US HB5329

Establishes a Regional China Officer Program Unit within the State Department's Office of China Coordination to monitor PRC global activities and counter malign influence at U.S. diplomatic posts worldwide

Requires a minimum of 20 forward-deployed Foreign Service Officers as Regional China Officers, with at least 2 assigned to each of the 7 regional bureaus (African, East Asian/Pacific, European/Eurasian, International Organization, Near Eastern, South/Central Asian, and Western Hemisphere Affairs)

Regional China Officers must have PRC expertise, including prior experience working in/on China, Taiwan, or Hong Kong, and Mandarin language proficiency

Authorizes $2.5 million annually for fiscal years 2026-2030 to expand the program, plus $1.25 million annually (up to $50,000 per officer) for public diplomacy activities

Program sunsets 5 years after enactment; Director position must be filled within 90 days by a career Foreign Service member and cannot increase overall State Department staffing levels