Sec. 401. Appointment of China Engagement Officers at United States embassies in the Western Hemisphere
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The Secretary of State shall direct the Chiefs of Mission at United States Embassies and Consulates in Latin America and the Caribbean, including Cuba, to designate a China Engagement Officer, from among existing staff at the Post, to monitor and report on Chinese activities related to diplomatic engagement, economic investment, critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, surveillance technology, digital infrastructure, military and security presence and trainings, intelligence activities, educational and cultural exchanges, education, and corruption in the respective countries.
The Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs shall convene an annual meeting (either in person or by video conference call) of all of the China Engagement Officers designated pursuant to subsection (a)— to discuss and compare developments in their individual countries; to identify trends in Chinese activities in Latin America and the Caribbean and its subregions; and to recommend potential strategies to mitigate or compete with Chinese activities in the region. Concurrent with the annual meeting described in subsection (b), China Engagement Officers serving in Latin America and the Caribbean, including Cuba, shall brief— the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate ; and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives .
The Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs and the China Engagement Officers designated pursuant to subsection
(a)shall be available for consultations with the staff of the congressional committees referred to in subsection (c).