Assessing China’s Presence and Influence in Latin America and the Caribbean Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.2479 | Sponsor: Rep. Murphy, Stephanie N. (D-FL)
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Assessing China's Presence and Influence in Latin America and the Caribbean Act of 2021
This bill requires the Department of State to report to Congress an assessment of China's efforts to expand its presence in Latin America and the Caribbean and how these efforts affect U.S. interests.
The report shall include (1) a list identifying the countries that maintain the closest diplomatic, military, and economic relationships with China; (2) an analysis of which countries have received foreign assistance from China, including access to COVID-19 vaccines, and the conditions attached to that assistance; (3) a detailed description of sales or transfers of Chinese defense articles to countries in the region; and (4) an assessment of China's relationship with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.

To direct the Secretary of State to submit to Congress a report 
  identifying efforts by the People's Republic of China to expand its 
     presence and influence in Latin America and the Caribbean and 
describing the implications of such efforts on United States interests, 
  to require a briefing for Congress on the United States strategy to 
           respond to these efforts, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Assessing China's Presence and 
Influence in Latin America and the Caribbean Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. REPORT ON EFFORTS BY THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA TO EXPAND 
              ITS PRESENCE AND INFLUENCE IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE 
              CARIBBEAN.

    (a) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the 
Director of National Intelligence, the Secretary of Defense, the 
National Security Council, and the head of any other Federal department 
or agency the Secretary of State determines appropriate, shall submit 
to the appropriate congressional committees a report that identifies 
efforts by the People's Republic of China to expand its presence and 
influence in Latin America and the Caribbean through diplomatic, 
military, economic and other means, and describes the implications of 
such efforts on United States interests.
    (b) Elements.--The report required under subsection (a) shall 
include the following:
            (1) An identification of--
                    (A) countries of Latin America and the Caribbean 
                with which China maintains the closest diplomatic, 
                military, and economic relationships;
                    (B) the number and content of comprehensive 
                strategic partnership agreements, strategic partnership 
                agreements, or similar agreements, including any non-
                public agreements, that China has established with 
                countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, including 
                Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, 
                Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela;
                    (C) countries of Latin America and the Caribbean 
                that have joined China's Belt and Road Initiative or 
                the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank;
                    (D) countries of Latin America and the Caribbean to 
                which China provides foreign assistance or disaster 
                relief, including access to COVID-19 vaccines, 
                including a description of the amount and purpose of, 
                and any conditions attached to, that assistance;
                    (E) countries of Latin America and the Caribbean in 
                which China, including its state-owned enterprises and 
                banks, have undertaken significant investments, 
                infrastructure projects, and lending activities at the 
                national and subnational level;
                    (F) countries of Latin America and the Caribbean 
                with which China has negotiated, or is in the process 
                of negotiating, trade agreements;
                    (G) the steps China has taken to benefit from the 
                presence of natural resources in Latin America and the 
                Caribbean, including oil, natural gas, rare earth 
                metals, fisheries, and agriculture products;
                    (H) the estimated number of students from countries 
                in Latin America and the Caribbean who are earning 
                degrees in China, including through scholarships 
                provided by the Chinese Government or Chinese entities, 
                and their courses of study;
                    (I) recent visits by senior Chinese leaders to 
                countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, and 
                visits by senior leaders from Latin America and the 
                Caribbean to China; and
                    (J) countries of Latin America and the Caribbean 
                that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan and any 
                steps that China has taken to encourage those countries 
                to switch relations to China.
            (2) A detailed description of--
                    (A) the relationship between the Chinese Government 
                and the Government of Venezuela and the Government of 
                Cuba;
                    (B) Chinese military installations, assets, and 
                activities in Latin America and the Caribbean that 
                currently exist or are planned for the future;
                    (C) Chinese sales or transfers of defense articles 
                and services to countries of Latin America and the 
                Caribbean;
                    (D) any other form of military, paramilitary, or 
                internal security cooperation between the Chinese 
                Government and the governments of countries of Latin 
                America and the Caribbean;
                    (E) the nature, extent, and purpose of Chinese 
                intelligence activities in Latin America and the 
                Caribbean, including in the space domain;
                    (F) China's role in transnational crime, including 
                drug trafficking and money laundering, in Latin America 
                and the Caribbean;
                    (G) Chinese efforts to build its media presence in 
                Latin America and the Caribbean and any government-
                directed disinformation or information warfare 
                campaigns in the region, including any campaigns 
                conducted by China's United Front Work Department; and
                    (H) efforts by the Chinese Government to cultivate 
                ties with political parties in Latin America and the 
                Caribbean as a means to build influence, including any 
                such efforts by the International Liaison Department of 
                the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.
            (3) An assessment of--
                    (A) the specific objectives that China seeks to 
                achieve by expanding its presence and influence in 
                Latin America and the Caribbean, including any 
                objectives articulated in official Chinese government 
                documents;
                    (B) whether certain Chinese investments in the 
                region, including in port projects, Panama Canal 
                projects, and telecommunications projects, could have 
                military uses or dual uses or could enable China to 
                monitor or intercept United States communications;
                    (C) the degree to which Chinese economic engagement 
                in Latin America and the Caribbean has contributed to 
                China's economic leverage over countries in the region;
                    (D) the degree to which China uses its presence and 
                influence in Latin America and the Caribbean to 
                encourage, pressure, or coerce governments in the 
                region to support China's foreign policy goals, 
                including policy positions taken by China at 
                international institutions such as the United Nations, 
                the World Trade Organization, and the World Health 
                Organization;
                    (E) documented instances of governments of 
                countries of Latin America and the Caribbean silencing, 
                or attempting to silence, local critics of China, 
                including journalists, academics, and civil society 
                representatives, in order to placate China;
                    (F) environmental degradation resulting from 
                China's activities in Latin America and the Caribbean, 
                including deforestation, air and water pollution, and 
                illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing;
                    (G) the rationale for China becoming an observer at 
                the Organization of American States and a non-borrowing 
                member of the Inter-American Development Bank and the 
                Caribbean Development Bank;
                    (H) China's relationship with the Community of 
                Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), a regional 
                organization that excludes the United States, and the 
                role of the China-CELAC Forum in coordinating this 
                relationship;
                    (I) public opinion about China, and about China's 
                presence in Latin America and the Caribbean, within 
                different countries in the region; and
                    (J) the specific actions and activities undertaken 
                by China in Latin America and the Caribbean that 
                present the greatest threat or challenge to the United 
                States interests in the region.
    (c) Form.--The report required under subsection (a) shall be 
submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex.
    (d) Briefing on United States Strategy.--Not later than 30 days 
after submission of the report required under subsection (a), the 
Secretary of State or the Secretary's designee shall provide a briefing 
to the appropriate congressional committees on the United States 
strategy to respond to the efforts by the People's Republic of China to 
expand its presence and influence in Latin America and the Caribbean, 
including a description of the public policies, legal authorities, and 
financial resources required for the United States to appropriately and 
effectively counter these efforts.
    (e) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee 
                on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 
                and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of 
                the House of Representatives; and
                    (B) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee 
                on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Relations, 
                and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate.
            (2) Latin america and the caribbean.--The terms ``Latin 
        America and the Caribbean'' and ``countries of Latin America 
        and the Caribbean'' mean the countries and non-United States 
        territories of South America, Central America, the Caribbean, 
        and Mexico.
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