; and (8) recognizing that North Korea poses a threat to the United States, Japan, and South Korea, and that the security of the three countries is intertwined, the United States welcomes and encourages deeper trilateral defense cooperation, including through expanded exercises, training, and information sharing that strengthens integration. 303. Sense of Congress on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (a) Finding Congress finds that 2017 is the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Burma, and Cambodia. (b) Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that— (1) the United States supports the development of regional institutions and bodies, including the ASEAN Regional Forum, the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus, the East Asia Summit, and the expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum, to increase regional cooperation and ensure that disputes are managed without intimidation, coercion, or force; (2) the United States recognizes ASEAN efforts to promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the region, including the steps taken to highlight the importance of peaceful dispute resolution and the need for adherence to international rules and standards. (3) United States defense engagement with ASEAN and the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus should continue to be forums to discuss shared challenges in the maritime domain and the need for greater information sharing among ASEAN nations; and (4) the United States welcomes continued work with ASEAN and other regional partners to establish more reliable and routine crisis communication mechanisms. 304. Sense of Congress on strengthening the defense of Taiwan It is the sense of Congress that— (1) the Taiwan Relations Act ( Public Law 96–8