ASEAN foreign ministers endorse framework of South China Sea code of conduct

Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Saturday endorsed a framework for the South China Sea code of conduct, with the intention for it to be adopted during the ASEANChina meeting on Sunday. This is expected to pave the way for the next phase of negotiations on the code of conduct to manage the maritime dispute.

Spokesperson for the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs, Mr Robespierre Bolivar, revealed this during a media briefing after the ASEAN foreign ministers met in Manila.

A draft of the document had been agreed on in May after a meeting between ASEAN and China officials.

Mr Bolivar reiterated that the Philippines’ preference is for the code of conduct to be a legally binding one, even though the framework makes no mention of this.

“The framework, again, is an outline. It helps structure the discussions, negotiations, eventually for the code of conduct,” said Mr Bolivar.

“When the negotiations start, then that is when you see countries putting in the more substantive aspects of the code. So it’s entirely possible that that issue will be discussed and negotiated upon.”

As for the annual joint communique that’s issued by ASEAN foreign ministers, reports have suggested that the document has been delayed due to a lack of consensus on how to refer to disputes in the South China Sea.

The customary communique was not issued at the end of Saturday’s meeting. But the Philippines Department of Foreign

Affairs said that the document is likely to be released at the close of the ASEAN meetings, together with the chairman’s statement. The meetings officially come to a close on Tuesday.

Channel News Asia understands that the communique is still being negotiated but is almost finalised, pending feedback from Cambodia.

Foreign ministers had met late on Friday night, with one of the issues discussed being the phrasing of the South China Sea issue in the joint communique.