118 HR 8683 IH: To require the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State to monitor efforts by the People’s Republic of China to build or buy strategic foreign ports, and for other purposes. U.S. House of Representatives 2024-06-11 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I118th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 8683IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESJune 11, 2024Mr. Huizenga introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concernedA BILLTo require the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State to monitor efforts by the People’s Republic of China to build or buy strategic foreign ports, and for other purposes.

1.

Mapping and strategy required

(a)

Mapping

The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State shall jointly develop and maintain an updated global mapping of strategic ports identified to be of importance to the United States, because of a capability to provide military, diplomatic, economic, trade, or resource exploration superiority, and any efforts by the Government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to build or buy such ports.(b)

Strategy

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State shall jointly submit to Congress a strategy to counter the efforts by the PRC described in subsection (a) and ensure that the strategic ports mapped pursuant to such subsection are built, owned, controlled, and managed by the United States or by governments friendly to the United States. Such strategy shall also include the following—(1)An identification of the commercial, military, and dual-use capabilities of ports owned, constructed, or operated by Chinese entities.(2)An identification of potential military capabilities, including physical limitations and construction specifications such as berth, in number and length, draft, deep-water level, availability of transportation networks and fueling stations, and quay.(3)An identification and analysis of ongoing PRC port projects, suspended projects, and canceled projects.(4)An identification and analysis of non-PRC-owned or -operated ports that use PRC-manufactured, critical port infrastructure.(5)An identification and analysis of non-PRC-owned or -operated ports that have been the victims of cyber attacks originating inside or by the direction of the PRC.(c)

Statement of policy

It shall be the policy of each relevant Federal department and agency to—(1)identify and encourage ways in which collaboration between various development finance options, such as the Export-Import Bank, the United States International Development Finance Corporation, the United States Agency for International Development, and others, can be used to thwart Chinese investment in—(A)strategic ports;(B)countries that have currently have strategic ports; or(C)countries that have the capability of hosting strategic ports; and(2)report to Congress on efforts and progress made in such collaboration and in successfully thwarting such investments.