Washington, D.C. – In a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide threats, U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-ID) spoke about the illicit practices China is using to expand their geographic and economic influence in the 21 ^st century, such as intellectual property theft. Risch pointed to Idaho’s Micron Technology as an example of China stealing ideas and property from American companies. Earlier today, Risch also applauded the Departments of Justice and Treasury for their action against China, and said that China's “illicit behavior has consequences – we will not sit idly by while China conducts covert and overt theft” from America. 

"The real concern is China,” Risch said. “As we proceed through the 21 ^st century, China is going to be a major competitor of ours in every way that there is. Obviously economically and militarily, culturally and every other way. …

“We're Americans. We've always competed, we can compete, we innovate, we create, we manufacture, and we do the great things that we do that have really led the world. But we can only do it if we're operating under a rule of law. And that is something that is greatly missing at the present time, as China tries to compete with us.

“The poster child for me is a local company we have in Idaho, Micron Technology. Most of you have heard of them, they're the second largest manufacturer of memory in the world. … And they have had a recent case where Chinese nationals stole intellectual property and then took it back to China. And they're now suing Micron in China through a state-owned entity and a state-owned court in front of a state-owned judge. And this is the kind of thing that we just can't have. … If we're going to do this and keep the world order in -- right-side up, China's going to have to develop their rule of law and live by it much better than they have.”