Trump Tweets Warning to Companies Eyeing Move Abroad

By BRITAIN EAKIN

WASHINGTON (CN) - In a series of early Sunday morning tweets, President-Elect Donald Trump promised to reduce taxes and regulations for business, but threatened retribution and consequences for companies that move abroad.

"There will be a tax on our soon to be strong border of 35% for these companies wanting to sell their product, cars, A.C. units etc. back across the border," several tweets said.

The president-elect said companies would be free to move between all 50 states without a tariff being charged.

"Please be forewarned prior to making a very expensive mistake! THE UNITED STATES IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS," he tweeted.

His tweets followed a deal he brokered with Carrier, a division of United Technologies, last week to keep 800 of 2100 factory jobs in the U.S. after the company threatened to move its plants to Mexico. To sweeten the pot, Trump offered Carrier $7 million in tax breaks that the state of Indiana will pay out over 10 years.

Trump also broke with nearly four decades of U.S. China policy Friday by speaking with Taiwan's president Tsai Ing-wen by phone. Trump took heavy criticism for the call.

"Interesting how the U.S. sells Taiwan billions of dollars of military equipment but I should not accept a congratulatory call," he tweeted Friday evening.

The Washington Post reported Sunday that the call had been planned long in advance.

The United States has acknowledged Taiwan as part of China since 1979, mirroring Beijing's claim on the island. This acknowledgement has been a central tenant of the so-called "one China policy," which has governed US-China relations for years.

On Saturday a spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry said the country had "lodged solemn representations" with Trump concerning the controversial call.

"The one China principle is the political basis of the China-US relationship," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said in a statement. "We urge the relevant party in the US to honor its commitment to the one China policy and the principles of the three joint communiques, and properly deal with Taiwan-related issues in a discreet manner, so as to avoid unnecessary disruptions to the overall China-US relationship."

Further complicating the call are reports that Trump's company is considering building a luxury hotel in Taoyuan. The mayor of the Taiwanese city reportedly told local press a representative of the business visited in September.

A Trump Organization spokeswoman told CNN no such trip was authorized.

Courthouse News reporter Tim Ryan contributed to this report.

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