Rep. Roy Introduces The Sister City Transparency Act to Safeguard American Cities from CCP Exploitation

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Chip Roy (R-TX) introduced the Sister City Transparency Act, legislation that would direct the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review sister city partnerships in the United States that pose potential national security threats, including from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). “America’s local communities should never be left vulnerable to foreign influence operations masquerading as cultural exchange. The Sister City Transparency Act brings much-needed oversight and accountability to these partnerships, helping ensure they serve the interests of the American people—not the strategic ambitions of the Chinese Communist Party or other foreign adversaries,” said Rep. Roy. Background: Across the United States, local governments maintain approximately 1,800 sister city partnerships with foreign communities worldwide, including 157 partnerships with Chinese communities. While these partnerships are intended to promote cultural exchange and economic cooperation, they are increasingly being leveraged by foreign adversaries— particularly the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)—to advance strategic interests under the guise of soft diplomacy. The CCP has demonstrated a pattern of exploiting international partnerships to expand influence, gather intelligence, and apply political pressure. Similar to concerns raised with Confucius Institutes, sister city relationships can create vulnerabilities for American communities, including exposure to foreign espionage, economic coercion, and ideological influence operations. Without proper transparency and oversight, these partnerships risk becoming tools for malign foreign activity rather than mutual exchange. The Sister City Transparency Act addresses these risks by directing the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a comprehensive review of sister city partnerships across the United States. Specifically, the Sister City Transparency Act would: • Examine partnerships involving foreign communities in countries with significant public sector corruption, including the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation; • Assess the extent to which foreign governments or affiliated entities could exploit these partnerships to conduct malign activities, including academic, industrial, and economic espionage; • Evaluate the oversight practices currently used by U.S. communities to mitigate risks associated with foreign partnerships; and • Identify best practices to improve transparency regarding sister city agreements, activities, funding, and personnel.