Sec. 301. Counteracting growing Chinese educational and cultural influence in Latin America and the Caribbean
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According to a report by the National Endowment for Democracy— China has spent the equivalent of billions of dollars to shape public opinion and perceptions around the world through thousands of people-to-people exchanges, cultural activities, educational programs, and the development of media enterprises and information initiatives with global reach; the aim of Chinese influence efforts is intended to distract and manipulate the political and information environments in targeted countries; and the countries most vulnerable to Chinese efforts are those in which democratic institutions are weak.
It is the sense of Congress that China’s efforts to mold public opinion and influence educational institutions on the issues described in subsection
(a)undermines United States influence in Latin America and the Caribbean and threaten democratic institutions and practices in the region. The Secretary of State, acting through the Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, and in coordination with the Assistant Administrator for the Bureau of Economic Growth, Education, and Environment at the United States Agency for International Development, shall devise a strategy— to expand existing programs and, as necessary, design and implement educational, professional, and cultural exchanges and other programs to create and sustain mutual understanding with other countries necessary to advance United States foreign policy goals by cultivating people-to-people ties among current and future global leaders that build enduring networks and personal relationships and promote United States national security and values, including the expansion of exchange visitor programs, such as international visitor leadership programs and professional capacity building programs that prioritize building skills in entrepreneurship, promoting transparency, and technology; to expand and strengthen existing programs, and, as necessary, design and implement basic and higher education programs in Latin America and the Caribbean, in accordance with the United States Strategy on International Basic Education and the United States Agency for International Development Education Policy, to enable all young adults, youth, and children to acquire the quality education and skills needed to be productive members in society, which will lead to better health, economic growth, a sustainable environment, and peaceful, democratic societies; to dedicate not less than 18 percent of the budget of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the Department of State to carry out the activities described in paragraph (1); and to dedicate not less than 8 percent of the budget of the Education Office of the United States Agency for International Development to carry out the activities described in paragraph (2). Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter, the Secretary of State, the Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, and the Assistant Administrator for the Bureau of Economic Growth, Education, and Environment at the United States Agency for International Development shall provide a briefing regarding the efforts described in subsection
(c)to— the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate ; the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate ; the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives ; and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives .