US Justice Department Warns Apple and Disney as "China's Pawns" for Lobbying Law Violations

Warning to US Companies' Pro-China Management
"Apple Cooperates with Chinese Media Censorship and Information Control"
US Government Pushes to Ban Entry of Chinese Communist Party Members

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] William Barr, U.S. Attorney General, publicly criticized American companies Apple and Disney, calling them "China's playthings." Following U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the Attorney General also joined in criticizing China and warned about the pro-China tendencies of American companies, drawing attention to the potential repercussions.

William Barr, former U.S. Attorney General
[Photo by Reuters]

According to Bloomberg and Voice of America (VOA) on the 16th (local time), Barr stated in a speech in Michigan that "China is waging an 'economic blitzkrieg' to replace the United States, using hegemonic and illegal strategies to gain advantages in the U.S." He sharply criticized, saying, "Major American companies have become China's playthings, allowing Beijing to sacrifice American and Western democratic values while accumulating influence and wealth."

Barr's remarks also served as a warning that the invisible pro-China management approaches of American companies like Apple and Disney could violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). FARA requires companies, organizations, and individuals operating in the U.S. to register with the Department of Justice if they represent the interests of foreign governments or corporations.

Barr cited Apple's removal of applications from media outlets that published reports critical of China and songs demanding Chinese democracy from the Chinese Apple Store. He also pointed out Apple's deletion of virtual private network (VPN) apps that enable access to Facebook, Google, Twitter, and other services blocked by China. This criticism highlights Apple's active cooperation with China's media censorship and public opinion control policies.

He further raised his voice, saying, "American companies must know their limits." Barr noted that while the Chinese Communist Party considers at least ten or a hundred years ahead, "we are only concerned about the next quarter's earnings."

Barr emphasized that China is engaging in currency manipulation, tariffs, state intervention in corporate mergers and acquisitions (M&A), intellectual property theft, state subsidies, trade dumping, cyberattacks, and espionage activities.

Bloomberg assessed Barr's remarks as part of the Trump administration's offensive against China. It added that while officials in diplomacy, security, trade, and health sectors taking a hard line against China is not unusual, the Attorney General's involvement demonstrates the Trump administration's strong determination to confront China.

Secretary of State Pompeo, who has focused on criticizing China daily, declared that in line with a foreign policy emphasizing freedom, the U.S. will confront human rights abuses by authoritarian regimes including China. He said, "Authoritarian regimes commit massive human rights violations every day worldwide," mentioning China along with Nicaragua, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Iran, Russia, Myanmar, and North Korea.

The U.S. is intensifying pressure on China day by day. The New York Times (NYT) and Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. authorities are also considering banning entry into the U.S. for Chinese Communist Party members and their families. The Journal predicted that this measure would not be accepted by President Trump, citing the difficulty in accurately identifying the 92 million Chinese Communist Party members and opposition from economic officials in the Trump administration.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.