United States Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has called for additional measures to be included into a defense bill passing through Congress that will allow closer regulation of inbound foreign investment amid concerns that Chinese parties could access valuable U.S. technology.
Mattis asked that the National Defense Authorization Act also incorporate means of expanding the powers of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS – the body that reviews foreign investment deals, especially those with a potential threat to national security.
In his letter, seen by Reuters, Mattis highlighted his support for foreign investment but added: “The DoD (Department of Defense) also believes we must be clear-eyed that our adversaries have studied the weaknesses of our current laws and regulations and are exploiting them today.”