S.Amdt. 5927

The amendment, titled the South China Sea Strategy Act of 2026, aims to add a new subtitle to bill S. 4784. Its purpose is to establish a formal United States policy and a diplomatic strategy regarding the South China Sea.

Key Goals and Policies

• Support freedom of navigation, overflight, and commerce in the South China Sea based on international law.
• Use a rules-based approach to solve maritime disputes.
• Counter efforts by the People's Republic of China (PRC) to treat the South China Sea as its own dominion and unilaterally change the status quo.
• Coordinate with partners and allies to protect United States interests and the safety of United States citizens in the region.

Required Actions

• The Secretary of State must work with the Secretary of Defense to create a Strategy for Diplomatic Engagement on the South China Sea within 180 days of the Act's enactment.
• This strategy must outline goals for engagement with allies and littoral states (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam), designate a lead office at the Department of State, and analyze current successes and gaps in engagement.
• The strategy must include plans to increase collective engagements on topics such as bolstering defense, managing territorial disputes, responding to grey-zone tactics, and resisting economic coercion from foreign adversaries.
• Within 360 days, the Secretary of State must identify the budget and resources needed to implement this strategy for fiscal years 2027, 2028, and 2029.