A resolution denouncing efforts by the People's Republic of China to exert malign influence in Latin America.

Bill: 118-sres-458
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
Introduced: 2023-11-09
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2023-11-09
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text: CR S5461)

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-11-09
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This resolution notes the importance of U.S. trade agreements with bilateral partners in Latin America and regional engagement through international fora to counter Chinese involvement in economic, political, and security issues in the Western Hemisphere. It also urges additional U.S. investment in and foreign assistance to Latin America.</p>

tv_txt: III 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 458 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES November 9, 2023 Mrs. Shaheen (for herself, Mr. Budd , Mr. Kaine , Mr. Cassidy , Mr. Durbin , Mr. Merkley , Mr. Hickenlooper , Mr. Kelly , Mr. Padilla , Ms. Hassan , Mr. Welch , and Mr. Bennet ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations RESOLUTION Denouncing efforts by the People’s Republic of China to exert malign influence in Latin America.

Whereas, as of October 2023, the People’s Republic of China is the main trading partner for South America, including Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay, and the second largest trading partner for Central America; Whereas 21 countries in Latin America have joined the Belt and Road Initiative, 4 countries in Latin America have free trade agreements in place with the People’s Republic of China, and 7 countries in Latin America have comprehensive strategic partnership agreements with the People’s Republic of China; Whereas the People’s Republic of China has worked to expand the use cases of the digital yuan for the Belt and Road Initiative, even using the digital yuan to settle cross-border transactions; Whereas trade between Latin America and the People’s Republic of China has grown by more than $300,000,000,000 annually since 2000; Whereas the People’s Republic of China is a voting member of the Inter-American Development Bank and the Caribbean Development Bank and provides loans to Latin America through the China Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China, including to Venezuela, which has approximately $60,000,000,000 worth of Chinese state loans as of October 2023; Whereas the People’s Republic of China has invested in or bid on numerous infrastructure projects in Latin America, including around the Panama Canal, such as deep-water ports, telecommunications projects, and cyber networks; Whereas investments offered to countries in Latin America by the People’s Republic of China often require countries to renegotiate the terms of their debt and have low or nonexistent labor and environmental standards; Whereas the People’s Republic of China’s refusal to disclose its lending to foreign countries and reluctance to engage in significant debt restructuring is undermining the missions of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank related to global economic development and stability; Whereas, in 2021, the People’s Republic of China developed a Joint Action Plan with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States to promote cooperation on governance, economic, and security policy; Whereas the People’s Republic of China has invested more than $70,000,000,000 in the raw materials sector in Latin America, including critical minerals such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt; Whereas the People’s Republic of China has sought to export military hardware to Latin America and bolster intelligence operations and cooperation with governments in Latin America, including by establishing a defense forum with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States; Whereas Taiwan served as a permanent observer to the Central American Parliament for more than 2 decades before the Central American Parliament voted on August 21, 2023, to expel Taiwan and replace it with the People’s Republic of China; Whereas State-owned Chinese media operates in Latin America and conducts malign influence operations with a goal of influencing public opinion relating to activities conducted by the People’s Republic of China and the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party; and Whereas the United States has a vested interest in maintaining and growing the important bilateral and multilateral relationships it has with countries in Latin America, which are underscored through cooperation at the Organization of American States and through trade agreements and strategic dialogues: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1) notes the importance of continuing to develop and establish trade agreements with bilateral partners in Latin America and pursue multilateral and regional engagement through international fora to counter involvement of the People’s Republic of China in economic, political, and security issues in the Western Hemisphere; (2) urges additional United States investment in and foreign assistance to Latin America, including by expanding opportunities for private sector investment in critical infrastructure projects or by developing and promoting new public-private partnerships with partners in Latin America to strengthen the economic engagement of the United States and advance democratic governance in the region; (3) expresses gratitude to Belize, Guatemala, Haiti, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines for their continued support for Taiwan; (4) condemns efforts by state-owned Chinese media to conduct information operations in Latin America and sow distrust in public institutions, including judicial systems; (5) supports transparent bidding processes for projects related to the telecommunications and information and communications technology sectors in Latin America as well as other critical infrastructure projects, including cyber and digital connectivity projects; (6) encourages the President and the Secretary of State to work with the Senate to expeditiously nominate Ambassadors and ensure diplomatic personnel are swiftly confirmed to the relevant posts to ensure continued engagement with partner governments in Latin America; (7) emphasizes the importance of continuing to provide technical assistance to partners in Latin America, including assistance to counter disinformation, corruption, and economic coercion through available mechanisms such as the United States International Development Finance Corporation; (8) reaffirms the importance of the annual Summit of the Americas as an opportunity to promote the bilateral and multilateral relationships between the United States and allies and partners in Latin America, including new initiatives established as a result of cooperation at the Summit of the Americas such as the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity; (9) acknowledges the 24 active partnerships the United States has with defense and security forces in Latin America through the State Partnership Program of the National Guard, which include an emphasis on implementing the Women, Peace, and Security Strategy of the United States; and (10) renews its commitment to establishing, upholding, and investing in partnership opportunities between the United States and Latin America.