South China Sea conduct code ‘70% done’
Photo: The Manila Times · Original story
THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the negotiations for the Code of Conduct (COC) for the South China Sea between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and China are now 70-percent complete.In a press briefing following the opening of the International Media Center in Pasay City for the 49th Asean Summit, DFA spokesman for Asean matters Dominic Xavier Imperial said negotiators focused on putting the finishing touches on the framework.Imperial said the remaining 30 percent involves crucial elements that require clarification among all parties involved.He clarified that the 70-percent figure reflects the overall progress of diplomatic discussions rather than a strict count of finalized text paragraphs.“I did not mean to describe it as the number of paragraphs that were agreed upon, but it’s really more the progress and how the negotiations are going when it comes to the COC,” he said.Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro has said negotiations for the code may be completed by the end of the year.Asean and China have been negotiating a final agreement for almost two decades, with formal consultations only beginning in 2013.While President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is optimistic the talks would be concluded during the Philippines’ 2026 Asean chairmanship, in line with the three-year timeline set by Asean foreign ministers.Imperial, however, said the “negotiators are still doing discussions regarding the COC. So at the moment, I am unable to definitively say when it will be concluded or will it be finalized within the year or not.”“From the Philippine side, what we want to ensure is that the COC will guide the behavior of all parties in the South China Sea. And we are also pushing for the rights of third parties to be respected, even if they’re not part of the negotiation,” Imperial said.He affirmed that maritime security and cooperation will feature prominently during the upcoming Asean-China Summit, which also marks the fifth anniversary of the Asean-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.He said updates from the negotiating teams are expected in the coming days as regional leaders convene in Manila for the Asean Summit, with Chinese Premier Li Qiang expected to attend on behalf of President Xi Jinping.
Read the full story at The Manila Times.
