Sec. 281. Strategy to counter Chinese influence in, and access to, the Middle East and North Africa
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/bill/117/s/1169/rs/section-281·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
It is the sense of Congress that— the economic influence of the People’s Republic of China through its oil and gas imports from the Middle East, infrastructure investments, technology transfer, and arms sales provide influence and leverage that runs counter to United States interests in the region; the People’s Republic of China seeks to erode United States influence in the Middle East and North Africa through the sale of Chinese arms, associated weapons technology, and joint weapons research and development initiatives; the People’s Republic of China seeks to establish military or dual use facilities in geographically strategic locations in the Middle East and North Africa to further the Chinese Communist Party’s Belt and Road Initiative at the expense of United States national security interests; and the export of certain communications infrastructure from the People’s Republic of China degrades the security of partner networks, exposes intellectual property to theft, threatens the ability of the United States to conduct security cooperation with compromised regional partners, and furthers China’s authoritarian surveillance model.
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development and the heads of other appropriate Federal agencies, shall jointly develop and submit to the appropriate congressional committees a strategy for countering and limiting Chinese influence in, and access to, the Middle East and North Africa. The strategy required under paragraph
(1)shall include— an assessment of China’s intent with regards to increased cooperation with Middle East and North African countries and how these activities fit into their broader global strategic objectives; an assessment of how governments across the region are responding to Chinese efforts to increase Chinese military presence in their countries; efforts to improve regional cooperation through foreign military sales, financing, and efforts to build partner capacity and increase interoperability with the United States; an assessment of Chinese joint research and development with the Middle East, North Africa, impacts on United States’ national security interests, and recommended steps to mitigate Chinese influence; an assessment of arms sales and weapons technology transfers from the People’s Republic of China to the Middle East and North Africa, impacts on United States’ national security interests, and recommended steps to mitigate Chinese influence; an assessment of Chinese military sales to the region including lethal and non lethal unmanned aerial systems; an assessment of People’s Republic of China military basing and dual-use facility initiatives across the Middle East and North Africa, impacts on United States’ national security interests, and recommended steps to mitigate Chinese influence; efforts to improve regional security cooperation with United States allies and partners with a focus on— maritime security in the Arabian Gulf, the Red Sea, and the Eastern Mediterranean; integrated air and missile defense; cyber security; border security; and critical infrastructure security, to include energy security; increased support for government-to-government engagement on critical infrastructure development projects including ports and water infrastructure; efforts to encourage United States private sector and public-private partnerships in healthcare technology and foreign direct investment in non-energy sectors; efforts to expand youth engagement and professional education exchanges with key partner countries; specific steps to counter increased Chinese investment in telecommunications infrastructure and diplomatic efforts to stress the political, economic, and social benefits of a free and open internet; efforts to promote United States private sector engagement in and public-private partnerships on renewable energy development; the expansion of public-private partnership efforts on water, desalination, and irrigation projects; and efforts to warn United States partners in the Middle East and North Africa of the risks associated with Chinese telecommunications infrastructure and provide alternative clean paths to Chinese technology.