economy, and our ability to innovate though technological breakthroughs. The risk of theft has an ongoing impact on all aspects of life for our citizens, and costs billions of dollars each year that could be better spent on research and development.”

Daniel A. Blumenthal, Former Commissioner and Vice Chairman, United States-China Economic and Security Commission: “The theft of our intellectual property by China has had a severe impact on our national security and our economic productivity, the very basis of our strength as a nation. We remain a superpower because of the vitality and industriousness of our workers and entrepreneurs. Critically, our military will be further weakened if it cannot benefit from private sector innovation. Beijing’s strategy to steal our technology underscores its status as our foremost geopolitical and geo-economic competitor that seeks to weaken us. I welcome all efforts by the Trump Administration to redress this grave harm, and am hopeful that more action will be taken to arrest China’s attempts to undermine our economic and national security interests globally.”

Former Senator Jim Talent (R-MO), member of the United States-China Economic & Security Review Commission: “China’s theft of U.S. intellectual property — including technology from our defense contractors. It is past time for strong measures from our government. Our economy depends on the protection of American innovators and the technology they create. The President’s action is an important in safeguarding American intellectual property, and I support the President in standing strong on this critical economic and security issue.”

General Keith Alexander, USA (Ret.), former Director of the National Security Agency: “A little over five years ago, I said that the theft of American intellectual property was the greatest transfer of wealth in history. I believe that statement is even more true today. Protecting American innovators is essential to the United States’ economic and national security. This Presidential action is an important step towards stopping the theft and forced transfers of American intellectual property, and I support the President in his actions today.”