,h4 ,,res4 #aaeg  ,9 ! ,h\se (          
,repres5tatives1 ,u4 ,s41  ,decemb] #aa1
 #bjah  ,,resolution  ,:]eas ! ,pacific 
,isl&s c\ntries & t]ritories are home to
 m ?an #aj million culturally div]se p &
 are root$ 9 a unique culture & hi/ory  
spann+ ?\s&s ( ye>s2 ,:]eas ! ,s\?      
,pacific region1 ( :i* ! ,pacific ,isl&s
 c\ntries & t]ritories are an integral  
"p1 is end[$ ) a res\rce-ri* ocean      
/ret*+ ov] #bj million squ>e miles2     
,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates p>tn]%ip ) !     
c\ntries ( ! ,pacific ,isl&s region     
dates back to ! battles ( ,_w ,w> ,,ii  
on ! %ores ( ,t>awa1 ,pelelieu1 &       
,guadalcanal1 :]e ,pacific ,isl&]s &    
,am]icans alike sacrific$ = our         
collective security2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$    
,/ates t]ritories ( ,am]ican ,samoa1    
,guam1 & ! ,commonweal? ( ! ,nor!rn     
,m>iana ,isl&s are locat$ 9 ! ,s\?      
,pacific region & "s ( ^! relation%ips  
date back to ! ,spani%-,am]ican ,w>2    
,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates is committ$ to ! 
future security & prosp]ity ( ! ,pacific

 ,isl&s c\ntries & t]ritories & is      
responsible = security & def5se matt]s 9
 & relat+ to ,palau1 ! ,f$]at$ ,/ates ( 
,micronesia1 & ! ,republic ( ! ,m>%all  
,isl&s "u _! respective ,compacts (     
,free ,association2 ,:]eas ! ,compacts (
 ,free ,association arrangem5ts ) !     
,f$]at$ ,/ates ( ,micronesia & !        
,republic ( ! ,m>%all ,isl&s 7 r5ew$ 9  
#bjjc = a p]iod ( #bj ye>s &            
negotiations reg>d+ ! subsequ5t r5ewal (
 ^! agreem5ts %\ld be conclud$ 9 advance
 ( _! expiration 9 #bjbc2 ,:]eas ! ,s\? 
,pacific region is critical to ,unit$   
,/ates national security & def5se1 & !re
 are sev]al ,unit$ ,/ates milit>y bases 
& te/+ sites 9 ! region1 includ+ !      
,ronald ,reagan ,balli/ic ,missile      
,def5se ,te/ ,site on ! ,m>%all ,isl&s2 
,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates coop]ates closely
 ) ,pacific ,isl&s c\ntries & t]ritories
 z a p>tn] committ$ to a common future t
 advances national security1 regional   
coop]ation1 & tru/ & collaborat+ on a   
wide range ( important issues su* z     

address+ environm5tal & public heal?    
?reats1 di/ribut+ humanit>ian assi/ance 
& disa/] relief1 & promot+ peace &      
prosp]ity 9 ! region2 ,:]eas 9 ! ,boe   
,decl>ation ( #bjah1 lead]s ( ,pacific  
,isl&s c\ntries & t]ritories reaffirm$ t
 ! ?reat ( climate *ange imp]ils !      
livelihoods1 security1 & well-be+ ( !   
peoples ( su* c\ntries & t]ritories2    
,:]eas a major priority ( ,pacific      
,isl&s c\ntries & t]ritories is address+
 environm5tal & su/a9ability *all5ges1  
includ+ respond+ to national disa/]s1 & 
implem5t+ environm5tal programs to      
address mitigat+ _! unique              
vuln]abilities to ! effects ( ris+ sea  
levels1 combatt+ ocean acidification1 & 
protect+ natural res\rces1 & extreme    
wea!r ev5ts rema9s a priority = & po9t (
 collaboration betwe5 ! ,unit$ ,/ates & 
,pacific ,isl&s c\ntries2 ,:]eas !      
,unit$ ,/ates works closely ) ,au/ralia 
& ,new ,zeal& & o!r l-m9d$ p>tn]s 9 !   
,s\? ,pacific region1 & !re is          
opportunity = enhanc+ su* coop]ation z  

all ?ree c\ntries look = opportunities  
to increase _! focus on ?is important   
region2 ,:]eas ,*9a's increas$ influ5ce 
9 ! ,s\? ,pacific region & ! possibility
 ( a future ,*9ese milit>y pres5ce 9 ?is
 region c\ld exp& its monitor+ &        
surveillance capabilities1 ?reat5+ !    
,unit$ ,/ates milit>y pres5ce 9 !       
region2 ,:]eas m$ia reports reveal$ t   
,*9ese sci5ti/s plac$ ac\/ic s5sors 9 ! 
,m>iana ,tr5* ne> ,guam & ne> ! isl& (  
,yap 9 ! ,f$]at$ ,/ates ( ,micronesia1  
:i* c\ld be us$ to monitor ,unit$ ,/ates
 subm>9e activity 9 ! region2 ,:]eas    
plann$ cas9o resort developm5ts by      
,*9ese inve/ors on ! ,commonweal? ( !   
,nor!rn ,m>iana ,isl&s c\ld complicate  
,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se plans on ! isl&s =  
ext5sive tra9+ & ex]cises result+ f !   
relocation ( ,m>9es f ,ok9awa1 ,japan2  
,:]eas a bilat]al agreem5t betwe5 !     
,unit$ ,/ates & ,japan w relocate       
approximately #d1ajj ,unit$ ,/ates      
,m>9es f ,ok9awa1 ,japan to ,guam1      
significantly bol/]+ ,unit$ ,/ates      

national security 9 ! region2 ,:]eas    
(ficial ,*9ese ,gov]nm5t /atem5ts &     
policy docum5ts indicate t ! ,pacific   
,isl&s are a compon5t ( ! ,belt & ,road 
,initiative1 :i* accord+ to ! ,dep>tm5t 
( ,def5se aims to develop /rong economic
 ties ) o!r c\ntries1 %ape _! int]e/s to
 align ) ,*9a's1 & det] confrontation or
 criticism ( ,*9a's approa* to s5sitive 
issues2 ,:]eas ! ,l[y ,in/itute f\nd t  
,*9a has pl$g$ #e4hh billion wor? ( aid 
to ! region s9ce #bjaa1 yet despite ^!  
l>ge commitm5ts1 ,*9a has only sp5t     
#a4bf billion s f> & conc]ns rema9 ov] !
 types ( loans ext5d$ & :e!r !          
commitm5ts w be kept2 ,:]eas rec5t debt 
su/a9ability analysis by ! ,_w ,bank %[s
 t n9e ,pacific ,isl&s c\ntries &       
t]ritories are curr5tly classifi$ z ei!r
 at high or mod]ate risk ( debt di/ress2
 ,:]eas ,*9a cont9ues to %r9k ! numb] ( 
,taiwan's int]national p>tn]s ar\nd !   
globe by induc+ c\ntries to swit*       
recognition ?r\gh f9ancial inc5tives &  
six ( ,taiwan's rema9+ diplomatic allies

 9 ! ,pacific ,isl&s region advocate on 
,taiwan's behalf at ! ,unit$ ,nations & 
o!r int]national =a2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$    
,/ates plays an active role 9 regional  
fi%]ies managem5t ?r\gh its involvem5t 9
 ! ,we/]n & ,c5tral ,pacific ,fi%]ies   
,commission & 9 ma9ta9+ programs to help
 ,pacific ,isl& c\ntries combat illegal 
fi%+1 includ+ bilat]al %iprid] agreem5ts
 t all[ law en=cem5t (fic]s ( ho/ p>tn] 
c\ntries onbo>d ,unit$ ,/ates ,coa/     
,gu>d %ips & aircraft to patrol national
 exclusive economic zones2 ,:]eas !     
,unit$ ,/ates1 ?r\gh m ?an #ag dep>tm5ts
 & ag5cies1 committ$ m ?an #cej million 
9 fiscal ye> #bjag to engagem5t )       
,pacific ,isl&s c\ntries2 ,:]eas !      
,national ,def5se ,au?orization ,act =  
,fiscal ,ye> #bjah & ! ,consolidat$     
,appropriations ,act1 #bjah au?oriz$ &  
appropriat$ #abc4h million 9 fund+ ?r\gh
 #bjbd = ! #bjaj ,palau ,compact ,review
 ,agreem5t2 ,:]eas e two ye>s1 ! ,unit$ 
,/ates ,navy's ,pacific ,fleet ho/s !   
_w's l>ge/ int]national m>itime ex]cise1

 kn[n z ! ,rim ( ! ,pacific1 = :i* ?is  
pa/ ye> ,tongan ,m>9es travel$ to       
,hawaii ) ,au/ralia's ,navy to          
p>ticipate & ,fiji has be5 invit$ to jo9
 ! ex]cise 9 #bjbj2 & ,:]eas 9 ,septemb]
 #bjah at ! #cj? ,pacific ,isl&s ,=um 9 
,nauru1 ,secret>y ( ! ,int]ior ,ryan    
,z9ke /at$ ! ,unit$ ,/ates sees all ( ! 
,pacific ,isl&s z an ess5tial "p ( our  
free & op5 ,indo-,pacific policy3 ,n[1  
!re=e1 be x  ,t ! ,h\se (               
,repres5tatives-- 7#a7 reaffirms its    
/rong commitm5t to ,unit$ ,/ates        
engagem5t ) all c\ntries & t]ritories ( 
! ,s\? ,pacific region1 includ+ ! ,cook 
,isl&s1 ! ,f$]at$ ,/ates ( ,micronesia1 
,fiji1 ,fr5* ,polynesia1 ,kiribati1     
,nauru1 ,new ,cal$onia1 ,niue1 !        
,republic ( ,palau1 ,papua ,new ,gu9ea1 
! ,republic ( ! ,m>%all ,isl&s1 ,samoa1 
! ,solomon ,isl&s1 ,tokelau1 ,tonga1    
,tuvalu1 & ,vanuatu2  7#b7 reaffirms its
 /rong support to ! ,unit$ ,/ates       
,pacific ,isl& t]ritories ( ,guam1 !    
,commonweal? ( ! ,nor!rn ,m>iana ,isl&s1

 & ,am]ican ,samoa1 home to ne>ly       
#cjj1jjj ,unit$ ,/ates citiz5s2  7#c7   
supports cont9u$ ef=ts to deep5         
coop]ation ) c\ntries & t]ritories ( !  
,pacific ,isl&s 9 areas ( mutual int]e/1
 su* z address+ ! negative impacts (    
climate *ange1 promot+ su/a9able        
economic developm5t1 & support+ regional
 organizations & /ability2  7#d7 calls =
 ! ,unit$ ,/ates to increase ! frequ5cy 
( high-level bilat]al & multilat]al     
visits ) lead]s ( ,pacific ,isl&s2  7#e7
 promotes & supports ef=ts by ,au/ralia1
 ,new ,zeal&1 ,france1 & o!r l-m9d$     
p>tn]s to /r5g!n ,pacific ,isl&s        
c\ntries' sov]eignty & developm5t ?r\gh 
economic & security assi/ance2 &  7#f7  
enc\rages cont9u$ support = ! ,compacts 
( ,free ,association :i* enhance !      
/rategic po/ure ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 9 !   
,we/]n ,pacific1 re9=ce ,unit$ ,/ates   
regional commitm5t1 preempt pot5tial    
adv]s>ies f e/abli%+ positional         
advantage1 & fur!r self-gov]nance1      
economic developm5t1 & self-suffici5cy (

 ! ,freely ,associat$ ,/ates4  ,cl]k4