Carlisle: NDIA backs White House move on Chinese intellectual property theft
ARLINGTON, VA – NDIA President and CEO Hawk Carlisle led a chorus of support of President Donald Trump’s move Monday to investigate Chinese theft of U.S. intellectual property, saying China’s actions hit “the very basis of our strength as a nation.”
“China’s theft of our intellectual property has had a significant impact on our national security and our economic productivity,” said Carlisle, who retired as a four-star general in March after nearly 40 years with the Air Force. His statement led those of 18 other officials, including some executives of NDIA corporate members, who voiced support for the action.
“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,” Carlisle said in his statement. “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.”
On Monday, Aug. 14, Trump signed a memorandum authorizing an inquiry into China's alleged theft of intellectual property, according to news reports. Administration officials have estimated that China’s theft of intellectual property could be as high as $600 billion.
The measure directs U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to look into options to protect U.S. intellectual property, but does not take any specific immediate action against China.
Representatives of some of NDIA’s corporate members also loaned their support to Trump’s memo. Carlisle’s complete statement is in the full White House news release, available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/08/14/wtas-praise-president-donald-j-trumps-memorandum-chinese-trade-practices
For more information or to request an interview with Carlisle, contact Evamarie Socha at esocha@ndia.org or (703) 472-3806.