Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced a bipartisan resolution expressing concern about the increasing influence of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. This bipartisan resolution calls for greater focus on American economic and national security, as well as on diplomatic engagement in the region. The resolution highlights the PRC’s rapidly expanding footprint across the Western Hemisphere—from trade and infrastructure investment to military cooperation and information operations—and underscores the need for a coordinated strategy to ensure the United States remains the partner of choice for countries in the region.
“Our national security is increasingly under threat as the PRC rapidly works to expand its global reach and exploit countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. The United States must be a steadfast neighbor, partner, and leader for the Western Hemisphere to effectively counter China’s malign influence, including its predatory Belt and Road Initiative. We cannot afford to cede leadership in our own hemisphere,” said Senator Budd.
“China has made clear that it seeks to expand its influence in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the United States cannot afford to cede ground in our own hemisphere. This resolution underscores that we must show up as a reliable partner through sustained investment, stronger diplomatic engagement and deeper security cooperation to ensure countries in the region have real alternatives to Beijing’s coercive and often destabilizing approach. Strengthening our ties in the Western Hemisphere is a national security imperative,” said Ranking Member Shaheen.
Read the full bill text HERE.
BACKGROUND
The bipartisan resolution:
• Affirms that the United States is positioned to be the closest and strongest partner to countries in Latin America and the Caribbean and remains committed to countering the PRC’s growing influence while promoting regional prosperity.
• Emphasizes the importance of continued U.S. investment in critical sectors, including energy, port, and mining infrastructure, to provide viable alternatives to predatory financing from the PRC.
• Calls on the Trump administration to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to counter the PRC’s influence across economic, security, and diplomatic domains in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Urges increased U.S. engagement with regional security, political, and media stakeholders, including through expanded training and exchange programs.
• Encourages countries in the region to adopt investment screening mechanisms similar to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to protect strategic sectors from malign foreign influence.
• Highlights the PRC’s use of economic leverage, military cooperation, and technology transfers—including of surveillance infrastructure—to expand its influence, often in ways that undermine democratic institutions and threaten regional security.
###
