Countering Gray-zone Aggression by the People’s Republic of China Act

This legislation addresses the growing threat of gray-zone operations employed by the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the Indo-Pacific region. Congress finds these tactics, which include vessel incursions, cyberattacks, disinformation, and economic coercion, aim to expand Chinese interests and undermine regional stability, particularly targeting Taiwan and the Philippines, without escalating to open warfare. The bill defines gray-zone tactics as activities short of open warfare that use diplomatic, economic, informational, and paramilitary tools to advance a state's interests.

The bill mandates the Secretary of State, in consultation with various federal agencies, to develop a comprehensive, global strategy within 180 days to monitor and publicly expose PRC gray-zone activities. This strategy must assess capability gaps, identify vulnerable territories, outline existing U.S. efforts, and propose additional resources or authorities needed to counter these tactics effectively. It also requires an action plan for monitoring, preventing, and deterring such activities, emphasizing coordination with allies and partners, and will be unclassified with a possible classified annex.

Furthermore, the bill establishes an interagency task force within 90 days of the strategy's submission to coordinate its implementation and enhance the monitoring and analysis of international gray-zone operations. This task force will track progress, formulate tools to mitigate these operations, and update the strategy as needed. The Secretary of State and Attorney General are required to submit annual public reports on the strategy's status and the overall state of PRC gray-zone operations in the Indo-Pacific, including a list of impacted allies and potential enablers, with the task force terminating after seven years.