,,iv  #aad? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,h4 ,,res4 #hcj  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,july #ac1 #bjaf,mr4  
,pompeo submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2   
:i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign  
,affairs1 & 9 addition to ! ,committee  
on ,arm$ ,s]vices1 = a p]iod to be      
subsequ5tly det]m9$ by ! ,speak]1 9 ea* 
case = consid]ation ( su* provisions z  
fall )9 ! jurisdiction ( ! committee    
conc]n$  ,,resolution  ,call+ = all     
p>ties to respect ! arbitral tribunal   
rul+ ) reg>d to ! ,s\? ,*9a ,sea & to   
express ,unit$ ,/ates policy on fre$om (
 navigation & ov]flight 9 ! ,ea/ & ,s\? 
,*9a ,seas4  ,:]eas1 on ,july #ab1      
#bjaf1 ! ,p]man5t ,c\rt ( ,arbitration  
7,,pca7 ( ! ,int]national ,tribunal ( ! 
,law ( ! ,sea 7,tribunal71 con/itut$ "u 
! ,unit$ ,nations ,conv5tion on ! ,law (
 ! ,sea 7,,unclos71 done at ,montego    
,bay1 ,decemb] #aj1 #aihb1 issu$ a      
legally b9d+ rul+ on ! p>ties 9 ! case  
br\ght at ! reque/ ( ! ,republic (      
,philipp9es aga9/ ! ,p's ,republic (    

,*9a conc]n+ a dispute ov] ! m>itime    
jurisdiction 9 ! ,s\? ,*9a ,sea2 ,:]eas 
! ,tribunal support$ ! ,philipp9es'     
claim t ,*9a brea*$ its sov]eign rights1
 rul+ t ,*9a has1 by promulgat+ its     
#bjab moratorium on fi%+ 9 ! ,s\? ,*9a  
,sea1 )\t exception = areas ( ! ,s\?    
,*9a ,sea fall+ )9 ! exclusive economic 
zone ( ! ,philipp9es & )\t limit+ !     
moratorium to ,*9ese flagg$ vessels1    
brea*$ ,article #ef ( ! ,conv5tion )    
respect to ! ,philipp9es' sov]eign      
rights ov] ! liv+ res\rces ( its        
exclusive economic zone2 ,:]eas !       
,tribunal invalidat$ ,*9a's s-call$     
n9e-da% l9e sov]eignty claims ov] ! ,s\?
 ,*9a ,sea1 conclud+ t z betwe5 !       
,philipp9es & ,*9a1 ,*9a's claims to    
hi/oric rights1 or o!r sov]eign rights  
or jurisdiction1 ) respect to ! m>itime 
areas ( ! ,s\? ,*9a ,sea encompass$ by !
 relevant "p ( ! n9e-da% l9e are contr>y
 to ! ,conv5tion & )\t lawful effect to 
! ext5t t !y exce$ ! geographic &       
sub/antive limits ( ,*9a's m>itime      

entitlem5ts "u ! ,conv5tion2 ,:]eas1 on 
,janu>y #bb1 #bjac1 arbitration began :5
 ! ,philipp9es s]v$ ,*9a ) a            
,notification & ,/atem5t ( ,claim       
pursuant to ! ,,unclos provisions       
conc]n+ ! resolution ( disputes & !     
arbitration proc$ure2 ,:]eas1 on        
,febru>y #ai1 #bjac1 ,*9a reject$ &     
return$ ! ,philipp9es' ,notification &  
s9ce t date has refus$ to p>ticipate 9 !
 arbitration proce$+s2 ,:]eas1 on ,june 
#ba1 #bjac1 ! ,tribunal 0 con/itut$     
pursuant to ! proc$ure set out 9 ,annex 
,,vii ( ! ,,unclos to decide ! dispute  
pres5t$ by ! ,philipp9es2 ,:]eas1 on    
,octob] #bi1 #bjae1 ! ,tribunal held t  
bo? ! ,philipp9es & ,*9a are p>ties to  
,,unclos & b\nd by its provisions on !  
settlem5t ( disputes1 t ,*9a's decision 
n to p>ticipate 9 ^! proce$+s does n    
deprive ! ,tribunal ( jurisdiction1 & t 
! ,philipp9es' decision to comm5ce      
arbitration unilat]ally 0 n an abuse ( !
 ,conv5tion's dispute settlem5t         
proc$ures2 ,:]eas ! ,s\? ,*9a ,sea is "o

 ( ! _w's mo/ /rategically important    
comm]cial wat]ways1 & almo/ #cj p]c5t ( 
! _w's m>itime trade transits ! ,s\?    
,*9a ,sea annually1 includ+             
approximately #a1bjj1jjj1jjj1jjj 9      
%ip-borne trade b\nd = ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 
,:]eas1 accord+ to ! ,unit$ ,/ates      
,en]gy ,in=mation ,adm9i/ration1 !re are
 approximately #aa1jjj1jjj1jjj b>rels & 
#aij1jjj1jjj1jjj1jjj cubic feet ( prov5 
& probable oil & natural gas res]ves 9 !
 ,s\? ,*9a ,sea2 ,:]eas1 accord+ to !   
,unit$ ,/ates ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se1      
al?\gh ! ,unit$ ,/ates takes no position
 on compet+ sov]eignty claims to l&     
features 9 ! region1 all su* claims mu/ 
be bas$ ^u l& 7:i* 9 ! case ( isl&s     
means naturally =m$ areas ( l& t are    
above wat] at high tide71 & all m>itime 
claims mu/ d]ive f su* l& 9 accordance )
 int]national law12 ,:]eas1 accord+ to !
 ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se1 since ,*9ese l&   
reclamation ef=ts began 9 ,decemb]      
#bjac1 ,*9a has reclaim$ l& at sev5 (   
its eight ,spratly outpo/s &1 z ( ,june 

#bjae1 _h reclaim$ m ?an #b1ijj acres ( 
l&2 ,:]eas1 accord+ to ,director (      
,national ,intellig5ce3 ,*9a cont9u$ its
 l& reclamation ef=ts at ,subi &        
,mis*ief ,reefs aft] #e ,augu/ #bjae1   
bas$ on comm]cial imag]y4 ,betwe5 t date
 & late ,octob]1 :5 reclamation activity
 end$1 ,*9a reclaim$ m ?an #ajj         
additional acres ( l&42 ,:]eas1 accord+ 
to ! ,director ( ,national ,intellig5ce3
 ,we assess t ,*9a has e/abli%$ !       
necess>y infra/ructure to project       
milit>y capabilities 9 ! ,s\? ,*9a ,sea 
beyond t :i* is requir$ = po9t def5se ( 
its outpo/s4 ,^! capabilities c\ld      
include ! deploym5t ( mod]n fight]      
aircraft1 surface-to-air missiles       
7,,sams71 & coa/al def5se cruise        
missiles1 z well z increas$ pres5ce (   
,p's ,lib]ation ,army ,navy 7,,plan7    
surface combatants & ,*9a ,coa/ ,gu>d   
7,,ccg7 l>ge patrol %ips42 ,:]eas1      
accord+ to ! ,director ( ,national      
,intellig5ce3 ,we assess t ,*9a w       
cont9ue to pursue con/ruction &         

infra/ructure developm5t at its exp&$   
outpo/s 9 ! ,s\? ,*9a ,sea4 ,bas$ on !  
pace & scope ( con/ruction at ^!        
outpo/s1 ,*9a w be able to deploy a     
range ( (f5sive & def5sive milit>y      
capabilities & support increas$ ,,plan &
 ,,ccg pres5ce beg9n+ 9 #bjaf42 ,:]eas1 
on ,may #cj1 #bjae1 ,secret>y ( ,def5se 
,a%ton ,c>t] /at$ at ! ,%angri-,la      
,dialogue 9 ,s+apore1 ,the ,unit$ ,/ates
 w cont9ue to protect fre$om (          
navigation & ov]flight--pr9ciples t h   
ensur$ security & prosp]ity 9 ?is region
 = decades4 ,!re %\ld be no mi/ake3 !   
,unit$ ,/ates w fly1 sail1 & op]ate     
:]ev] int]national law all[s1 z ,unit$  
,/ates =ces d all ov] ! _w42 ,:]eas1 9  
,octob] #bjae1 ,janu>y #bjaf1 & ,may    
#bjaf1 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,navy conduct$   
?ree fre$om ( navigation op]ations      
7,,fonop7 9 ! area1 transit+ inside !   
#ab-mile nautical zone ( ! conte/$      
features 9 ! ,s\? ,*9a ,sea2 ,:]eas     
,article #e ( ! ,mutual ,def5se ,treaty 
,betwe5 ! ,unit$ ,/ates & ! ,republic ( 

! ,philipp9es1 sign$ on ,augu/ #cj1     
#aiea1 /ates t an arm$ attack on ei!r ( 
! ,p>ties is deem$ to include an arm$   
attack on ! metropolitan t]ritory ( ei!r
 ( ! ,p>ties1 or on ! isl& t]ritories "u
 its jurisdiction 9 ! ,pacific or on its
 arm$ =ces1 public vessels or aircraft 9
 ! ,pacific2 & ,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates   
reit]ates its security commitm5t to     
,japan & reaffirms t ,article #e ( !    
,unit$ ,/ates-,japan ,treaty ( ,mutual  
,coop]ation & ,security cov]s all       
t]ritories "u ,japan's adm9i/ration1    
includ+ ! ,s5kaku isl&s2 ,n[1 !re=e1 be 
x  ,t ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives-- 7#a7  
supports ! ,july #ab1 #bjaf1 rul+ issu$ 
by ! ,tribunal z b9d+ on all p>ties 9 ! 
case1 & calls on all claimants to pursue
 peaceful resolution ( out/&+ m>itime   
claims 9 ! ,s\? ,*9a ,sea consi/5t )    
int]national law2  7#b7 urges all p>ties
 to take action to implem5t !           
,decl>ation on ! ,conduct ( ,p>ties 9 ! 
,s\? ,*9a ,sea & take /eps t[>ds e>ly   
conclusion ( a mean+ful ,code (         

,conduct1 :i* w\ld provide agre$ ^u     
rules ( ! road to r$uce t5sion among    
claimant /ates2  7#c7 opposes any       
actions 9 ! ,s\? ,*9a ,sea to *ange !   
/atus quo by co]cion1 =ce1 or ! ?reat ( 
use ( =ce2  7#d7 calls on ! ,gov]nm5t ( 
! ,p's ,republic ( ,*9a to cease all    
reclamation & milit>ization activities 9
 ! ,s\? ,*9a ,sea & end provocative     
actions 9 ! ,ea/ ,*9a ,sea1 :i* und]m9e 
peace & /ability 9 ! region2  7#e7      
reaffirms ,article ,v ( ! ,mutual       
,def5se ,treaty ,betwe5 ! ,unit$ ,/ates 
& ! ,republic ( ! ,philipp9es2  7#f7    
reaffirms ,article ,v ( ! ,treaty (     
,mutual ,coop]ation & ,security betwe5 !
 ,unit$ ,/ates & ,japan2  7#g7 urges !  
,secret>y ( ,/ate to utilize all        
diplomatic *annels to communicate       
worldwide unwav]+ ,unit$ ,/ates support 
= fre$om ( navigation & ov]flight 9 !   
,s\? ,*9a ,sea2 &  7#h7 urges !         
,secret>y ( ,def5se to r\t9ely en=ce    
fre$om ( navigation & ov]flight 9 ! ,ea/
 & ,s\? ,*9a ,seas1 :i* is critical to  

,unit$ ,/ates national security int]e/s 
& peace & prosp]ity 9 ! ,asia-,pacific  
region4