The Philippines Foreign Minister, Theresa Lazaro, stated on Monday (November 17) that the Philippines hopes to finally conclude the “Code of Conduct” (COC) in the South China Sea during its tenure as the rotating chair of ASEAN next year.
During a press conference on Monday regarding the Philippines assuming the role of the ASEAN rotating chair in 2026, Lazaro made the above remarks.
“All ASEAN member states are involved and deeply engaged. We have been discussing this for a long time,” she said.
Lazaro emphasized the need to continue discussions to ensure that issues previously agreed upon are not sidelined, stating, “We must keep moving forward.”
“This is indeed our goal, and I believe it is also the common aspiration of all ASEAN member states, including China, to complete and finalize this code,” she said.
The Philippine Foreign Minister also stated that the “Code of Conduct” negotiations between China and the 11 ASEAN member states should be legally binding.
According to Reuters, ASEAN and China promised to establish a “Code of Conduct” in the South China Sea in 2002, but it took 15 years to begin discussions, and progress has been slow so far.
China claims sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea through the “nine-dash line,” overlapping with the exclusive economic zones of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia, leading to disputes. On July 12, 2016, the International Tribunal in The Hague ruled that China’s sovereignty claim based on the “nine-dash line” in the South China Sea lacks legal basis. China, however, stated that it does not recognize this ruling.
Beijing has been impeding the actions of other countries in the South China Sea by deploying coast guard vessels and fishing fleets. Some neighboring countries have accused Beijing of aggression, which has also disrupted fisheries and energy activities in their exclusive economic zones.
In recent years, conflicts in the South China Sea between the Philippines and China have become increasingly frequent. Chinese coast guard vessels have repeatedly rammed Philippine ships and used water cannons against them, prompting condemnation from countries like the United States and other Western nations.
During the press conference on Monday, Foreign Minister Lazaro also discussed other priorities for the Philippines during its tenure as the rotating chair of ASEAN. The agenda will focus on shaping regional and global landscapes and addressing current and emerging challenges.