HR1701-119

What This Bill Does

The Strategic Ports Reporting Act requires the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, to create an updated global mapping of foreign and domestic ports important to the United States because they provide military, diplomatic, economic, or resource-exploration superiority. State and Defense must identify PRC government or PRC-entity efforts to build, buy, or otherwise control those ports and submit the mapping to congressional committees in unclassified form with a possible classified annex. The bill also requires State and Defense to study strategic ports, why they matter to the United States, PRC plans to expand control outside China, public and private actors such as China Ocean Shipping Company, PRC maritime logistics products such as LOGINK, industry-standard setting, national-security and economic harms to the United States and allies, and U.S. measures to ensure open access and alternatives to PRC stakes. State and Defense may use an FFRDC. Within one year, they must report detailed lists of PRC-controlled and U.S.-controlled strategic ports, vulnerabilities, PRC control tactics, replacement needs for PRC-owned products, costs, private and public funding sources including loans, loan guarantees, and tax incentives, additional authorities, and strategies for federal agencies to maintain access. The definition section identifies relevant U.S. offices including Unified Combatant Commands, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Office of the Secretary of State, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and Maritime Administration.

Who Benefits and How

U.S. national-security planners, Unified Combatant Commands, Maritime Administration staff, U.S. port operators, allied port authorities, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation staff, intelligence analysts, congressional armed-services committees, congressional intelligence committees, and trusted maritime infrastructure investors benefit from a clearer map of port vulnerabilities, PRC ownership or operating links, alternative investment needs, and federal access strategies. The report can help policymakers target loans, loan guarantees, tax incentives, and trusted ownership structures at ports where PRC influence could threaten military or economic access.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The State Department, Department of Defense, FFRDC analysts, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Office of the Secretary of State, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Maritime Administration, DFC staff, China Ocean Shipping Company, PRC-linked port operators, LOGINK logistics providers, U.S. port operators, maritime infrastructure companies, and congressional committee staff must provide data, analyze control structures, assess vulnerabilities, estimate replacement costs, identify funding sources, and evaluate public and private investment alternatives.

Key Provisions

• Requires State and Defense to map strategic ports worldwide and identify PRC efforts to build, buy, or control them.
• Requires a study of strategic ports, PRC port-control plans, PRC maritime-logistics products such as LOGINK, and actors such as China Ocean Shipping Company.
• Authorizes use of a federally funded research and development center for the study.
• Requires a one-year report listing PRC-controlled and U.S.-controlled ports, vulnerabilities, strategic interests, and PRC influence tactics.
• Requires a strategy for trusted investment, open access, replacement of PRC products, transparency, authorities, and public or private funding sources.
• Defines relevant U.S. offices and strategic port for the reporting and strategy requirements.