... truth that most networking equipment is manufactured in China anyway ...
The futility of the U.S.Congress is highlighted again.
This is not about security, it's the U.S.doing an end run around WTO rules and regulations as they have done to other countries. They can't operate on a level playing field.
But they screwed themselves. Companies wanting to up their profits ship their assembly and manufacturing operations to China. The Chinese are no dummies, so they 'borrow' the American technology, and improve it, then sell it back to the US as a competing product. Actually, the Chinese government is now demanding IP transfers / licencing.
Since American imports exceed exports their trade surplus. it drains the treasury. So the Treasury issue bonds, the Chinese fearing a loss of their main market, buy the bonds.
Now the Chinese have US technology, production, and the control of debt. It's called holding all the cards.
And the US thinks it is the greatest? Dumb b*stards. End of the American empire.