Expressing Sense of the House on Importance and Vitality of the United States Alliances with Japan and the Republic of Korea
Floor Speech
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, which Chairman Engel and I introduced earlier this year.
The U.S. alliances with Japan and South Korea remain critical to U.S. national security interests in the Indo-Pacific and around the world. The trilateral cooperation we share with both of these allies is essential now more than ever, as we face China's aggressive expansion with its Belt and Road policy and North Korea's continued nuclear belligerence.
But the relationship between South Korea and Japan continues to be burdened by historical grievances surrounding imperial Japan's conduct both before and during World War II.
These tensions have flared up since late 2018, developing into an export control dispute and, more recently, affecting our security cooperation.
For instance, last month, South Korea announced that it will withdraw from the General Security of Military Information Agreement with Japan. This key intelligence-sharing pact is essential to our joint responses to North Korean missile launches and other fast-developing military crises. South Korea's withdrawal will take effect in November, so it is essential that this confrontation between the two important U.S. allies be resolved as soon as possible.
Chairman Engel's resolution is a timely reminder of the U.S. relationship with both of these critical security partners and the enduring importance of our trilateral cooperation.
In addition, Mr. Speaker, Japan has now banned certain products to be exported to South Korea that are used by South Korea and Samsung, which is in my district. They are the largest foreign investment in the United States. Samsung will be hamstrung in its ability to create semiconductor chips and bring them to the United States and its facility out in Austin, Texas, in my district.
For all these reasons, and national security reasons, most importantly, I urge my colleagues to support this measure.
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