Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said China is ready to hold consultations to discuss the South China Sea Code of Conduct (COC) with ASEAN member states.
“We hope ASEAN countries will work with us to achieve the set targets and accelerate consultations for the implementation of the COC,” Mao Ning told the media in Beijing, China on Thursday.
Earlier on Tuesday (Jan 9), Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said she was ready to work with all ASEAN member states, including the Philippines, to finalize the South China Sea COC as soon as possible.
The Philippines and China have often been involved in disputes in the waters of the South China Sea in recent months, especially near a coral island that China calls “Ren’ai Jiao” while the Philippines calls it “Ayungin Shoals” which is part of the Spratly Islands.
“China and ASEAN countries are working to adopt the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, which is an important step in implementing the Declaration of Conduct (DOC) in the South China Sea,” Mao Ning said.
According to Mao Ning, consultations between the Chinese government and ASEAN countries in drafting the COC went smoothly.
“The second phase of discussion has been completed and the third phase of discussion has begun. The parties have adopted guidelines to speed up consultations on the COC,” Mao Ning said.
However, Mao Ning also reminded that the South China Sea issue is very complex and faces outside interference.
“China’s position on the South China Sea issue is clear and consistent. We are committed to properly handling disputes through dialog and consultation with relevant countries, and would like to work with ASEAN countries to maintain peace and stability in the region,” Mao Ning explained.
Nonetheless, China, Mao Ning said, will resolutely safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
“No country not in the region has the right to interfere in the maritime dispute between China and the Philippines,” Mao Ning stressed.
China recognizes its sovereignty over almost all areas in the South China Sea by calling it the “Nine-Dash Line” area, which is China’s historical military territory that includes parts of the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
Since 1997, ASEAN countries and China agreed on a Declaration of Conduct (DOC) in 2002. That year, the COC was negotiated, marking the first time China accepted a multilateral agreement on the issue.
After 17 years of negotiations, ASEAN-China agreed on a text to be negotiated and started in 2019. However, in 2020-2021, it was interrupted due to the pandemic so that only in 2022, negotiations resumed.
The Philippine government, which is a close ally of the United States (US), provides access to the US military presence in four bases in the country, allowing them to go head-to-head with the Chinese military, which is actively present in the South China Sea and even overshadows Taiwan.
In 2016, the International Court of Arbitration, at the request of the Philippines, gave a fatwa that reclaimed land in the South China Sea could not be used as the basis for water claims. Unfortunately, China refused to recognize the fatwa because it considered it had no legal basis, while Indonesia and various other countries accepted it.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 said China’s claim had no legal basis.
In November 2023, the Philippines proposed a new COC for stability and peace in the disputed South China Sea region. Manila’s proposal came after President Ferdinand Marcos was concerned about the prolonged negotiations between ASEAN and China on a COC in the South China Sea.
Marcos also sought support from countries, such as Vietnam and Malaysia, to establish a maritime code of conduct that would maintain peace in the South China Sea.