Negotiations for a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea are 70 percent complete, the Department of Foreign Affairs announced on Friday.
The remaining 30 percent of the framework still covers major issues under discussion by negotiators, according to DFA ASEAN spokesperson Dominic Xavier Imperial. Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro previously identified four outstanding matters in the talks. These are whether the final document will be legally binding, its geographic scope, its connection to the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties, and the definition of terms like self-restraint.
Leaders Discuss Code Status at ASEAN-China Summit
The status of the code is expected to figure prominently during the ASEAN-China Summit in Manila, which Chinese Premier Li Qiang is scheduled to attend alongside regional leaders. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. previously said that he wanted the pact finalized during the summit.
Under the theme ‘Navigating Our Future, Together’, the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit and Related Summits are hosted by the Philippines in Manila from November 16 to 18, with at least 19 world leaders and heads of global institutions expected to participate.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the Manila gatherings. The related summits, or Plus One Summits, take place from November 16 to 17 with dialogue partners including India, China, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will also convene the 29th ASEAN Plus Three Summit and the 21st East Asia Summit on November 17, before handing over the ASEAN chairship to Singapore. The day will conclude with the ASEAN-United States Special Summit, which US President Donald Trump will attend.
Imperial said that the Philippines wants the agreement to guide the behavior of all parties in the waterway while safeguarding external rights. “From the Philippines’ side, what we want to ensure is that the COC will guide the behavior of all parties in the South China Sea,” Imperial said. “We are also pushing for the rights of third parties to be respected even if they’re not part of the negotiations.”
International Maritime Law Position
Ahead of the regional gatherings, Union Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (East) Rudrendra Tandon said that any resulting pact must comply with international maritime law. “Our position on this is very clear,” Tandon said at a media briefing, saying adherence to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Tandon said that the pact must take into account the legitimate rights of countries not participating in the negotiations. He added that beyond that aspect, he did not possess information regarding any further developments or proximity to conclusion in the ongoing discussions between ASEAN and China.
Earlier coverage: Philippines Rebukes Officials Over China Remarks Before ASEAN Summit
