Rubio: 'China Is Russia Times 1,000' – They Have CEOs 'Who Are Basically Lobbyists' for Them

On Thursday’s broadcast of the Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria,” Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) said that while Russia is a threat, “China is Russia times 1,000” due to its larger economy, stronger military, and influence through “American companies and their CEOs who are basically lobbyists for the Chinese government’s position” on a variety of issues.

Rubio stated that it’s a good thing that Russia is being removed from equity indices, but “we need to bring some legal structure around it. My bill basically prevents that investment from happening. Look, I’ve been focused on China in that regard. I think that’s the real long-term problem for this country, okay. China is Russia times 1,000. Their economy’s way bigger, their military might is superior at this point, their influence…there are American companies and their CEOs who are basically lobbyists for the Chinese government’s position…on a range of issues. Because they’re desperate for market share over there and because they’ve got their factories and production over there. But Russia is a — is also a threat, especially with this free-fall in their economy and the lack of transparency and the like. And you’ve got a lot of Americans who, every month or every paycheck, put a little bit aside in some retirement fund that they do not control and it’s invested in very risky things in Russia and they’re going to see themselves deeply impacted by it.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett