Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 7) — The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China have made progress and are now in the second round of negotiations to come up with a code of conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, a Philippine official said.
In a press briefing during the ASEAN Maritime Forum on Wednesday, Foreign Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary for ASEAN Affairs Noel Novicio said that member states discussed the progress of the sea code.
“I think the significance of the ongoing discussions is that ASEAN member states and China continue to talk, continue to dialogue, continue to discuss issues related to the South China Sea,” said Novicio.
Novicio said that based on the pronouncements of ASEAN leaders and foreign ministers, the regional bloc is determined to finish the much-awaited code at the soonest possible time.
The code is aimed at preventing armed confrontations in the disputed area.
China, Taiwan, as well as ASEAN members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei have overlapping territorial claims in the busy waterway.
“We are still very far from completing this document, member states and China are negotiating this very seriously I think we have at least to conclude the second reading of this significant document,” the DFA official explained.
Novicio also said the second round of talks still has a long way to go.
“Second reading means that we have completed the second round of the whole text but it doesn’t mean that we have agreed on the text,” he said.
The DFA official is optimistic that the COC will pick up its momentum following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have finalized the preambular part but there is an unwritten agreement that nothing is finalized until everything is finalized. So next year we will be having more meetings, more face to face meetings on the COC,” Novicio said.
There’s no specified date yet on the resumption of COC negotiations for next year. The host country has yet to be determined for the next round of talks.
The DFA official did not elaborate on the stumbling blocks when it comes to concluding the code.
“We have to start from the basic, we have 11 countries negotiating the document so you have to consider the decision of all 11 countries. Of course there are significant positions, core national interests being put into the table,” said Novicio. “I cannot describe the member states’ positions.”
The Philippines hosted the two-day 12th ASEAN Maritime Forum and the 10th Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum, which serve as a regular mechanism of senior officials.
The fora are venues to discuss cross-cutting maritime issues and common concerns in the regions. Apart from ASEAN member states, dialogue partners from Australia, Japan, India, United States and Republic of Korea were invited to attend the event.
