Findings

Congress finds the following: (1) In 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping issued an official outline of the principles, framework, priorities, and cooperation mechanisms of the Belt and Road Initiative (referred to in this section as the BRI). (2) Since its inception, more than 150 countries and 32 international organizations have signed BRI cooperation documents with China, including 53 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, 34 countries in Europe and Central Asia, and 24 countries in East Asia and the Pacific. (3) Many developing countries do not possess the legal, technological, or intelligence capabilities necessary to properly evaluate the national security, debt sustainability, and other risks posed by related agreements with Chinese entities or the Chinese Government. (4) Due to the expanding investments by foreign adversaries in the economic and infrastructure sectors of allied and partner countries, the United States should provide technical training, assistance, and support to evaluate the risks these investments pose, and provide a formal review of the future impact these investments would have, on partner economies.