CEBU CITY – Foreign Ministers from Southeast Asian nations will adopt a “new strategy” to fast-track the negotiations on the “Code of Conduct” (COC) in the South China Sea, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said on Thursday.
In a press briefing after the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) Retreat in Cebu, Lazaro said that she is “optimistic” that the negotiations on the COC between ASEAN and China will progress with a new strategy, with the support of the regional bloc.
“I would love, being an optimist, I would like to say that I have a high level of confidence, as being an optimist. But being a pragmatist, I would say that I cannot really predict, but this is what we are going to do as a strategy. We, the Philippines, now as Chair, will have monthly face-to-face meetings of the technical working group, and that has been a commitment, and it is a proposal, and was accepted by our ASEAN colleagues,” Lazaro said.
When asked if China has already agreed to the new strategy, Lazaro said that they are still “in the process” of talking to them but doesn’t see any difficulties with the proposed strategy.
As ASEAN Chair, the Philippines has been pushing for a “Code of Conduct” due to escalating tensions in the South China Sea, and the recent incident of “high-pressure water cannoning and dangerous maneuvers” by China Coast Guard and Navy vessels against Philippine seacrafts in the contested areas.
In a separate press briefing in Cebu earlier, Spokesperson for ASEAN Matters Mr. Dominic Xavier M. Imperial, confirmed the negotiations on the COC is on the table and that all parties concerned are hopeful for a final “Code of Conduct” between ASEAN and China.
“So, on the COC, I think what is important to underscore here is that the parties, AMS and China, they're all on board in terms of reaching a conclusion of the negotiations,” Imperial stated.
“So that's one thing to highlight. And that said, I think everyone, all the parties are really bent on being able to hopefully [to] endeavor concluding the negotiations within the 2026 timeline,” he added.
“And as regards to the Philippines, as I have mentioned, the Philippines is leading in terms of supporting more meetings, and this number of meetings is important because it helps in the process, it helps in reaching the goal of being able to address the issues or the challenges in the negotiations,” Imperial explained.
