III 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 157 

Recognizing that for 50 years, the Association of South East Asian Nations 

(ASEAN) and its ten members—Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, 

Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam—have worked toward stability, prosperity, and peace in Southeast 

Asia. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 4, 2017 

Mr. CARDIN (for himself, Mr. MCCAIN, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. COONS, Mr. 

SCHATZ, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, and Ms. HIRONO) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing that for 50 years, the Association of South 

East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its ten members— 

Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, 

the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam—have 

worked toward stability, prosperity, and peace in Southeast Asia. 

Whereas the United States and ASEAN have worked together to advance our shared goals for 40 years, having 

established dialogue relations on September 10, 1977, 

with the issuing of the 1977 Joint Communique of the 

First ASEAN-United States Dialogue, and the United 

States acceding to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation 

in Southeast Asia (TAC) at the ASEAN Post Ministerial 


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Conference Session with the United States in Thailand 

on July 22, 2009; 

Whereas the United States was the first non-ASEAN country 

to appoint an ambassador to ASEAN on April 29, 2008, 

and the first dialogue partner to establish a permanent 

mission to ASEAN in 2010; 

Whereas the United States has supported efforts to strengthen the ASEAN Secretariat and expand its role in providing greater coordination between, and enhancing the 

effectiveness of, regional institutions; 

Whereas working together, the Governments and people of 

the United States and ASEAN can help realize their 

common vision of a peaceful, prosperous, rules-based 

Asia-Pacific region that offers security, opportunity, and 

dignity to all of its citizens; 

Whereas ASEAN’s 10 members, taken collectively, are the 

7th largest economy in the world, with an annual gross 

domestic product of $2,400,000,000,000, and represent 

the United States fourth-largest export market with total 

two-way trade in goods and services reaching 

$254,000,000,000, allowing over 780,000 visitors to the 

United States in 2015, which contribute more than 

$5,000,000,000 to the United States economy, and accounting for more than 500,000 jobs in the United 

States; 

Whereas ASEAN’s 10 members represent a diverse group of 

nations and dynamic economies with an expanding workforce, a growing middle class, and a diverse set of skills, 

cultures, and resources, which of the estimated 

20,000,000 Asian Americans in the United States, includes over 7,000,000 who identify with an ASEAN ethVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:50 May 04, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR157.IS SR157

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nicity, including 4,000,000 Filipinos and 1,900,000 Vietnamese; 

Whereas ASEAN is home to critical global sea lanes located 

at the center of the world’s strongest economic growth 

area, with $5,300,000,000,000 of global trade and more 

than half of total shipped tonnage transiting through 

ASEAN’s waters each year; 

Whereas ASEAN, taken collectively, is one of the fastest 

growing economies in Asia after China and India, expanding by 66 percent since 2006 and exceeding the 

global growth average for the past ten years; 

Whereas the ASEAN Economic Community aims to create 

one of the largest single market economies in the world, 

facilitating the free movement of goods, services, and professionals and engendering a sense of economic community among its member states; 

Whereas the United States is the largest investor in Southeast Asia, with total foreign direct investment stock of 

nearly $273,500,000,000 in 2014, creating millions of 

jobs in the United States and in ASEAN member states, 

while investment in the United States from Southeast 

Asia has increased more than any other region’s investment in the past decade; 

Whereas the United States has helped ASEAN create a Single Window customs facilitation system that will aid in 

expediting intra-ASEAN trade and make it easier for 

United States businesses to operate in the region; 

Whereas the United States-ASEAN Business Alliance for 

Competitive Small and Medium Sized Enterprises 

(SMEs) has already trained more than 4,600 small to 


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medium enterprises, with nearly half of the individuals 

trained being young women entrepreneurs; 

Whereas United States-ASEAN development cooperation has 

focused on innovation and capacity-building efforts in 

technology, education, disaster management, food security, human rights, and trade facilitation; 

Whereas the Lower Mekong Initiative, established on July 

23, 2009, is a multinational effort that helps promote 

sustainable economic development in mainland Southeast 

Asia to foster integrated, multisectoral, subregional cooperation and capacity building; 

Whereas the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the 

South China Sea (DOC) was signed by all members of 

ASEAN and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on 

November 4, 2002, committing ASEAN and the PRC to 

‘‘exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that 

would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace 

and stability’’, and reaffirming that ‘‘the adoption of a 

code of conduct in the South China Sea would further 

promote peace and stability in the region and agree to 

work, on the basis of consensus, toward the eventual attainment of this objective’’; 

Whereas the leaders of the United States and ASEAN, at 

their Special Leaders Summit in Sunnylands, California, 

on February 16, 2016, reaffirmed their shared commitment to maintain peace, security, and stability in the region and ensure maritime security and safety, including 

by respecting the rights of freedom of navigation and 

overflight and other lawful uses of the seas, and 

unimpeded lawful maritime commerce as described in the 

1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 


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(UNCLOS) as well as non-militarization and self-restraint in the conduct of activities; 

Whereas ASEAN is a partner to the United States on key 

transnational challenges, such as terrorism, violent extremism, climate change, environmental degradation and 

pollution, energy, infectious diseases, disarmament, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, cybersecurity, 

trafficking in persons, illicit trafficking of wildlife and 

timber, and illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing; 

Whereas the United States supports the East Asia Summit 

(EAS) as the premier leaders-led forum for dialogue and 

cooperation on political, security, and economic issues in 

the region and commends the direction set in the Kuala 

Lampur Declaration at the EAS 10th anniversary, including the new exchange mechanism for EAS members’ 

ambassadors; 

Whereas the United States, ASEAN, and other Dialogue 

Partners, through the 2015 East Asia Summit, adopted 

a statement on transnational cyber issues that emphasizes the importance of regional cooperation to improve 

the security and stability of cyber networks, setting an 

important precedent for strengthening practical cooperation, risk reduction, and confidence building in cyberspace; 

Whereas the 2016 East Asia Summit in Vientiane adopted a 

statement on non-proliferation that reaffirmed the United 

States, ASEAN’s, and other Dialogue Partners’ leaders’ 

support for efforts at the national, regional, and international level to promote nuclear disarmament, nuclear 

non-proliferation, and peaceful uses of nuclear energy, 

and reiterated the importance of nuclear security to combating nuclear terrorism; 


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Whereas North Korea’s provocative missile launches and nuclear tests highlights the threat posed by its nuclear and 

ballistic missile programs and contradicts calls by 

ASEAN leaders at the 2016 East Asia Summit in Vientiane for North Korea to abide by multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions and international obligations; 

Whereas changes in climatic conditions in the ASEAN region 

over the past four decades have resulted in major loss 

and damage throughout the ASEAN region with a disproportionate impact on developing countries, with the 

experiences of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar and Typhoon 

Haiyan in the Philippines, as well as the impacts that climate-caused ocean acidification has had on fish stocks, 

coral resources, and coastal agriculture, providing stark 

evidence of the destructive impacts on the region; 

Whereas conservation and sustainable management of forests 

throughout ASEAN play an important role in helping to 

mitigate changes in the climate, reduce the risks of extreme weather events and other climate-driven disasters, 

and provide sustainable economic livelihood opportunities 

for local communities; 

Whereas the United States will pursue initiatives that are 

consistent with broader sustainable development, including the achievement of food security and poverty alleviation throughout the ASEAN region; 

Whereas the United States is a committed partner with 

ASEAN on the protection of human rights, which are not 

only essential for fostering and maintaining stability, security, and good governance, but protecting the basic 

rights and fundamental dignities of the people of 

ASEAN; 


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Whereas the United States supports the work and mandate 

of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human 

Rights (AICHR), including capacity building for the promotion and protection of human rights and the AICHR’s 

priorities programs, and activities; 

Whereas the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Program has 

now engaged over 100,000 people between the ages of 18 

and 35 across all 10 ASEAN nations to promote innovation among young people while also providing skills to a 

new generation who will create and fill the jobs of the future; 

Whereas the irregular movement of persons continues to be 

one of the main security threats in the Southeast Asia region; 

Whereas addressing migration flows and combating human 

smuggling and human trafficking in ASEAN is an important, ongoing challenge requiring increased coordination 

and shared responsibility; 

Whereas, on November 21, 2015, ASEAN member states 

signed the ASEAN Convention Against Trafficking in 

Persons, Especially Women and Children, which represents an important step forward in preventing human 

trafficking, prosecuting the perpetrators, and protecting 

the survivors; 

Whereas the United States supports ASEAN member states 

in anticorruption efforts through, among other initiatives, 

the implementation of the United Nations Convention 

Against Corruption; 

Whereas Vice President Mike Pence traveled to Jakarta, Indonesia, on April 20, 2017, where he met with the 

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resentatives, congratulated ASEAN on its 50th anniversary, and remarked on the 40th anniversary of the 

United States diplomatic relationship with ASEAN, noting that the United States-ASEAN relationship ‘‘without 

a doubt has benefitted both ASEAN and America—diplomatically, economically, and from the standpoint of national security’’; 

Whereas, on this visit, Vice President Pence pledged that the 

United States would ‘‘redouble our cooperation with 

ASEAN on issues of regional security’’ and continue to 

support ‘‘increased information sharing and security efforts to protect our people and our way of life across the 

ASEAN region and across the wider world’’, and ‘‘continue to work closely with ASEAN to promote peace and 

stability in the South China Sea by upholding a rulesbased order, ensuring the lawful and unimpeded flow of 

commerce, and encouraging the peaceful and diplomatic 

resolution of disputes’’; 

Whereas, on this visit, Vice President Pence remarked that 

‘‘by strengthening our economic ties, the United States 

and ASEAN member nations can foster jobs, prosperity, 

and growth in new and unprecedented ways’’ and that 

‘‘American exports to ASEAN member nations already 

support more than 550,000 jobs in the United States, 

and almost 42,000 U.S. companies export more than 

$100,000,000,000 in goods and services to ASEAN nations every year’’; and 

Whereas, on this visit, Vice President Pence announced that 

President Trump will attend the U.S.-ASEAN Summit, 

the East Asia Summit in the Philippines, and the APEC 

Leaders Meeting in Vietnam this November: Now, therefore, be it 


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1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) welcomes the leaders of the Association of 

3 South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to the United 

4 States for the meetings with Secretary of State Rex 

5 Tillerson and congressional members, and affirms 

6 the meeting as the first of regular United States7 ASEAN meetings; 

8 (2) supports and affirms the elevation of the 

9 United States-ASEAN relationship to a strategic 

10 partnership and recommits the United States to 

11 ASEAN centrality and to helping to build a strong, 

12 stable, politically cohesive, economically integrated, 

13 and socially responsible ASEAN community with 

14 common rules, norms, procedures, and standards 

15 consistent with international law and the principles 

16 of a rules-based Asia-Pacific community; 

17 (3) urges ASEAN to continue its efforts to fos18 ter greater integration and unity toward the ASEAN 

19 community; 

20 (4) recognizes the value of ASEAN working 

21 with economic, political, and security partners such 

22 as Australia, Canada, the European Union, India, 

23 Japan, New Zealand, Norway, the Republic of 

24 Korea, and Taiwan both inside of and outside of 

25 Asia, as well as the advantage of strategic economic 


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1 initiatives like the U.S.-ASEAN Connect that dem2 onstrate a commitment to ASEAN and the AEC and 

3 build upon economic relationships in the region; 

4 (5) reaffirms the enhancement of United 

5 States-ASEAN economic engagement, including the 

6 elimination of barriers to cross-border commerce, 

7 and supports the ASEAN Economic Community’s 

8 goals, including strong, inclusive, and sustainable 

9 growth and cooperation with the United States that 

10 focuses on innovation and capacity building efforts 

11 in technology, education, disaster management, food 

12 security, human rights, and trade facilitation, in13 cluding for ASEAN’s poorest countries; 

14 (6) supports efforts by ASEAN nations to ad15 dress maritime and territorial disputes in a con16 structive manner and to pursue claims through 

17 peaceful, diplomatic, and legitimate regional and 

18 international arbitration mechanisms, consistent 

19 with international law, including through the adop20 tion of a code of conduct in the South China Sea to 

21 further promote peace and stability in the region; 

22 (7) urges all parties to maritime and territorial 

23 disputes in the Asia-Pacific region, including the 

24 PRC— 


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1 (A) to exercise self-restraint in the conduct 

2 of activities that would undermine stability or 

3 complicate or escalate disputes through the use 

4 of coercion, intimidation, or military force; and 

5 (B) to refrain from new efforts to milita6 rize uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals, and 

7 other features, including the construction of 

8 new garrisons and facilities and the relocation 

9 of additional military personnel, materiel, or 

10 equipment; 

11 (8) opposes actions by any country to prevent 

12 any other country from exercising its sovereign 

13 rights to the resources of the exclusive economic 

14 zone (EEZ) and continental shelf by seeking to en15 force claims to those areas in the South China Sea 

16 that have no support in international law; 

17 (9) opposes unilateral declarations of adminis18 trative and military districts in contested areas in 

19 the South China Sea; 

20 (10) supports efforts to negotiate the joint 

21 management of maritime resources through diplo22 macy and peaceful negotiation; 

23 (11) urges parties to refrain from unilateral ac24 tions that cause permanent physical damage to the 

25 marine environment and supports the efforts of the 


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1 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

2 and ASEAN to implement guidelines to address ille3 gal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in the re4 gion; 

5 (12) supports efforts by United States partners 

6 and allies in ASEAN— 

7 (A) to enhance maritime capability and 

8 maritime domain awareness; 

9 (B) to protect unhindered access to and 

10 use of international waterways in the Asia-Pa11 cific region that are critical to ensuring the se12 curity and free flow of commerce; 

13 (C) to counter piracy; 

14 (D) to disrupt illicit maritime trafficking 

15 activities such as the trafficking of persons, 

16 goods, and drugs; and 

17 (E) to enhance the maritime capabilities of 

18 countries or regional organizations to respond 

19 to emerging threats to maritime security in the 

20 Asia-Pacific region; 

21 (13) urges ASEAN member states to develop a 

22 common approach to reaffirm the decision of the 

23 Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague’s rul24 ing with respect to the case between the Republic of 

25 the Philippines and the People’s Republic of China; 


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1 (14) reaffirms the commitment of the United 

2 States to continue joint efforts with ASEAN to halt 

3 human smuggling and trafficking in persons and 

4 urges ASEAN to make increased efforts to create 

5 and strengthen regional mechanisms to provide as6 sistance and support to refugees and migrants; 

7 (15) supports the Lower Mekong Initiative, 

8 which has made significant progress in promoting 

9 sustainable economic development in mainland 

10 Southeast Asia and fostering integrated subregional 

11 cooperation and capacity building; 

12 (16) urges ASEAN to build capacity for the 

13 promotion and protection of human rights by 

14 ASEAN member states, and the implementation of 

15 related priorities, programs, and activities; 

16 (17) urges ASEAN governments to engage di17 rectly with leaders of civil society and human rights, 

18 including advocates of religious freedom and victims 

19 of human rights abuses, and environmental groups 

20 and to prioritize the construction of forums that give 

21 these stakeholders a voice to instruct public policy, 

22 before, during, and after the February 2016 sum23 mit; 

24 (18) encourages the President to communicate 

25 to ASEAN leaders the importance of protecting 


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1 human rights, ending extrajudicial killings, including 

2 releasing political prisoners and ending politically 

3 motivated prosecutions, strengthening civil society, 

4 safeguarding freedom of the press, freedom of as5 sembly, and the free flow of information and ideas, 

6 and promoting the rule of law and open and trans7 parent government; 

8 (19) supports the Young Southeast Asian Lead9 ers Initiative program as an example of people-to10 people partnership building that provides skills, net11 works, and leadership capabilities to a new genera12 tion of people who will create and fill jobs, foster 

13 cross-border cooperation and partnerships, and rise 

14 to solve the regional and global challenges of the fu15 ture; and 

16 (20) urges ASEAN governments to fully uphold 

17 and implement all United Nations Security Council 

18 resolutions and international agreements with re19 spect to North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile 

20 programs. 

Æ 


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