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Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · May 23, 2019
South China Sea and East China Sea Sanctions Act of 2019
This bill imposes sanctions on Chinese persons and entities that participate in certain activities related to China's territorial disputes in the South China Sea and East China Sea and addresses other related issues.
The President shall impose property-blocking and visa-denial sanctions on Chinese persons and entities that (1) contribute to development projects in parts of the South China Sea contested by a member country of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or (2) engage in actions or policies that threaten the peace or stability in disputed South China Sea areas or in an East China Sea area administered by Japan or South Korea. The bill prohibits U.S. entities from investing in or insuring projects involving sanctioned entities in either sea.
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The President shall also impose prohibitions and restrictions on correspondent and payable-through accounts related to sanctioned entities if the Office of the Director of National Intelligence determines that China has taken certain actions, such as declaring an air defense identification zone over the South China Sea.
The Government Publishing Office shall not publish any resources that portray the contested territories in either sea as part of China, with limited exceptions. The Department of Defense, U.S. flagged vessels, or U.S. aircraft may not take any action that implies recognition of China's claimed sovereignty over contested territories.
The State Department shall periodically report to Congress identifying countries that recognize China's claims to the contested territories. Certain types of foreign aid may not be provided to such countries.
People & committees
Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL] · R–FL
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Introduced in Senate
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Source last updated: Jan 27, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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