•HRES 714 EH 
zone off the Senkaku Islands, further escalating regional 
tensions; 
Whereas on May 9, 2013, a fatal shooting incident occurred 
in which shots fired from a Philippine Coast Guard pa-
trol boat resulted in the death of a Taiwanese fisherman; 
Whereas on May 1, 2014, China’s state-owned energy com-
pany, CNOOC, anchored its deepwater drilling rig Hai 
Yang Shi You 981 (HD–981) in Vietnamese waters and 
deployed over 80 vessels, including seven military vessels, 
to support its provocative actions and attempt to change 
the status quo by force; 
Whereas Chinese vessels accompanying Hai Yang Shi You 
981 (HD–981) intimidated Vietnamese Coast Guard 
ships in violation of the Convention on the International 
Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, ramming 
multiple Vietnamese vessels, and using helicopters and 
water cannons to obstruct others; 
Whereas on May 5, 2014, vessels from the Maritime Safety 
Administration of China (MSAC) established an exclusion 
zone with a radius of three nautical miles around Hai 
Yang Shi You 981 (HD–981); 
Whereas China’s actions in support of the Hai Yang Shi You 
981 (HD–981) drilling activity constitute a unilateral at-
tempt to change the status quo by force; 
Whereas claimants have participated in land reclamation and 
building up of land features, and whereas such activities 
have raised tensions among the claimants; 
Whereas, without prior consultations with the United States, 
Japan, the Republic of Korea or other nations of the 
Asia-Pacific region, China declared an Air Defense Iden-
•HRES 714 EH 
tification Zone (ADIZ) over the East China Sea on No-
vember 23, 2013; 
Whereas China announced that all aircraft, even if they do 
not intend to enter the ADIZ airspace, would have to 
submit flight plans, maintain radio contact, and follow di-
rections from the Chinese Ministry of National Defense; 
Whereas the ‘‘rules of engagement’’ declared by China, which 
at one time included the threat of ‘‘emergency defensive 
measures’’, are in violation of the concept of ‘‘due regard 
for the safety of civil aviation’’ under the Chicago Con-
vention of the International Civil Aviation Organization 
and thereby are a departure from accepted practice; 
Whereas China’s declaration of an ADIZ over the East China 
Sea has contributed to increased uncertainty and unsafe 
conditions in the maritime region in East Asia and the 
broader Asia-Pacific region; 
Whereas freedom of navigation and other lawful uses of sea 
and airspace in the Asia-Pacific region are embodied in 
international law, not granted by certain states to others; 
Whereas the United States Government expressed profound 
concerns with China’s unilateral, provocative, dangerous, 
and destabilizing declaration of such a zone, including 
the potential for misunderstandings and miscalculations 
by aircraft operating lawfully in international airspace; 
Whereas China’s declaration of an ADIZ in the East China 
Sea will not alter how the United States Government 
conducts operations in the region or the unwavering 
United States commitment to peace, security and sta-
bility in the Asia-Pacific region; 
Whereas other governments in the Asia-Pacific region, includ-
ing the Governments of Japan, Korea, Philippines, Aus-
•HRES 714 EH 
tralia and Indonesia have expressed deep concern about 
China’s declaration of such a zone, regarding it as an ef-
fort to unduly infringe upon the freedom of flight in 
international airspace and to change the status quo that 
could escalate tensions and potentially cause uninten-
tional consequences in the East China Sea; 
Whereas the United States Government does not support uni-
lateral actions taken by any claimant seeking to change 
the status quo through the use of coercion, intimidation, 
or military force; 
Whereas the United States Government is deeply concerned 
about unilateral actions taken by any state to prevent 
any other state from exercising its sovereign rights to the 
resources of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and con-
tinental shelf by making claims to those areas that have 
no apparent basis in international law; declarations of ad-
ministrative and military districts in contested areas in 
the South and East China Seas; and the imposition of 
new fishing regulations covering disputed areas, which 
have raised tensions in the region; 
Whereas international law is important to safeguard the 
rights and freedoms of all states in the Asia-Pacific re-
gion; 
Whereas China and Vietnam have undertaken discussions to 
reduce tensions between their navies; 
Whereas in November 2014, the United States and China 
signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding 
(MOU) on ‘‘rules of behavior for safety of air and mari-
time encounters’’;
•HRES 714 EH 
Whereas the MOU currently addresses only maritime behav-
iors and both sides have agreed to complete an additional 
annex on air-to-air encounters in 2015; 
Whereas the United States welcomes the agreement by Japan 
and China, in advance of their bilateral meeting in No-
vember 2014, to reduce tensions over disputed islands in 
the East China Sea and to ‘‘gradually resume political, 
diplomatic and security dialogues’’; and 
Whereas a peaceful and prosperous China, which acts as a 
responsible international stakeholder and which respects 
international laws, standards, and institutions, will en-
hance security and peace in the Asia-Pacific region: Now, 
therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) reaffirms the strong support of the United 
States for the peaceful resolution of maritime territorial 
disputes in the South China Sea and the East China Sea 
and pledges continued efforts to facilitate a collaborative, 
peaceful process to resolve these disputes; 
(2) reaffirms the strong support for freedom of 
navigation and over flight and condemns coercive and 
threatening actions or the use of force to impede these 
freedoms in international maritime domains and airspace 
by military or civilian vessels, to alter the status quo or 
to destabilize the Asia-Pacific region; 
(3) does not recognize the East China Sea Air De-
fense Identification Zone (ADIZ) declared by China, 
which is contrary to freedom of overflight in inter-
•HRES 714 EH 
national airspace, and calls on China to refrain from 
taking similar provocative actions elsewhere in the Asia- 
Pacific region, including in the South China Sea; 
(4) urges the Association of Southeast Asian Na-
tions (ASEAN), all United States allies and partners, 
and all claimants to amiably and fairly resolve these out-
standing disputes, including through the conclusion of a 
Code of Conduct for the South China Sea; 
(5) urges the conclusion of the annex to the non- 
binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) between 
the United States and China on ‘‘rules of behavior for 
safety of air and maritime encounters’’ addressing air- 
to-air encounters in 2015; 
(6) supports the continuation of operations by the 
United States to support freedom of navigation in inter-
national waters and air space in the South China Sea 
and the East China Sea; and 
(7) encourages the continuation of efforts by the 
United States Government to strengthen partnerships in 
the region to build capacity for maritime domain aware-
ness in support of freedom of navigation, maintenance of
•HRES 714 EH 
peace and stability, and respect for universally recog-
nized principles of international law. 
Attest: 
Clerk.