S. 5160: Countering Gray-zone Aggression by the People’s Republic of China Act

This bill would require the State Department, working with other federal agencies, to create a U.S. strategy for monitoring and responding to what it describes as “gray-zone” activities by the Chinese government in the Indo-Pacific region.

What “gray-zone” means in this bill

The bill defines gray-zone tactics as actions taken below the level of open war, such as diplomatic pressure, economic coercion, disinformation, cyberattacks, and paramilitary activities. It is focused on activities the bill says are meant to advance China’s interests without triggering a direct military response.

Main requirements

• Within 180 days of enactment, the Secretary of State would have to submit a comprehensive, mostly unclassified strategy to Congress.

• The strategy would need to identify gaps in U.S. abilities to track these activities, map areas that are already affected or vulnerable, and describe what allies and partners are doing to respond.

• It would also have to list existing U.S. foreign aid and diplomatic programs that are being used to counter these tactics.

• The strategy would need to explain what additional resources, authorities, or capabilities may be needed, including possible help from allies, private companies, or universities.

• It would have to include an action plan for monitoring, preventing, deterring, and publicly exposing these activities, and may focus especially on the Indo-Pacific and the Taiwan Strait.

Task force and reporting

• Within 90 days after the strategy is submitted, the State Department would have to create an interagency task force to carry it out.

• The task force would coordinate implementation, improve monitoring and analysis, identify tools for countering these activities, estimate funding needs, and update the strategy as needed.

• Starting one year after the task force is created, and then annually, the State Department and Attorney General would have to issue a public report to Congress on the status of the strategy and the overall gray-zone activity situation. That report could include a classified annex.

• The task force would end seven years after it is established.

Limits in the bill

The bill says the strategy would not change or affect criminal law enforcement or intelligence activities, including those carried out by federal, state, or local law enforcement.

Relevant Companies

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