WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators John Curtis (R-UT) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced two bipartisan bills aimed at improving coordination between the United States and its partners in the Indo-Pacific, which would strengthen security both in the region and in the U.S.
Amid increasing aggression from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in the South China Sea, the senators’ bills would help ensure the U.S. Department of State prioritizes diplomatic engagement and improve the U.S. Department of War’s (DOW) management of tensions in the region before they grow into full-blown crises that would require military action.
“As the Indo-Pacific continues to face threats of instability from adversaries like China, the U.S. must have a proactive posture to best ensure the safety of Americans and our allies in the region,” said Senator Curtis. “By directing the Departments of State and War to create a diplomatic blueprint and a contingency playbook, respectively, these bipartisan bills will help protect America’s interests in the region and avoid unnecessary conflicts.”
“In the face of PRC aggression, the U.S. needs to stay focused and use all the tools at our disposal to push back in a way that’s sustainable in the long term and doesn’t rely solely on our military to solve every problem,” said Senator Duckworth. “Our bipartisan bills would require the Departments of State and Defense to come up with a clear plan to strengthen coordination, diplomacy, and crisis management in the region—under this Administration and the next. Together, these bills provide a steady vision and send a message that the U.S. is invested in working hand in hand with our partners for the long haul.”
Background:
The South China Sea Strategy Act would ensure that the State Department is strategically engaging on the South China Sea with its allies and partners and coordinating with interagency partners to achieve its objectives.
Specifically, it would direct the Department to:
- Designate lead responsibility for coordinating South China Sea diplomatic engagement;
- Establish a Strategy for Diplomatic Engagement on the South China Sea to outline the United States’ objectives for engagement with allies and partners on all matters in the South China Sea, covering security, diplomatic, legal, and economic issues;
- Address specific priority themes for engagement, including bolstering defense capabilities, reinforcing maritime law enforcement capacity, building resilience to foreign malign influence, and supporting economic development; and
- Establish a clear mechanism for interagency and international coordination on crisis management for scenarios short of war in the region.
The full text of the bill can be found here.
The Strategy for Crisis Management Act would direct the DOW to create “crisis playbooks” in coordination with interagency and foreign partners for a range of tailored options to most effectively advance U.S. interests while avoiding pathways toward war.
Specifically, it would direct DOW to:
- Create crisis playbooks for the most likely flashpoints in the South China Sea, with each playbook containing sequenced response options and a plan for coordination with foreign partners, in coordination with the Departments of State, Commerce, Treasury, and any other relevant agency. Each playbook would include:
- Indicators for triggers from baseline to crisis;
- A planning scenario with justifications;
- Anticipated decision points and recommended options for action, inaction, or change in ongoing Department activities, with accompanying cost-benefit-risk analysis;
- Possible off-ramps; and
- An engagement plan for coordination with foreign partners before and during the crisis.
- Provide Interim and Final Reports updating Congress on progress toward developing these crisis playbooks.
The full text of the bill can be found here.