That the Senate—
welcomes the leaders of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to the United States for the meetings with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and congressional members, and affirms the meeting as the first of regular United States-ASEAN meetings;
supports and affirms the elevation of the United States-ASEAN relationship to a strategic partnership and recommits the United States to ASEAN centrality and to helping to build a strong, stable, politically cohesive, economically integrated, and socially responsible ASEAN community with common rules, norms, procedures, and standards consistent with international law and the principles of a rules-based Asia-Pacific community;
urges ASEAN to continue its efforts to foster greater integration and unity toward the ASEAN community;
recognizes the value of ASEAN working with economic, political, and security partners such as Australia, Canada, the European Union, India, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, the Republic of Korea, and Taiwan both inside of and outside of Asia, as well as the advantage of strategic economic initiatives like the U.S.-ASEAN Connect that demonstrate a commitment to ASEAN and the AEC and build upon economic relationships in the region;
reaffirms the enhancement of United States-ASEAN economic engagement, including the elimination of barriers to cross-border commerce, and supports the ASEAN Economic Community’s goals, including strong, inclusive, and sustainable growth and cooperation with the United States that focuses on innovation and capacity building efforts in technology, education, disaster management, food security, human rights, and trade facilitation, including for ASEAN's poorest countries;
supports efforts by ASEAN nations to address maritime and territorial disputes in a constructive manner and to pursue claims through peaceful, diplomatic, and legitimate regional and international arbitration mechanisms, consistent with international law, including through the adoption of a code of conduct in the South China Sea to further promote peace and stability in the region;
urges all parties to maritime and territorial disputes in the Asia-Pacific region, including the PRC—
to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would undermine stability or complicate or escalate disputes through the use of coercion, intimidation, or military force; and
to refrain from new efforts to militarize uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals, and other features, including the construction of new garrisons and facilities and the relocation of additional military personnel, materiel, or equipment;
opposes actions by any country to prevent any other country from exercising its sovereign rights to the resources of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf by seeking to enforce claims to those areas in the South China Sea that have no support in international law;
opposes unilateral declarations of administrative and military districts in contested areas in the South China Sea;
supports efforts to negotiate the joint management of maritime resources through diplomacy and peaceful negotiation;
urges parties to refrain from unilateral actions that cause permanent physical damage to the marine environment and supports the efforts of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and ASEAN to implement guidelines to address illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in the region;
supports efforts by United States partners and allies in ASEAN—
to enhance maritime capability and maritime domain awareness;
to protect unhindered access to and use of international waterways in the Asia-Pacific region that are critical to ensuring the security and free flow of commerce;
to counter piracy;
to disrupt illicit maritime trafficking activities such as the trafficking of persons, goods, and drugs; and
to enhance the maritime capabilities of countries or regional organizations to respond to emerging threats to maritime security in the Asia-Pacific region;
urges ASEAN member states to develop a common approach to reaffirm the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague’s ruling with respect to the case between the Republic of the Philippines and the People’s Republic of China;
reaffirms the commitment of the United States to continue joint efforts with ASEAN to halt human smuggling and trafficking in persons and urges ASEAN to make increased efforts to create and strengthen regional mechanisms to provide assistance and support to refugees and migrants;
supports the Lower Mekong Initiative, which has made significant progress in promoting sustainable economic development in mainland Southeast Asia and fostering integrated subregional cooperation and capacity building;
urges ASEAN to build capacity for the promotion and protection of human rights by ASEAN member states, and the implementation of related priorities, programs, and activities;
urges ASEAN governments to engage directly with leaders of civil society and human rights, including advocates of religious freedom and victims of human rights abuses, and environmental groups and to prioritize the construction of forums that give these stakeholders a voice to instruct public policy, before, during, and after the February 2016 summit;
encourages the President to communicate to ASEAN leaders the importance of protecting human rights, ending extrajudicial killings, including releasing political prisoners and ending politically motivated prosecutions, strengthening civil society, safeguarding freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and the free flow of information and ideas, and promoting the rule of law and open and transparent government;
supports the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative program as an example of people-to-people partnership building that provides skills, networks, and leadership capabilities to a new generation of people who will create and fill jobs, foster cross-border cooperation and partnerships, and rise to solve the regional and global challenges of the future; and
urges ASEAN governments to fully uphold and implement all United Nations Security Council resolutions and international agreements with respect to North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.