Washington, DC – Representatives Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Ryan Mackenzie today introduced legislation to codify the State Department’s Regional China Office (RCO) program, first launched in 2019. The program monitors malign activity by the People’s Republic of China around the world and provides critical insights to strengthen U.S. strategic competition with Beijing.

“The PRC is increasingly conducting malign activities across the globe, often in direct conflict with U.S. interests and the interests of our allies and partners. To effectively compete with China, the State Department must be equipped to monitor and respond to Beijing’s aggressive and destabilizing international behavior. My legislation with Rep. Mackenzie will codify State’s Regional China Officer program to ensure that we have enough dedicated China watchers deployed globally to better inform our diplomatic missions and policies toward China,” said Ranking Member Meeks.

“As China’s regime works to spread its influence throughout the world, it’s essential that the United States stay one step ahead. China’s global influence-peddling operation poses a serious threat to American interests by subverting institutions and destabilizing our partners. Our nation cannot be a bystander while the CCP works to achieve its malign ambitions; we must continue to support programs like the Regional China Office and ensure that the State Department has the means to achieve key foreign policy objectives in the face of Chinese meddling,” said Rep. Mackenzie. 

A PDF copy of the bill can be found here.