Washington: A U.S. House committee passed a bill Tuesday to establish an interparliamentary 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. The House Foreign Affairs Committee endorsed the U.S.-Japan-ROK Trilateral Cooperation Act aimed at creating permanent channels of communication and coordination among the three countries' legislative bodies, according to the office of Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA), ranking member of the subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the legislation seeks to foster a regular forum for lawmakers from the United States, Japan, and South Korea to convene, exchange ideas, and coordinate on various issues such as maritime security, economic growth, and the safeguarding of democratic institutions. Rep. Ami Bera emphasized the importance of investing in alliances rooted in democratic principles in light of increasing threats in the Indo-Pacific region.

The legislative initiative builds on the momentum created by the first standalone trilateral summit at Camp David in Maryland in August 2023, which was attended by the leaders of the three countries to bolster trilateral cooperation. The bill was introduced by Rep. Bera, with co-leadership from Reps. Joe Wilson (R-SC), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Adrian Smith (R-NE), and the late Gerry Connolly (D-VA).