MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the negotiations for the Code of Conduct (COC) for the South China Sea between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China were now 70 percent complete.
In a press briefing following the opening of the International Media Center in Pasay City for the 49th ASEAN Summit, DFA Spokesman for Asean matters Dominic Xavier Imperial said there was progress in the ongoing talks while emphasizing that negotiators remained focused on resolving the remaining 30 percent of the framework.
“At the moment, we're seeing a 70 percent completion of the negotiations. So we are at that stage at the moment, and looking at the remaining 30 percent, that will be up to our negotiators on how they will be able to complete that,” Imperial said.
DFA Secretary Tess Lazaro previously said negotiations for the long-awaited Asean-China COC may be completed by the end of the year.
The COC aims to manage territorial disputes peacefully between the contested territories in the South China Sea.
For almost twenty years, Asean and China have been negotiating a final agreement, with formal consultations only beginning in 2013.
