US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed a sweeping defence bill that would restrict US outbound investment in Chinese technology and curb federal contracts with Chinese biotechnology companies, amid an uneasy trade truce between Washington and Beijing.
The bill, known as the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA), cleared both the House of Representatives and Senate earlier this month after months of negotiation.
The Senate passed the bill on Wednesday in a 77-20 vote, following its passage in the House 312-112 last week.
Advertisement
Enacted annually for over six decades, the NDAA is one of a few significant pieces of legislation considered to be “must-pass” and often includes measures not strictly tied to defence. The legislation was finalised amid a fragile easing of US-China trade tensions, following months of tit-for-tat tariffs and export controls.
This year, key provisions include the Biosecure Act, which targets executive-branch contracting with Chinese biotech companies, and the Foreign Investment Guardrails to Help Thwart (FIGHT) China Act, which targets US investments in Chinese technologies with military applications. Lawmakers from both parties have long sought both measures.
08:58
What are rare earths, and why is China’s dominance facing global pushback
What are rare earths, and why is China’s dominance facing global pushback
Last year, the Biosecure Act was dropped from consideration after a Democratic lawmaker intervened to protect jobs tied to one targeted Chinese company in his district.