(China, 26th) – On December 17, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed the National Defense Authorization Act for the 2026 fiscal year, with a budget as high as $901 billion (3.65 trillion ringgit). President Trump signed the act into law the following day. On Thursday (December 25), the Foreign Affairs Committee of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) strongly urged the United States not to implement the negative China-related provisions within the act, warning that if the U.S. insists on going its own way, Beijing will take strong measures.
This National Defense Authorization Act, which has been passed by both chambers of the U.S. Congress for the 65th consecutive year, establishes a process for reviewing investments in China, requiring U.S. citizens and companies to report to the Treasury Department when investing in sensitive technologies in China. The Treasury Department is also given greater authority to block such transactions.
Due to external concerns that China may be plotting to invade Taiwan, the act allocates a full $1 billion for Taiwan's security cooperation program, authorizes continued funding for U.S. military training of Taiwan’s forces, and requires the Pentagon to seek a joint program with Taiwan to deploy drone and anti-drone systems.
According to a statement released on China’s National People’s Congress website, spokesperson Xu Dong of the NPC Foreign Affairs Committee delivered remarks Thursday in response to the U.S. signing the “2026 Fiscal Year National Defense Authorization Act” into law. He stated that the act contains negative China-related content, continues a long-standing tone of containing China, hypes the “China threat”, crudely interferes in China’s internal affairs, and harms Beijing’s core interests. “We express our strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this.”
According to a statement released on China’s National People’s Congress website, spokesperson Xu Dong of the NPC Foreign Affairs Committee delivered remarks Thursday in response to the U.S. signing the “2026 Fiscal Year National Defense Authorization Act” into law. He stated that the act contains negative China-related content, continues a long-standing tone of containing China, hypes the “China threat”, crudely interferes in China’s internal affairs, and harms Beijing’s core interests. “We express our strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this.”
Xu Dong stated that Beijing hopes Washington will view China’s development and China-U.S. relations objectively and rationally, and work together with China to implement the important consensus reached during the China-U.S. presidential meeting in Busan.
He also strongly urged the United States to abandon zero-sum thinking and ideological bias, and not to implement the above negative China-related provisions in the act. “If the U.S. insists on its own course, China will, in accordance with the law, take strong measures to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests.”
He also strongly urged the United States to abandon zero-sum thinking and ideological bias, and not to implement the above negative China-related provisions in the act. “If the U.S. insists on its own course, China will, in accordance with the law, take strong measures to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests.”