To amend the preamble.

SA 2779. Mr. REID (for Mr. Webb (for himself, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. McCain, and Mr. Levin)) proposed an amendment to the resolution S. Res. 524, reaffirming the strong support of the United States for the 2002 declaration of conduct of parties in the South China Sea among the member states of ASEAN and the People's Republic of China, and for other purposes; as follows:

In the preamble, strike the 6th whereas clause and all that follows through the end and insert the following:

Whereas ASEAN plays an important role, in partnership with others in the regional and international community, in addressing maritime security issues in the Asia-Pacific region and into the Indian Ocean, including open access to the maritime domain of Asia;

Whereas the South China Sea is a vital part of the maritime domain of Asia, including critical sea lanes of communication and commerce between the Pacific and Indian oceans;

Whereas, in the declaration on the conduct of parties in the South China Sea, the governments of the member states of ASEAN and the Government of the People's Republic of China have affirmed “that the adoption of a code of conduct in the South China Sea would further promote peace and stability in the region” and have agreed to work towards the attainment of a code of conduct;

Whereas, pending the peaceful settlement of territorial and jurisdictional disputes, the member states of ASEAN and the People's Republic of China have committed to “exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and stability, including, among others, refraining from action of inhabiting presently uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals, and other features and to handle their differences in a constructive manner”;

Whereas, pending the peaceful settlement of territorial and jurisdictional disputes, the member states of ASEAN and the People's Republic of China affirmed their commitment “to the freedom of navigation in and overflight of the South China Sea provided for by the universally recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea”;

Whereas, although not a party to these disputes, the United States has national interests in freedom of navigation, the maintenance of peace and stability, respect for international law, and unimpeded lawful commerce;

Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China has recently taken unilateral steps to declare the Paracel and Spratly Islands, and their adjacent waters to be a prefectural-level city, and has identified government leaders to assert administrative control over 200 islets, sandbanks, and reefs and 2,000,000 square kilometers of water;

Whereas the Central Military Commission in China also announced the deployment of a garrison of soldiers to this area; and

Whereas these steps are contrary to agreed upon principles with regard to resolving disputes and impede a peaceful resolution of the sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea: Now, therefore, be it