Washington: A U.S. lawmaker has introduced a bill to establish an inter-parliamentary trilateral dialogue among South Korea, the United States, and Japan as part of efforts to deepen cooperation in tackling shared challenges in the Indo-Pacific. On Thursday, Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA) introduced the “U.S.-Japan-ROK Trilateral Cooperation Act” aimed at creating permanent channels of communication and coordination among the three countries’ legislative bodies. ROK is short for South Korea’s official name, the Republic of Korea.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Bera emphasized the importance of investing in alliances rooted in democratic values to face growing threats in the Indo-Pacific. He noted that routine inter-parliamentary dialogue would help ensure the United States, Japan, and South Korea continue to meet shared challenges together, promoting a free, open, inclusive, and healthy Indo-Pacific region that safeguards mutual security and prosperity.

Other lawmakers joining Bera in the legislative effort include Reps. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Adrian Smith (R-NE), and Mike Kelly (R-PA). Bera, Connolly, Wilson, and Kelly serve as co-chairs of the Congressional Korea Caucus, while Castro and Smith are co-chairs of the Congressional Japan Caucus. Connolly highlighted that trilateral cooperation between the U.S. and its two Asian allies is crucial to countering China’s influence.

Bera’s office stated that the bill builds on the momentum for cooperation from the “Camp David” summit, the trilateral summit that took place at the presidential retreat in Maryland in August 2023. The summit produced a series of agreements, including the countries’ “Commitment to Consult” each other in the event of a shared threat.