I love walking in and seeing the title of the hearing 'Bipartisan Senate Budget Committee Hearing.'

Every Volvo Mack truck that you see on the road in North America is made in Dublin, Virginia.

I will also just indicate that for me the greatest vehicle for building the partnerships that are going to be necessary is to advance partnerships around technology.

we have to own the absence of confirmed ambassadors, more than 20 openings in the Americas and in Africa.

I also want to underscore this is a recommendation from Senator Coons.

It is imperative that our NATO allies increase their defense spend and take efforts to revitalize their own industrial base.

But we need to do more, and we have to contest China's actions not only in terms of their forward basing strategy but their desire to go after Africa's rare earths that will be critical for our industrial and technological capabilities.

I found a country hungry for U.S. presence, and I found a country littered with debt trap infrastructure projects that they will never be able to pay back.

If you look at the statement of NATO, this was the most far reaching statement of concerns of European partners about what China is doing in Europe.

I firmly support the longevity of our transatlantic alliance, but I also believe that some of our European partners need to have a more realistic understanding of the very real risk that an aggressive PRC poses, not just to our national security, but to theirs.

Africa and the Americas--32 of the 35 youngest countries in the world are in Africa, and the population growth there as well as a whole lot of other factors make it a really important area of strategic focus.

I would simply say that I think the steps that we have taken with respect to financial institutions, I would offer--I think those steps are more significant than is widely understood.

I share deeply the concern that China's support to Russia--Russia's defense industrial base--has not only changed the context of the conflict in Ukraine, but it will be a long term security challenge to the Indo-Pacific.

In order for the United States to be seen as a credible, reliable partner and provide an alternate choice to the PRC, we need to at least be showing up.

I firmly support the longevity of our transatlantic alliance, but I also believe that some of our European partners need to have a more realistic understanding of the very real risk that an aggressive PRC poses, not just to our national security, but to theirs.

In order for the United States to be seen as a credible, reliable partner and provide an alternate choice to the PRC, we need to at least be showing up.

I think one of the reasons that China is addressing this issue is not just because we have asked but Congress has been deeply engaged as well.

I found a country hungry for U.S. presence, and I found a country littered with debt trap infrastructure projects that they will never be able to pay back.