; Whereas the Lower Mekong Initiative, established on July 23, 2009, is a multinational effort that helps promote sustainable economic development in mainland Southeast Asia to foster integrated, multisectoral, subregional cooperation and capacity building; Whereas the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) was signed by all members of ASEAN and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on November 4, 2002, committing ASEAN and the PRC to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability , and reaffirming that the adoption of a code of conduct in the South China Sea would further promote peace and stability in the region and agree to work, on the basis of consensus, toward the eventual attainment of this objective ; Whereas the leaders of the United States and ASEAN, at their Special Leaders Summit in Sunnylands, California, on February 16, 2016, reaffirmed their shared commitment to maintain peace, security, and stability in the region and ensure maritime security and safety, including by respecting the rights of freedom of navigation and overflight and other lawful uses of the seas, and unimpeded lawful maritime commerce as described in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as well as non-militarization and self-restraint in the conduct of activities; Whereas ASEAN is a partner to the United States on key transnational challenges, such as terrorism, violent extremism, climate change, environmental degradation and pollution, energy, infectious diseases, disarmament, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, cybersecurity, trafficking in persons, illicit trafficking of wildlife and timber, and illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing