- Gov. Kevin Stitt said Oklahoma has shut down attempts by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to influence the state, citing growing federal dysfunction that has made states a new target.
- In June 2024, Stitt issued an executive order directing annual risk assessments and audits of state procurements to protect critical infrastructure from foreign threats, especially those linked to the CCP.
- Stitt has expanded Oklahoma's global trade relationships, signing MOUs with countries like the U.K., Denmark and Taiwan to reduce reliance on China and support allied economies.
- Stitt seeks to make Oklahoma the "critical mineral capital" of the U.S., with major investments from companies like Emirates Global Aluminum, USA Rare Earth, Green Li-ion and Blue Whale Materials.
- Following cybersecurity warnings about the China-linked AI app DeepSeek, Stitt reaffirmed his stance by referencing his 2022 TikTok ban and pledging further actions to secure state systems from foreign data threats.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt is doubling down on efforts to safeguard his state from the influence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) – laying out a broad strategy to shore up critical infrastructure, build new international partnerships and re-industrialize key sectors of the economy.
In a recent interview on the "American Thought Leaders" program aired Aug. 1, Stitt – a Republican now serving his second term after a 2022 reelection win – claimed that Beijing has attempted to exert influence at the state level amid increasing federal dysfunction.
"They're going to the states now because Congress is so dysfunctional. It's so political. It's so partisan that they're literally coming directly to the states," Stitt said during the interview. But he added that those efforts have failed in Oklahoma: "They don't reach out to me. I've shut them down."
Citing the pandemic-era supply chain chaos as a wake-up call, Stitt said his administration began examining what might happen in the event of a major geopolitical disruption, such as a conflict between China and Taiwan. The result: A stark projection that such a scenario could be 20 times more damaging.
In response, Stitt issued an executive order in June 2024 to secure Oklahoma against foreign threats, particularly from the CCP. The directive tasks the Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) with annual statewide risk assessments and audits of state procurements, with a special focus on cyber vulnerabilities, the electric grid, water infrastructure and supply chains. It also encourages agencies to minimize reliance on single-source procurement.
Oklahoma's bold stand against Beijing's influence
Stitt has also ramped up outreach to allied nations while insulating Oklahoma from CCP influence. He has met with more than 80 ambassadors and has signed memoranda of understanding with countries including the United Kingdom and Denmark. His most significant trip took place last December, when he led a trade delegation to Taiwan, South Korea and Japan.
In Taiwan, Stitt met with President Lai Ching-te to formalize collaboration in the energy and aerospace sectors to help U.S. allies "unplug" from Chinese economic dependence. "They need to know that they've got an ally that they can support," Stitt explained. "That's part of the reason we make those trips, to see how we can help, what their needs are."
Stitt also seeks to turn the Sooner State into the "critical mineral capital of the U.S." – with swift progress on this objective. In May, UAE-based Emirates Global Aluminum announced a $4 billion investment to build an aluminum smelting plant at the Port of Inola – the first of its kind in the U.S. in 45 years. The facility will produce 544,000 metric tons annually and is expected to create nearly 3,000 jobs.
In Stillwater, USA Rare Earth recently produced its first batch of American-made rare earth magnets. In Atoka, Green Li-ion is producing battery-grade materials from recycled batteries. And in Bartlesville, Blue Whale Materials is ramping up operations at its lithium-ion battery recycling facility.
Earlier this year, Stitt also pledged to root out any trace of CCP influence in Oklahoma, following new warnings from state and cybersecurity leaders about a China-linked artificial intelligence platform known as DeepSeek. (Related: INFILTRATION ALERT: CCP-linked media company running influence campaigns across US news websites.)
"We want people working. They shouldn't be messing with that kind of stuff on state devices. If there's other things that we need to do from a state level, we're happy to look at it," Stitt said in March when asked about DeepSeek, pointing to his 2022 executive order banning TikTok on all state-owned devices.
Learn more about CCP activities in the U.S. at CommunistChina.news.
Watch this video detailing how extensively the CCP has infiltrated American society.
This video is from the channel The Resistance 1776 on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
REPORT: CCP saw Tim Walz as a "target" to help push Chinese influence in Washington.
Sources include:
Please contact us for more information.