Malaysia reaffirms commitment to effective South China Sea Code of Conduct
KUCHING (Aug 11): Malaysia has reiterated its commitment to advancing a substantive and effective Code of Conduct (COC) for the South China Sea, underscoring the importance of peace, security, and stability in the Asean region.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry (Wisma Putra) in a statement said the COC, currently being negotiated by Asean Member States and China, aims to address key issues in the disputed waters constructively, while fostering mutual trust, confidence-building and constructive dialogue among the parties.
'It is also envisaged to serve as a meaningful instrument in ensuring the peaceful resolution of disputes and the prevention of tensions in the region.
'The negotiations are being held under the framework of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), which was signed on Nov 4, 2002, as a shared commitment between Asean and China,' the statement read.
According to the ministry, five rounds of COC negotiations have been scheduled this year with one in Jakarta in February, Manila in April, Kuching in August, Singapore in September, and China in November.
'Malaysia remains deeply committed to ensuring the effective implementation of the DOC by all parties.
'At the same time, Malaysia remains committed to advancing a substantive and effective COC that constructively addresses key issues in the South China Sea, while safeguarding its sovereignty, sovereign rights and national interests,' it said.
Wisma Putra noted that efforts on both the DOC and COC reflect Malaysia's ongoing role in fostering regional dialogue and cooperation under the Asean-China framework, particularly in promoting peace, stability and mutual trust in the South China Sea.
This week, Malaysia is hosting the 48th Meeting of the Asean-China Joint Working Group on the Implementation of the DOC (JWG-DOC) and the 24th Asean-China Senior Officials' Meeting on the Implementation of the DOC (SOM-DOC) in Kuching from Aug 11 to 14.
The last time Malaysia hosted the meetings was in 2019.
In addition to chairing Asean in 2025, Malaysia is also serving as the Country Coordinator for Asean-China Dialogue Relations from Aug 2024 to July 2027, co-chairing discussions with China on the DOC's implementation and the COC negotiations.
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