South China Sea Code of Conduct talks now 70 pct complete, ‘certain elements’ need to be refined—DFA exec

MANILA — The negotiations on the long-awaited Code of Conduct in the South China Sea are 70 percent completed, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Friday.

This comes in the wake of reports that no COC will be finalized under the Philippine’s lead in the regional bloc despite making significant progress in the negotiations.

DFA-ASEAN spokesperson Dax Imperial said discussions are still ongoing, but it remains uncertain whether it will be finalized within the year.

“But all I can say is, all are committed to continue the discussions even at this time,” he said in his first press briefing at the International Media Center on Friday, November 13 ahead of the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits.

“We should look forward in the succeeding days to hear from our negotiators on the status,” Imperial added.

The Foreign Affairs official said there are still issues needed to be clarified before talks can be concluded.

“There are certain elements in the agreement that need to be… refined. So, our negotiators are at that point where they need to make some clarifications on some of the elements contained in the agreement,” Imperial said.

He did not specify the elements that are still under negotiation.

Despite the challenges, Imperial assured there is a “commitment” among the parties to be able to come to agreement on the contentions that are subject of the ongoing discussions.

The COC was envisioned to upgrade the ASEAN and China’s 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea by having a pact to manage tensions in the waters where different parties have separate claims.

Several contentions have been hounding the negotiations in coming up with a legally binding document including its scope and basis and China’s position.

In October, Marcos told the media in Singapore that he is “not confident to say” that the negotiations will conclude by November but noted “a great deal of progress.”

“We will not stop working on it,” he had said.

“Sometimes it’s a bit frustrating that just the definitions of ordinary words are becoming bones of contention. But we are determined to come to an agreement and to hopefully de-escalate the situation,” Marcos Jr. stated at the 24th Forbes Global CEO Conference in Singapore last October.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang will attend the ASEAN summit as China’s representative, according to Beijing’s foreign ministry.