Governor Stitt Takes Proactive Steps to Protect Oklahomans from the Chinese Communist Party
Today, Governor Kevin Stitt issued Executive Order 2024-11, counteracting Chinese Communist Party malign influence and bolstering Oklahoma's defenses against potential threats posed by foreign adversaries. The executive order outlines a comprehensive series of measures aimed at protecting Oklahomans and their tax dollars from CCP aggression and escalating tensions in the Indo-Pacific region.
"Under President Biden, the United States is dealing with an aggressive and emboldened Chinese government, and states have to be prepared to deal with those consequences," said Governor Stitt. "I'm proud to take this executive action to protect our interests from foreign adversaries. I can promise you, the Chinese Communist Party will find no friend in Oklahoma."
Citing a string of alarming statements from U.S. intelligence agencies regarding the CCP's espionage activities and growing aggression in the Indo-Pacific region, the executive order implements proactive measures to protect state assets and citizens by focusing on the following directives:
Risk Assessment and Auditing: The order directs OMES to administer an annual state risk assessment to identify areas of vulnerability, such as vulnerability to cyberattacks, public health, energy infrastructure and more.
Defending State Assets: To bolster our defense posture, Governor Stitt aims to protect taxpayer assets by ordering the development of divestment plans for those assets deemed at risk of compromise in the event of an Indo-Pacific conflict.
Securing our Supply Chain: Governor Stitt's order ensures Oklahoma reduces its reliance on single-source procurement from adversarial regimes like the CCP, while directing OMES to assess critical infrastructure, telecommunications, military installations, and other areas of concern.
The executive order comes three weeks after Governor Stitt signed SB 1705 to prohibit foreign governments from owning land in Oklahoma. Governor Stitt becomes the first governor in the nation to take executive action to proactively safeguard state assets from Chinese influence and aggression.
Executive Order 2024-11 can be found here.
