,,iii  #aac? ,,congress  #a/ ,session   
,s4 ,,res4 #afg  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!
 ,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,june #aj1 #bjac ,mr4 
,m55dez 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,rubio1 & ,mr4 
,c>d97 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 :i*
 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign     
,relations  ,,resolution  ,reaffirm+ !  
/rong support ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates = !     
peaceful resolution ( t]ritorial1       
sov]eignty1 & jurisdictional disputes 9 
! ,asia-,pacific m>itime doma9s4  ,:]eas
 ! m>itime doma9 ( ! ,asia-,pacific     
region includes critical sea l9es (     
communication & comm]ce betwe5 !        
,pacific & ,indian oceans2 ,:]eas !     
,unit$ ,/ates has a national int]e/ 9   
fre$om ( navigation & ov]flight 9 !     
,asia-,pacific m>itime doma9s1 z provid$
 = by univ]sally recogniz$ pr9ciples (  
int]national law2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates
 has a national int]e/ 9 ! ma9t5ance (  
peace & /ability1 op5 access by all to  
m>itime doma9s1 respect = univ]sally    
recogniz$ pr9ciples ( int]national law1 
prosp]ity & economic gr[?1 & unimp$$    

lawful comm]ce2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates  
has a cle> int]e/ 9 enc\rag+ & support+ 
! nations ( ! region to "w              
collaboratively & diplomatically to     
resolve disputes )\t co]cion1 )\t       
intimidation1 )\t ?reats1 & )\t ! use ( 
=ce2 ,:]eas ! ,s\? ,*9a ,sea conta9s    
great natural res\rces1 & _! /ew>d%ip & 
responsible use (f]s imm5se pot5tial    
b5efit = g5]ations to come2 ,:]eas1 9   
rec5t ye>s1 !re h be5 num]\s dang]\s &  
de/abiliz+ incid5ts 9 ?is region1       
includ+ ,*9ese vessels cutt+ ! seismic  
survey cables ( a ,vietnamese oil       
exploration %ip 9 ,may #bjaa2 ,*9ese    
vessels b>ricad+ ! entrance to !        
,sc>bor\gh ,reef lagoon 9 ,april #bjab2 
,*9a issu+ an (ficial map t newly def9es
 ! conte/$ n9e-da% l9e z ,*9a's national
 bord]2 &1 s9ce ,may #h1 #bjac1 ,*9ese  
naval & m>9e surveillance %ips ma9ta9+ a
 regul> pres5ce 9 wat]s ar\nd ! ,second 
,?omas ,%oal1 locat$ approximately #aje 
nautical miles nor?we/ ( ! ,philipp9e   
isl& ( ,palawan2 ,:]eas ! ,association (

 ,s\!a/ ,asian ,nations 7,,asean7 has   
promot$ multilat]al talks on disput$    
areas )\t settl+ ! issue ( sov]eignty1 &
 9 #bjjb jo9$ ) ,*9a 9 sign+ a          
,decl>ation on ! ,conduct ( ,p>ties 9 ! 
,s\? ,*9a ,sea t committ$ all p>ties to 
^? t]ritorial disputes to reaffirm _!   
respect = & commitm5t to ! fre$om (     
navigation 9 & ov] flight above ! ,s\?  
,*9a ,sea z provid$ = by ! univ]sally   
recogniz$ pr9ciples ( int]national law &
 to resolve _! t]ritorial &             
jurisdictional disputes by peaceful     
means1 )\t resort+ to ! ?reat or use (  
=ce2 ,:]eas ,japan & ,taiwan rea*$ an   
agreem5t on ,april #aj1 #bjac1 to jo9tly
 %>e & adm9i/] ! fi%+ res\rces 9 _!     
ov]lapp+ claim$ exclusive economic zones
 9 ! ,ea/ ,*9a ,sea1 an important       
break?r\gh aft] #ag ye>s ( negotiations 
& a model = o!r su* agreem5ts2 ,:]eas   
o!r incid5ces ( ! jo9t adm9i/rations (  
res\rces 9 disput$ wat]s 9 ! ,s\? ,*9a  
,sea h de-escalat$ t5sions & promot$    
economic developm5t1 su* z ,malaysia &  

,brunei's #bjji agreem5t to p>tn] on    
explor+ (f%ore ,brunei wat]s1 ) drill+ 9
 (f%ore oil & gas fields (f ,brunei     
beg9n+ 9 #bjaa2 & ,?ail& & ,vietnam's   
agreem5t to jo9tly develop areas ( !    
,gulf ( ,?ail& = gas exports1 despite   
ongo+ t]ritorial disputes2 ,:]eas !     
,gov]nm5t ( ! ,republic ( ! ,philipp9es 
/ates t x has exhau/$ almo/ all         
political & diplomatic av5ues = a       
peaceful negotiat$ settlem5t ( its      
m>itime dispute ) ,*9a & 9 8 /atem5t (  
,janu>y #bc1 #bjac1 ,republic (         
,philipp9es ,secret>y ( ,=eign ,affairs 
,del ,ros>io /at$ t !re=e ! ,philipp9es 
has tak5 ! /ep ( br++ ,*9a be=e !       
,arbitral ,tribunal "u ,article #bhg &  
,annex ,,vii ( ! #aihb ,conv5tion on !  
,law ( ! ,sea 9 ord] to a*ieve a        
peaceful & durable solution to !        
dispute2 ,:]eas1 9 ,janu>y #bjac1 a     
,*9ese naval %ip alleg$ly fix$ its      
weapons-t>get+ rad> on ,japanese vessels
 9 ! vic9ity ( ! ,s5kaku isl&s1 &1 on   
,april #bc1 #bjac1 eight ,*9ese m>9e    

surveillance %ips ent]$ !               
#ab-nautical-mile t]ritorial zone (f !  
,s5kaku ,isl&s1 fur!r escalat+ regional 
t5sions2 ,:]eas1 on ,may #h1 #bjac1 !   
,*9ese ,communi/ ,p>ty's ma9 newspap]1  
,! ,p's ,daily1 publi%$ an article by   
sev]al ,*9ese s*ol>s que/ion+ ,japan's  
sov]eignty ov] ,ok9awa1 :]e key ,unit$  
,/ates milit>y in/allations are locat$  
:i* contribute to pres]v+ security &    
/ability 9 ! ,asia-,pacific region2     
,:]eas ! ,gov]nm5t ( ! ,p's ,republic ( 
,*9a has rec5tly tak5 o!r unilat]al     
/eps1 includ+ decl>+ ! ,s5kaku ,isl&s a 
core int]e/1 improp]ly draw+ basel9es   
ar\nd ! ,s5kaku ,isl&s 9 ,septemb]      
#bajb1 :i* ! #bjac ,annual ,report to   
,congress on ,milit>y & ,security       
,developm5ts ,involv+ ! ,p's ,republic (
 ,*9a f\nd to be 8inconsi/5t )          
int]national law01 & ma9ta9+ a cont9u\s 
milit>y & p>amilit>y pres5ce ar\nd !    
,s5kaku ,isl&s2 ,:]eas1 al?\gh ! ,unit$ 
,/ates does n take a position on !      
ultimate sov]eignty ( ! ,s5kaku ,isl&s1 

! ,unit$ ,/ates ,gov]nm5t ackn[l$ges t  
!y are "u ! adm9i/ration ( ,japan &     
opposes any unilat]al actions t w\ld    
seek to und]m9e su* adm9i/ration1       
affirms t ! unilat]al actions ( a ?ird  
p>ty w n affect ! ,unit$ ,/ates         
ackn[l$gm5t ( ! adm9i/ration ( ,japan   
ov] ! ,s5kaku ,isl&s1 rema9s committ$ "u
 ! ,treaty ( ,mutual ,coop]ation &      
,security to respond to any arm$ attack 
9 ! t]ritories "u ! adm9i/ration (      
,japan1 & has urg$ all p>ties to take   
/eps to prev5t incid5ts & manage        
disagreem5ts ?r\gh peaceful means2      
,:]eas1 on ,augu/ #c1 #bjab1 a ,dep>tm5t
 ( ,/ate spokesp]son express$ conc]n ov]
 ,*9a's upgrad+ ( ! adm9i/rative level (
 ,san%a ,city & ! e/abli%m5t ( a new    
milit>y g>rison !re1 enc\rag$ ,,asean & 
,*9a to make mean+ful progress t[>d     
f9aliz+ a compreh5sive ,code ( ,conduct1
 & call$ ^u claimants to explore e      
diplomatic or o!r peaceful av5ue =      
resolution1 includ+ ! use ( arbitration 
or o!r int]national legal me*anisms z   

ne$$2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates recognizes 
! importance ( /rong1 cohesive1 &       
integrat$ regional in/itutions1 includ+ 
! ,ea/ ,asia ,summit 7,,eas71 ,,asean1 &
 ! ,asia-,pacific ,economic ,coop]ation 
7,,apec7 =um1 z f\ndation = effective   
regional frameworks to promote peace &  
security & economic gr[?1 includ+ 9 !   
m>itime doma91 & to ensure t !          
,asia-,pacific community develops       
rules-bas$ regional norms :i* disc\rage 
co]cion & ! use ( =ce2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$  
,/ates welcomes ! developm5t ( a        
peaceful & prosp]\s ,*9a1 ! gov]nm5t (  
:i* respects int]national norms1        
int]national laws1 int]national         
in/itutions1 & int]national rules2      
enhances security & peace2 & seeks to   
advance a new model ( relations betwe5 !
 ,unit$ ,/ates & ,*9a2 & ,:]eas ,,asean 
plays an important role1 9 p>tn]%ip )   
o!rs 9 ! regional & int]national        
community1 9 address+ m>itime security  
issues 9 ! ,asia-,pacific region & into 
! ,indian ,ocean1 includ+ op5 access to 

! m>itime doma9 ( ,asia3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be 
x  ,t ! ,s5ate--  7#a7 condemns ! use ( 
co]cion1 ?reats1 or =ce by naval1       
m>itime security1 or fi%+ vessels &     
milit>y or civilian aircraft 9 ! ,s\?   
,*9a ,sea & ! ,ea/ ,*9a ,sea to ass]t   
disput$ m>itime or t]ritorial claims or 
alt] ! /atus quo2  7#b7 /rongly urges t 
all p>ties to m>itime & t]ritorial      
disputes 9 ! region ex]cise self-re/ra9t
 9 ! conduct ( activities t w\ld und]m9e
 /ability or complicate or escalate     
disputes1 includ+ refra9+ f inhabit+    
pres5tly un9habxed isl&s1 reefs1 %oals1 
& o!r features & h&le _! diff]5ces 9 a  
con/ructive mann]2  7#c7 reaffirms !    
/rong support ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates = !     
memb] /ates ( ,,asean & ! ,gov]nm5t ( ! 
,p's ,republic ( ,*9a z !y seek to      
develop a code ( conduct ( p>ties 9 !   
,s\? ,*9a ,sea1 & urges all c\ntries to 
sub/antively support ,,asean 9 its ef=ts
 9 ?is reg>d2  7#d7 supports            
collaborative diplomatic processes by   
all claimants 9 ! ,s\? ,*9a ,sea =      

resolv+ out/&+ m>itime or t]ritorial    
disputes1 9 a mann] t ma9ta9s peace &   
security1 adh]es to int]national law1 & 
protects unimp$$ lawful comm]ce z well z
 fre$om ( navigation & ov]flight1 &     
includ+ ?r\gh int]national arbitration1 
all[+ p>ties to peacefully settle claims
 & disputes us+ univ]sally recogniz$    
pr9ciples ( int]national law2  7#e7     
enc\rages ! deep5+ ( ef=ts by ! ,unit$  
,/ates ,gov]nm5t to develop p>tn]%ips ) 
o!r c\ntries 9 ! region = m>itime doma9 
aw>5ess & capacity build+2 &  7#f7      
supports ! cont9uation ( op]ations by ! 
,unit$ ,/ates ,arm$ ,=ces 9 ! ,we/]n    
,pacific1 includ+ 9 p>tn]%ip ) ! arm$   
=ces ( o!r c\ntries 9 ! region1 9       
support ( fre$om ( navigation1 !        
ma9t5ance ( peace & /ability1 & respect 
= univ]sally recogniz$ pr9ciples (      
int]national law1 includ+ ! peaceful    
resolution ( issues ( sov]eignty &      
unimp$$ lawful comm]ce4