US President Donald Trump (Photo: VNA)

He said China not only stole intellectual property, took away billions of dollars from the US and offshored the jobs, but also violated its commitment under the World Trade Organization.

China, he alleged, has unlawfully claimed territories in the Indo-Pacific ocean, threatening freedom of navigation and international trade and broke its word to the world on ensuring the autonomy of Hong Kong. He said the US wants an open and constructive relationship with China, but achieving this relationship requires the US to vigorously defend its national interest.

Trump said: “Today I will issue a proclamation to better secure our nation’s vital university research and to suspend the entry of certain foreign nationals from China, who we have identified as potential security risks. I am also taking action to protect the integrity of America’s financial system, by far the best in the world. I am instructing my presidential working group, One Financial Markets, to study the differing practices of Chinese companies listed on the US financial markets, with the goal of protecting American investors.”

Referring to the unilateral Chinese action control over Hong Kong security, Trump said that this was a plain violation of Beijing's treaty obligations with the UK in the declaration of 1984 and explicit provisions of Hong Kong's basic law. He said Hong Kong is no longer sufficiently autonomous to warrant the special treatment from the US.

“I am directing my administration to begin the process of eliminating policy exemptions that give Hong Kong different and special treatments. My announcement today will affect the full range of agreements we have with Hong Kong from our extradition treaty to our export control. We will be revising the State Department’s travel advisory for Hong Kong to reflect the increased danger of surveillance and punishment by the Chinese state security apparatus,” Trump said.