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New Straits Times
10-07-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Asean unity offers fresh momentum for South China Sea conduct, says expert
KUALA LUMPUR: For the first time, Asean is presenting a united front in pushing for the long-delayed South China Sea Code of Conduct (CoC), an initiative aimed at easing tensions in the disputed waters. Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow Dr Azmi Hassan said this show of unity underscores the challenges in finalising the CoC, even after 15 years of negotiations. "The framework for the CoC was agreed upon a few years ago, but it stopped there; it was not a full agreement. "The Foreign Minister (Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan) said Asean is confident that an effective and substantive CoC can be concluded in the near future time and this reflects how difficult it is to reach an agreement in this particular case. "This is also the first time, under Malaysia's chairmanship, that the CoC has a real chance of being concluded," he told the New Straits Times today. Earlier, Mohamad, in his keynote address at the Asean Post Ministerial Conference with China, said the economic bloc is confident that an effective and substantive CoC can be concluded, in the not-too-distant future, with the full commitment of all parties in negotiations. Mohamad also said the bloc welcomed the progress of the CoC and expressed hope for continuous positive momentum. Last year, Mohamad said Malaysia, together with Asean member states, is negotiating the CoC framework with China to prevent conflict in the South China Sea. The framework aims to maintain peace while respecting individual territorial claims and is developed without prejudice to the territorial and maritime claims of each nation. The negotiations are carried out by Asean member states and China through the Asean Joint Working Group, the Asean-China Joint Working Group on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and the Asean-China Senior Officials Meeting on the implementation of the DOC. Malaysia serves as the co-chair in negotiating the draft COC. Commenting further, Azmi said that while Malaysia, the current Asean chair, is likely to see the CoC finalised during its tenure, the document could be accelerated during the Philippines chairmanship. "With China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other key players attending the AMM, Malaysia can help build momentum.
Barnama
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Barnama
ASEAN Reasserts Commitment To Peaceful South China Sea Resolution, Early Conclusion Of COC
GENERAL KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 (Bernama) -- ASEAN leaders have reasserted their unwavering commitment to upholding peace, stability, and freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea, amid rising concerns over regional maritime tensions. In a Chairman's Statement issued today following the conclusion of the 46th ASEAN Summit held under Malaysia's 2025 ASEAN Chairmanship theme 'Inclusivity and Sustainability', the leaders reiterated the need to maintain a rules-based regional order and called for all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid any activities that could escalate disputes or threaten peace and stability in the contested waters. 'We reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, security, stability, safety and freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea,' the statement read. The regional bloc also emphasised the critical importance of fostering mutual trust and confidence among claimant states and other stakeholders. ASEAN leaders urged all parties to avoid provocative actions that could complicate the situation and instead pursue peaceful means to resolve disputes, in full respect of legal and diplomatic processes, and in accordance with internationally recognised laws, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). 'We further reaffirmed the need to enhance mutual trust and confidence, exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability,' it said. The regional grouping also highlighted the need to avoid the threat or use of force and to uphold the integrity of international law as a guiding framework in all efforts to manage tensions and disputes in the maritime domain. In addition, ASEAN leaders underscored the importance of fully implementing the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), which serves as a political commitment to avoid aggressive actions and resolve disputes through dialogue. They welcomed progress made in ongoing negotiations toward a long-anticipated Code of Conduct (COC) for the South China Sea, seen as a legally binding instrument to ensure peace and manage competing claims among regional powers, including China.
South China Morning Post
15-02-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Beijing, Philippines spar over South China Sea claims during Munich conference
While Russia's war against Ukraine and a wavering transatlantic alliance drew the world's attention at this year's Munich Security Conference, sparks also flew over claims in the South China Sea as debate involving participants representing Beijing and Manila dug into their positions in the region. Advertisement China's former deputy foreign minister Fu Ying said in a panel discussion, titled 'Making Waves: Maritime Tensions in the Indo-Pacific', that Beijing would not accept occupation by the Philippines of new features that the Southeast Asian country has constructed in the South China Sea. Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo was part of the panel. 'China cannot agree for the Philippines to occupy Second Thomas Shoal and Sabina Shoal, because that is a violation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,' Fu said, referring to a non-binding document signed by Beijing and Asean countries. Fu insisted that the document's language – in particular, a pledge to 'not to make more moves' – was watered down at Manila's request to entice the country to sign. The declaration asks signatories to exercise 'self-restraint' when conducting activities that would 'complicate or escalate disputes', and refrain from building on the sea's uninhabited features. The presence of a dilapidated but still active Philippine Navy ship BRP Sierra Madre at the Second Thomas Shoal (Ayungin Shoal) in the South China Sea has been denounced as unacceptable by Beijing. Photo: AP Further actions by Manila, including construction efforts to reinforce the BRP Sierra Madre, a World War II-era tank landing ship deliberately positioned on the Second Thomas Shoal in 1999, have been denounced by Beijing as unacceptable.
