(The Center Square) – As China continues to expand its military presence worldwide, a bipartisan group of senators is introducing legislation to counter potential risks.
Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., Chris Coons, D-Del., and Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., introduced the Combating PRC (People’s Republic of China) Overseas and Unlawful Networked Threats through Enhanced Resilience Act.
The senators cited China’s efforts to expand military and transportation bases around the world, adding that the new bases allow the PRC to “expand its military power.”
The PRC expansion includes established military installations in the Western Hemisphere in Cuba and Argentina. China continues to expand its footprint in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, especially in the southeastern part of the continent.
The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, a Washington, D.C.-based organization focused on researching national security and foreign policy issues, claims an expansion by China’s People’s Liberation Army expansion poses major risks to the U.S. and its allies while explaining China’s strategic plan.
“China’s strategy hinges, in part, on establishing an international network of ‘strategic strong points’ that can provide support for overseas military operations or act as a forward base for deploying military forces overseas, The PLA’s expanding global footprint and corresponding ability to conduct a wider range of missions, including limited warfighting, carries major risks for the United State and its allies in the Indo-Pacific as well as other operational theaters,” according to FDD.
The legislation introduced would aim to “mitigate the threat” it poses to the U.S. and allies by “requiring a comprehensive intelligence assessment” of the Chinese basing activities, including strategies from the Department of Defense and State Department “to address them.”
Additionally, it would “create an interagency task force to implement the strategy and identify proactive measures to counteract both current and future Chinese attempts to add military bases in strategic countries.”
As a part of the strategic plan, it would identify the “most effective practices to persuade foreign governments to terminate plans” to allow the PRC to add a base in their territory.
The FDD has made similar recommendations ahead of the proposed legislation.
“As part of a concerted counter-basing campaign, the United States and allied governments should pro-actively engage with countries that appear most at-risk of either hosting a permanent Chinese military presence or supporting the PLA’s global logistics architecture to undermine China’s basing pursuits,” according to FDD.
Kaine underscored the threat of the PRC expanding its military operations around the world, adding that the U.S. needs a plan to halt China’s increase in military influence.
“China is rapidly expanding its global footprint, and we need to do more to address the threat this poses to our national security and the security of our allies,” said Kaine. “This bipartisan legislation would help ensure that the U.S. government has a comprehensive strategy to counter China’s establishment of new military bases around the world.”
As of April 2024, China was scouting military bases in places like the Seychelles Islands and Singapore, according to FDD. Currently, the U.S. has a military presence in Singapore and the Seychelles.