Sen. Lankford urges US embassies to monitor and combat China’s exploitative loans.

All⁤ overseas U.S. embassies would be ⁣required to designate at least one employee for‌ tracking activities associated with communist China’s predatory $1.2​ trillion Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in their local countries under legislation introduced ‍in Congress by Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.).

“Communist China is using debt-trap diplomacy to erode the​ sovereignty of debtor ‍nations and challenge ​American leadership ‌in critical regions around the world. The United States ⁢cannot ignore how China destabilizes developing countries to advance the Chinese Communist Party’s [CCP] military ambitions and malign agenda. The U.S. should ⁢counter China’s ⁢predatory lending and promote freedom ⁢to people living under China’s exploitation,” Mr. Lankford told⁤ The Epoch Times.

A fact sheet describing Mr. Lankford’s legislation and made‍ available to journalists by his office said​ the bill “will strengthen U.S. capacity to track, counter, and ⁣compete with the PRC’s [People’s Republic of China] predatory economic tactics in localized diplomatic contexts. … The United States must lead the way ⁤in countering China’s predations and ensure our diplomats are equipped to address this issue at all of our diplomatic posts in each unique country context.”

Under the Lankford bill, ⁢the dedicated embassy ⁣official would ⁤”prepare a report ‌identifying and assessing all BRI-related projects ⁤in their respective country contexts, along with a comprehensive report from the ⁤Department of State‍ with all relevant information compiled.”

In addition, the dedicated U.S. ⁤embassy official would ⁣be tasked with ‍developing “a strategy to counter PRC influence in their respective country‌ contexts, and directs all Chiefs of Mission to implement and train all in-country personnel in the key tenets of‌ the local strategy.”

The bill further ⁢requires “an assessment‌ of projects that have caused the country to incur significant debt that has the potential to⁢ harm its economic prosperity and national sovereignty” and “a list of the known or speculated ⁣collateral listed by ⁤the respective country for the debts incurred by Belt and⁢ Road Initiative projects.”

Another component of the official’s job description requires ⁣that he or she “encourages the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation ​to prioritize alternative financing opportunities for countries who are‌ targets of the Belt & Road Initiative,” thus ⁢creating, in effect, a competitive lending scenario.

The State Department was consulted as the Lankford proposal was developed. The proposal requires that an existing ‌employee be designated for BRI monitoring rather than⁣ creating a⁣ new position for‍ that purpose in the U.S. Foreign Service.

But whereas the old Silk Road represented a trade route that saw goods and ideas going back and forth, Mr. Xi’s new BRI is a tool of the CCP to expand that nation’s economic, military, and‌ political influence and ⁣control far beyond its borders and in competition with the United States.

Chinese officials offer ⁣substantial loans, often for costly infrastructure construction projects ​in less prosperous ‍Central Asian,​ Middle Eastern, and African nations. However, once the BRI gets established in the recipient nation, the loans become a leverage point for the subsequent expansion of CCP influence.