September 11, 2025
Mr. Meeks (for himself and Mr. Mackenzie) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
To authorize the establishment of a Regional China Officer Program Unit in the Department of State to monitor and assess the global presence of the People’s Republic of China and to help United States diplomatic and consular posts abroad address its malign influence and activities, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Regional China Officer Authorization Act
.
Sec. 2. Findings
Congress finds the following:
(1)
The Department of State started the Regional China Officer (RCO) program in 2019 with six officers deployed overseas.
(2)
As of January 2025, the program had grown in size to 20 RCO positions, spanning across all the regional bureaus.
(3)
RCOs assess and report on emerging patterns in activity by the People’s Republic of China (PRC), help United States diplomatic missions focus on the most important, PRC-related, United States priorities, and help coordinate effective messaging and strategies to counter PRC malign influence in the region.
(4)
The RCO program is part of the Office of China Coordination in the Bureau of East Asia and Pacific Affairs at the State Department.
Sec. 3. Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that—
(1)
the United States is engaged in a global competition for influence with the People’s Republic of China (PRC), which requires that the United States adequately monitor and analyze PRC malign activity that is contrary to United States interests globally;
(2)
the RCO program is a key asset for the Department of State in the context of strategic competition with China at the global, regional, and subregional levels; and
(3)
the United States must continue to counter PRC activities that seek to coerce other countries, distort markets, and undermine United States interests.
Sec. 4. Regional China Program Unit
(a) Authorization
The Secretary of State shall establish within the Office of China Coordination of the Bureau of East Asia and Pacific Affairs a Regional China Officer Program Unit.
(b) Staffing
The Regional China Officer Program Unit shall be comprised of—
(1)
one Director appointed in accordance with subsection (c); and
(2)
not fewer than 20 forward-deployed Foreign Service Officers assigned to United States diplomatic or consular posts or detailed to the foreign ministry of an ally, to be known as Regional China Officers (RCOs), who shall be responsible for—
(A)
monitoring and reporting on activities of the People’s Republic of China in the region of his or her responsibility, including in the commercial, development, finance, critical infrastructure, technology, and military domains, including projects associated with the PRC’s Belt and Road Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and Global Development Initiative; and
(B)
advising United States embassy personnel, diplomatic allies and partners, and host countries on how to understand and address PRC activities globally and locally.
(c) Director of the regional china officer program
(1) In general
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall appoint a Director for the Regional China Officer Program Unit from among career members of the Foreign Service.
(2) Limitation on position
The establishment of the position of the Director pursuant to this section shall not result in an increase in the overall full-time equivalent positions within the Department.
(3) Responsibilities
The Director shall be responsible for coordinating and overseeing the activities of RCOs in order to—
(A)
improve United States responsiveness to activities, strategies and tactics of the People’s Republic of China (PRC);
(B)
ensure that RCO program activities increase the knowledge, understanding, and trust of the United States by relevant target audiences;
(C)
identify gaps in United States engagements regarding PRC cross-cutting activities; and
(D)
manage hiring for RCO positions.
(d) Regional china officers
(1) Qualifications
The Secretary of State shall select and assign RCOs from among Foreign Service Officrs who have expertise related to the PRC, including in the forms of prior experience working in or on China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, and proficiency in Mandarin language.
(2) Geographic placement
Of the total number of RCOs in the Regional China Officer Program Unit, there shall be no fewer than 2 Regional China Officers assigned to United States diplomatic posts associated with each of the following bureaus—
(A)
Bureau of African Affairs;
(B)
Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs;
(C)
Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs;
(D)
Bureau of International Organization Affairs;
(E)
Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs;
(F)
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs; and
(G)
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.
(e) Authorization of appropriations
(1) Expansion of the RCO program
There is authorized to be appropriated $2,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030 to—
(A)
expand the RCO program at strategic United States diplomatic missions and at the foreign ministries of allies; and
(B)
support the management of the RCO program, including one Locally Employed Staff support position in each geographic region.
(2) Programs and activities
There is authorized to be appropriated $1,250,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030 with up to $50,000 for each Regional China Officer to support programs and public diplomacy activities of the Regional China Officer Program.
(3) Availability
Amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorizations under this section are authorized to remain available until expended and shall be in addition to amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated for the Countering PRC Influence Fund.
(f) Sunset
The requirement to maintain the Regional China Officer Program Unit and the Regional China Officer Program under subsection (a) shall expire on the date that is 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(g) Ally defined
In this Act, the term ally means only—
(1)
a member country of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; or
(2)
a country designated as a major non-NATO ally pursuant to the authorities provided by section 517 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2321k).