ASEAN, China agree on ‘single draft’ for COC negotiations
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China have agreed on a “single draft” negotiating text of a Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea, an important stride towards narrowing differences among parties.
Foreign Minister of Singapore Vivian Balakrishnan (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Singapore (VNA) – The Association of SoutheastAsian Nations (ASEAN) and China have agreed on a “single draft” negotiatingtext of a Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea, an important stride towardsnarrowing differences among parties.
Speaking at the ASEAN-China Ministerial Meetingon the sidelines of the 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Singapore onAugust 2, Foreign Minister of the host nation Vivian Balakrishnan called it a “milestone”in the COC process since the ASEAN-China Senior Officials’ Meeting on theImplementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea(DOC) in China last June.
He said the text will be “a living document andthe basis of future COC negotiations”, adding that both sides also agreed onthe key modalities for future rounds of negotiations.
Negotiations on the COC have been conducted formore than a decade with a number of difficulties regarding its terms and paceof the talks. However, there have been clear signs of ASEAN having a moreunanimous viewpoint on the East Sea issue in recent years.
In August 2017, foreign ministers of ASEAN andChina adopted a draft framework for COC negotiations, a move hailed as progressin the settlement of East Sea tensions.
In March this year, a joint working groupmeeting was held on the implementation of the DOC.
Meanwhile, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee HsienLoong said last April that negotiations on the COC will not be easy, but hestressed it is important for the countries involved to engage in constructivetalks to prevent tensions from escalating.
Minister Balakrishnan said China is one of themost substantive dialogue partners of ASEAN and both sides have achieved muchover the past three years, with cooperation underpinned by robust economiclinkages.
He also stressed that such strong andsubstantive cooperation is only possible with mutual trust and confidence andresolving differences peacefully and in the spirit of goodwill. –VNA
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Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said the 15th Senior Officials' Meeting on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) will be convened on June 27 in Changsha in central China's Hunan Province.
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Foreign Minister of Singapore Vivian Balakrishnan (Photo: AFP/VNA)
