Bill > HR5329

This bill establishes a Regional China Officer (RCO) Program Unit within the State Department's Office of China Coordination to monitor and counter the global influence of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The program will include a Director and at least 20 forward-deployed Foreign Service Officers assigned to diplomatic posts or allied foreign ministries. These Regional China Officers will be responsible for tracking PRC activities across various domains like commercial, development, finance, infrastructure, technology, and military, with a specific focus on initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative. The bill requires RCOs to have expertise in China-related matters and Mandarin language skills, and mandates that at least two officers be assigned to each of seven State Department regional bureaus. The program is authorized with $2.5 million annually from fiscal years 2026-2030 for expansion and management, and an additional $1.25 million annually to support public diplomacy activities. The legislation reflects Congress's view that the United States is in a global competition with China and must actively monitor and counter PRC activities that could harm U.S. interests. The RCO Program Unit will sunset after five years unless reauthorized, and "ally" is specifically defined as NATO members or major non-NATO allies.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5329/all-info