; Whereas, in 2021, the People’s Republic of China developed a Joint Action Plan with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States to promote cooperation on governance, economic, and security policy; Whereas the People’s Republic of China has invested more than $70,000,000,000 in the raw materials sector in Latin America, including critical minerals such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt; Whereas the People’s Republic of China has sought to export military hardware to Latin America and bolster intelligence operations and cooperation with governments in Latin America, including by establishing a defense forum with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States; Whereas Taiwan served as a permanent observer to the Central American Parliament for more than 2 decades before the Central American Parliament voted on August 21, 2023, to expel Taiwan and replace it with the People’s Republic of China; Whereas State-owned Chinese media operates in Latin America and conducts malign influence operations with a goal of influencing public opinion relating to activities conducted by the People’s Republic of China and the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party; and Whereas the United States has a vested interest in maintaining and growing the important bilateral and multilateral relationships it has with countries in Latin America, which are underscored through cooperation at the Organization of American States and through trade agreements and strategic dialogues: Now, therefore, be it