# What This Bill Does

This bill asks the U.S. Defense and State Departments to keep close watch on China's efforts to build or purchase important ports around the world. The government would create and maintain a global map showing which ports matter most to American interests—whether for military operations, trade, diplomacy, or access to resources—and track where China is trying to gain control of these strategic locations.

Within six months of the bill passing, these two departments must submit a detailed strategy to Congress explaining how the U.S. plans to counter China's port expansion. This strategy would include analyzing what military and commercial capabilities Chinese-owned ports have, examining the technical details of ports China has built or is building, and identifying ports that use Chinese-made equipment or have been targeted by Chinese cyber attacks. The goal is straightforward: ensure that important global ports remain under American or allied control rather than falling under Chinese influence.

The bill also directs U.S. government agencies—including the Export-Import Bank and international development finance organizations—to work together to offer alternative financing and investment options to countries considering Chinese port deals. Essentially, the U.S. would try to outcompete China by offering developing nations better deals on port projects. These agencies would then report back to Congress on how successful they've been at steering countries away from Chinese investment and toward American or allied partnerships instead.

For everyday Americans, this bill reflects concerns about long-term geopolitical competition. Ports are critical infrastructure that can influence global trade routes, military positioning, and economic power. By monitoring and countering Chinese port expansion, the government is trying to maintain American influence in key regions and prevent China from gaining strategic advantages that could affect everything from shipping costs to military security in the decades ahead.

To require the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State to monitor efforts by the People's Republic of China to build or buy strategic foreign ports, and for other purposes.