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ASEAN wants early CoC conclusion

The ASEAN and China have been engaged in negotiations on the CoC since 2018.
ASEAN wants early CoC conclusion
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The Defense chiefs of the ASEAN member states have called for the early conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct (CoC) in the South China Sea in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS.

In a joint statement released on Thursday, the ASEAN Defense leaders reiterated the commitment of all parties to cooperate in a “constructive and peaceful manner to maintain the South China Sea as a sea of peace, stability, and prosperity through the full and effective implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.”

They also urged all parties to commit to the promotion of maritime security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight, and to create a conducive environment for the peaceful settlement of disputes in the South China Sea.

The ASEAN and China have been engaged in negotiations on the CoC since 2018.

During the ASEAN Summit in October, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged the regional body to fast-track the CoC and advance meaningful progress amid the continuing aggression and harassment by China in the South China Sea.

In response, China said the situation in the area was “generally peaceful” and that Beijing would “continue to work with the ASEAN countries to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.”

This year, the Philippines and China have repeatedly clashed over the humanitarian missions in the West Philippine Sea.

Chinese military vessels have repeatedly displayed aggression towards Philippine ships, which on multiple occasions, resulted in the blasting of water cannons and ramming incidents.

In 2016, the Philippines won an arbitral ruling rejecting the territorial claims of China in Philippine waters which are part of its exclusive economic zone.

Beijing has rejected the ruling and maintained its claims.

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