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Get the latest coverage of the 2021 Florida legislative session in Tallahassee from our coverage partners and WUSF.

Florida Moves Against Foreign Theft Of Intellectual Property

Gov. Ron DeSantis at the podium
Gov. Ron DeSantis
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Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law a pair of bills focused on “nefarious foreign influence and corporate espionage.”

He says bad actors working on behalf of the Chinese government have been stealing intellectual property.

Florida has China in its crosshairs.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law Monday a pair of bills focused on “nefarious foreign influence and corporate espionage.”

The Republican governor says China has infiltrated broad sectors of American society, particularly research universities.

He says bad actors working on behalf of the Chinese government have been stealing intellectual property.

“The Chinese Communist Party has made it a mission of their global expansion of power to steal intellectual property from our businesses, our government and our academic institutions, all to further fuel their global objectives," DeSantis said.

One of the measures signed into law would stiffen penalties on those who steal trade secrets.

DeSantis is seeking to seize the national stage as he considers a run for president in 2024.

Information from News Service of Florida was used in this report.

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