Marcos wants South China Sea code of conduct finalized during Asean

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wants to finalize the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea during the upcoming 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit, according to Palace Press Officer Claire Castro.

At a briefing on Monday, Castro said sealing the agreement has long been one of the president’s goals, as it is intended to help de-escalate tensions in the contested waters.

READ: WPS: PH upbeat on progress in South China Sea code of conduct talks

Asked whether the COC would be settled during the Asean Summit scheduled for Nov. 15 to 17, Castro said, “Alam naman natin na isa ito sa nais ng Pangulo na ma-finalize.”

(We know that this is one of the things the president wants to finalize.)

Castro said Marcos remains hopeful about reaching an agreement, even as the Philippines nears the end of its hosting of the Asean Summit.

“Ang nais ng Pangulo ay magandang makikipagrelasyon sa lahat ng bansa at kung anuman ang maaaring maging agreement para sa kapayapaan ng rehiyon, iyon ang nais ng Pangulo,” she said.

(The President wants to maintain good relations with all countries, and whatever agreement can be reached to ensure peace in the region is what he wants.)

The proposed Code of Conduct is intended to establish rules governing the behavior of countries in the disputed waters and prevent incidents that could lead to armed conflict.

Asean and China adopted the nonbinding Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in 2002, but negotiations for a more comprehensive agreement have continued for decades.

In a media interview in October, Marcos noted “good progress” in the negotiations for the COC in the South China Sea.

“We’re working very, very hard, we’re making good progress as a matter of fact, in terms of the code of conduct,” Marcos told Forbes Chair and editor-in-chief Steve Forbes during an onstage discussion at the 24th Forbes Global CEO Conference in Singapore.

“The discussions have been going on for a while, and sometimes it’s a bit frustrating that just the definitions of ordinary words are becoming bones of contention,” he said.

“But we are determined to come to an agreement and to hopefully de-escalate the situation,” he added.

In July, Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said Asean and China were aiming to conclude negotiations by the end of 2026, with negotiators holding monthly meetings since January. /mr

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