by Nick Givas

Maryland University economics professor Peter Morici said President Donald Trump needs continue putting pressure on the Chinese government to limit their influence and control over American policy.

“I don’t think China is under enough stress,” Morici said on “Fox & Friends” Wednesday.

He specifically cited Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin for being too soft on China and said Trump was right to criticize his performance.

“Now we put on a 25 percent tariff. And then do some of the things that secretary Mnuchin has been nixing,” Morici continued. “You know, the president was quite correct to criticize him. He’s been leaning against this all along. When he spoke to me, he expressed great skepticism that the trade deficit mattered at all! At all! At All. That was very disappointing that conversation.”

He also called for a ban on Huawei and ZTE cell phone exports in the interest of national security and recommended tougher sanctions on investment.

“My feeling is that we need to not only put on the 25 percent tariff but we need to do some of the other things. For example ban Huawei and ZTE’s exports for 5G into the United States. It’s a national security threat,” he declared.

“And start to put on much tougher sanctions on Chinese investment here. You know, they can buy just about whatever they want in this country, but we can only invest in what they permit us to invest and only if Chinese actors have control.’

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Nick Givas is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation. You can follow Nick on Twitter
Photo “Professor Peter Morici” by the University of Maryland.