MANILA – Southeast Asian leaders are calling for renewed urgency in finalizing a legally binding Code of Conduct (COC) for the South China Sea, as regional tensions and maritime concerns continue to persist.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) welcomed ongoing progress in negotiations but urged all parties to maximize existing guidelines to speed up the completion of a comprehensive and effective agreement, previously endorsed by ASEAN and China in 2023.
The issue was tackled during the 48th ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting and Related Summits in Cebu on Friday, where leaders underscored the importance of maintaining stability, avoiding actions that could escalate disputes, and strengthening mutual trust among concerned parties.
ASEAN leaders also reiterated their support for international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as the legal framework governing maritime behavior.
In a statement issued after the summit, ASEAN said it remains committed to the early conclusion of a substantive COC that aligns with international law and helps manage regional disputes.
The bloc also emphasized the need to preserve a stable environment for negotiations and supported practical measures aimed at reducing the risk of accidents, miscommunication, and miscalculation in disputed waters.
Leaders further stressed that peace, security, and stability in the South China Sea must be maintained while discussions on the COC continue.
They also highlighted the importance of protecting maritime safety, ensuring the welfare of seafarers, and safeguarding freedom of navigation and overflight.
ASEAN described the South China Sea as a shared maritime space that should be preserved as a “sea of peace, stability, prosperity, and sustainable development.”
The group also called for the full implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) to support regional confidence-building.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he remains hopeful that the COC could be finalized by yearend, despite the increasingly complex situation in the disputed waters.
He added that achieving the agreement is among ASEAN’s key goals under the Philippines’ 2026 chairmanship.
ia/xf
