H.R. 1701 — Strategic Ports Reporting Act

This section directs the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, to develop an updated global mapping of foreign and domestic ports important to the United States for providing military, diplomatic, economic, or resource exploration superiority—including any efforts by the People's Republic of China (PRC) or PRC entities to build, buy, or control such ports directly or indirectly—and to submit the mapping in unclassified form (with a possible classified annex) to the appropriate congressional committees.

This section requires the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, to conduct a study of strategic ports (i.e., ports critical to U.S. national security and economic interests), including U.S. interests in such ports; the People's Republic of China's (PRC) activities and plans to expand control over them outside China via public and private actors (e.g., China Ocean Shipping Company) and products (e.g., LOGINK); potential harms to the United States and allies; and U.S. measures to ensure open access and alternatives to PRC stakes. The Secretaries may arrange for a federally funded research and development center to conduct the study. Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretaries must submit to the appropriate congressional committees an unclassified report (with a possible classified annex) on the study's findings, including lists and assessments of PRC- and U.S.-controlled strategic ports; port vulnerabilities; PRC activities, plans, and threats (including to U.S. diplomatic and defense facilities); and strategies to secure trusted investments, protect against PRC control, replace PRC products, fund alternatives (via private/public sources, loans, guarantees, and tax incentives), and maintain an up-to-date list of such ports.

This section defines, for purposes of the Act, (1) "appropriate congressional committees" as specified House and Senate committees on transportation and infrastructure, energy and commerce, armed services, foreign affairs or relations, and intelligence; (2) "relevant United States Government offices" as the Unified Combatant Commands, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Office of the Secretary of State, United States International Development Finance Corporation, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and Maritime Administration; and (3) "strategic port" as an international port or waterway that the heads of such offices determine is critical to U.S. national security or economic prosperity.