New COUNTER Act Mandates U.S. Strategy to Block China's Global Military Base Expansion

If you’ve ever had to deal with a rival trying to set up shop right next door, you understand the core idea behind the Combating PRC Overseas and Unlawful Networked Threats through Enhanced Resilience Act of 2025—or the COUNTER Act. This bill is essentially the U.S. government’s new, highly structured game plan for dealing with China’s (PRC) aggressive push to build military bases and logistics hubs all over the world, from Africa to Southeast Asia.

This isn't just about diplomatic handshakes; the bill mandates concrete, time-sensitive actions. Within 180 days of the bill passing, the Director of National Intelligence must deliver a classified report assessing the risk of these bases to U.S. forces and allies (SEC. 5). Concurrently, the State and Defense Departments must submit a detailed strategy to Congress, identifying at least five key locations where China is trying to gain military access and outlining specific actions to dissuade those host nations from signing a deal. The goal is simple: stop China from extending its military reach before it becomes a permanent global problem.

The Geopolitical Land Grab and Why It Matters to You

Congress is worried that China’s global base-building—like the existing facility in Djibouti or the recent upgrades in Cambodia—could seriously mess with U.S. military operations and global supply chains (SEC. 2). Think of it this way: if China has military refueling and resupply points scattered across the globe, it makes it much harder for the U.S. Navy and Air Force to move freely or respond quickly to crises. For the everyday person, this kind of strategic tension can translate into higher long-term defense costs and increased instability in key shipping lanes that carry everything from oil to the latest electronics.

The bill forces the government to stop playing defense and start playing offense. Congress insists that efforts must be proactive, coordinated across all agencies (a “whole-of-government” approach), and utilize allies who also have an interest in keeping China’s military expansion in check (SEC. 3). This means the State Department will be working overtime to offer partner countries better alternatives than a Chinese base, using a “comprehensive menu” of options to influence their decisions.

Building the Permanent Response Team

Perhaps the biggest structural change in the COUNTER Act is the requirement to create a permanent, funded interagency task force (SEC. 5). Within 90 days of submitting the initial strategy, the Secretary of State, working with Defense and others, must establish this team. Their job is not only to put the strategy into action against the five identified hot spots but also to scout for and neutralize China’s basing efforts in other emerging locations.

This move acknowledges that countering China’s military ambition is a long-term problem, not a one-off project. To ensure accountability, the entire strategy must be reviewed and updated every four years, starting four years after the initial strategy is submitted (SEC. 5). For the agencies involved—State, Defense, and Intelligence—this means a significant, lasting commitment of resources and personnel to what is now officially a top-tier national security priority.

While the bill is mostly about high-level foreign policy and intelligence, its impact is felt in the shift from reactive policy to proactive strategy. By forcing the government to plan years ahead and coordinate across departments, the COUNTER Act aims to secure U.S. strategic positioning globally, which ultimately underpins the stability necessary for international trade and security.