Francisco Bencosme
Director, Government Affairs
Washington, DC
Francisco Bencosme is a director on the government affairs team at the US-China Business Council, where he helps more than 200 American companies navigate US-China issues. He was formerly the China policy lead for the US Agency for International Development, serving as principal advisor to the USAID administrator on issues relating to China and Taiwan. Prior to joining USAID, he was deputy to the Special Presidential Envoy for Compact of Free Association negotiations, helping conclude three 20-year compact agreements with Pacific Island nations. He concurrently served as senior advisor to Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Dan Kritenbrink. Before joining the Biden-Harris administration, he was a senior policy advisor at the Open Society Foundations covering Asia and Latin America and led the US human rights policy and advocacy program toward the Asia-Pacific at Amnesty International USA. He previously served as a professional staff member on the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
He is a Council on Foreign Relations term member, a Truman Security Fellow and a Penn Kemble Fellow. He received his master’s degree in foreign service from Georgetown University and his bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University.
7 Posts
Member Exclusive
Third-Country Agreements on Reciprocal Trade Aim to Counter China
President Donald Trump is attempting to reshape the global economic order by moving away from traditional free trade agreements toward bilateral Agreements on Reciprocal Trade (ARTs). These agreements, initiated after the imposition of sweeping “Liberation Day” tariffs last year, ostensibly aim to open new markets for US exports, reduce foreign tariffs and non-tariff trade barriers, and spur alignment with US economic and national security measures.
Member Exclusive
DOD’s Chinese Military Companies List Poised for Greater Regulatory Importance
The Department of Defense’s 1260H list — often referred to as the Chinese Military Companies (CMC) list — is back in the spotlight after an updated version was abruptly removed from the Federal Register just hours after being published late last week. While it’s unclear when a list will be republished and who will be on it, companies should be aware of the list’s growing importance.
Trump-Xi Summit: Preparation, Strategy, and Signaling
USCBC interviews Sarah Beran — partner at Macro Advisory Partners, former deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Beijing, and former senior director for China and Taiwan affairs at the White House National Security Council — on Trump’s anticipated visit to China in April. Topics include the preparatory work required for presidential summits, how to assess their outcomes, and advocacy channels for businesses.
Member Exclusive
Congress Poised to Play More Assertive Role in US-China Trade in 2026
Congressional engagement on US-China trade issues is set to intensify in 2026 as the midterm elections put the economy, tariffs, and trade policy under the microscope. With control of Congress up for grabs, Democrats and Republicans are especially attuned to the downstream impacts of trade policy, including on consumer prices. Those pressures, paired with bipartisan concern over China’s rapid technological advancement and monopoly on critical minerals, are likely to drive Congress to take a more active role in shaping trade and industrial policy.
Member Exclusive
2026 NDAA: China Biotech and Outbound Investment Provisions
The 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is nearing the finish line after the Senate passed the bill on Wednesday following House approval last week. The White House confirmed that President Donald Trump will sign it once it reaches his desk.
