The Philippines, as current chair of ASEAN, announced Friday it will seek to accelerate long-running negotiations with China on a South China Sea code of conduct, aiming to conclude the agreement within the year.
Speaking at a forum in Singapore, Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro said working group meetings between ASEAN and China will now be held monthly instead of every three months, with additional sessions for senior officials under the new schedule.
“This year, we will endeavour to conclude the ASEAN-China Code of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,” Lazaro said, noting the mandate agreed by ASEAN foreign ministers in 2023.
“I have to emphasise the word endeavour… I’m an optimist and also a pragmatist because we really don’t know how things will work.”
Talks have dragged on for years, often stalling over disagreements on the code’s scope, enforcement, legal status, and terms such as ‘self-restraint.’
Four ASEAN members — Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam — have partial claims in the contested waters, while China asserts nearly the entire South China Sea despite an international ruling against its stance.
Lazaro said momentum has recently improved, with several ASEAN states submitting documents and proposals to guide the next stage.
“ASEAN and China have heavily invested in negotiating this code of conduct… It is about time to finish,” she added.