Duterte to pursue Code of Conduct with China

LEADERS OF THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have targeted to complete by next year, with the People’s Republic of China, the Code of Conduct (CoC) on the South China Sea.

In a common statement delivered by President Rodrigo R. Duterte, as Country Coordinator for ASEAN-China dialogue relations, at a summit in Singapore on Wednesday, both parties said that “by 2019,” they “look forward to the completion of the first reading of the Single Draft CoC Negotiating Text,” which will have to go through at least three readings.

The ASEAN and China, the President said, will “continue to maintain a conducive environment for future rounds of negotiations of the CoC.”

On economic cooperation, he said: “We also look forward to the full liberalization of the ASEAN-China Air Transport Agreement (AC-ATA), which will not only facilitate greater people-to-people and economic linkages, but also complement MPAC (Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity) 2025 and China’s initiative to develop a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.”

Mr. Duterte said the ASEANChina Strategic Partnership Vision 2030, which provides a strategic roadmap for ASEANChina cooperation in the next 12 years, was set to be issued as of yesterday.

“It will complement the many ASEAN-China agreements made through the years and the Plan of Action to Implement the Joint Declaration on ASEANChina Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity (20162020). ASEAN-China sectoral bodies and mechanisms shall look into incorporating the Vision 2030 in their work plans,” he said.

Prior to the ASEAN-China Summit, Mr. Duterte said in an ambush interview with reporters, as posted on the official Facebook page of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), that he would push for the conclusion of the negotiations on the CoC.

“I am worried and I expressed it last night because we have a defense treaty, mutual defense treaty with the US,” he added.

Because of the treaty, he also said, “I’d like to [tell] China that is why at all cost we must have the CoC. So you’re there, you’re in possession, you occupied it, then tell us what route we shall take and what kind of behavior you want.” PALAWAN

On a related matter, Presidential Spokesperson & Chief Legal Counsel Salvador S. Panelo defended Mr. Duterte’s decision to prohibit any country from stockpiling weapons in Palawan, saying this move reflects the President’s “acumen and diplomacy” in dealing with the West Philippine Sea issue.