China to work with Asean to implement code of conduct

China is willing to work with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to fully im­plement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman has said.

In his regular press con­ference, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said China is also will­ing to deepen maritime prac­tical cooperation to arrive at a code of conduct (COC) “based on consensus at an early date”.

”According to the work plan, China and Asean coun­tries will finish consultation on the draft framework of the COC in the first half of this year,” Geng told the media.

On the occasion of Ase­an’s 50th anniversary this year, Geng said China will support important consensus in build­ing the Asean community, maintaining centrality in re­gional cooperation and play­ing a bigger role in interna­tional and regional affairs.

”We congratulate it (Ase­an) on its achievements in growth, commend it for its contribution to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity,” he said.

”We believe Asean will make greater progress under the concerted efforts of the Philippines as the rotating chair and other Asean coun­tries.”

Geng said China took note of the statement of Phil­ippine President Rodrigo Duterte as chair of the 30th Asean Summit held last week­end in Manila.

”We have also noted what was mentioned in the chair­man’s statement about the South China Sea,” he said.

In the final version of the chairman’s statement, Presi­dent Duterte said the Asean countries have reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security and freedom of navigation and over-flight in the South China Sea.

The Asean leaders have also underscored the impor­tance of the full and effective implementation of the DOC “in its entirety”.

Geng said the joint efforts of the Asean countries have “cooled down” the situation in the South China Sea.

”The situation in the South China Sea has since last year stabilized, thanks to the joint efforts of China and Asean members, including the Philippines. It serves the com­mon interests of all countries in the region,” the Chinese of­ficial said.

He said the 30th Ase­an summit reconfirmed the positive changes in the South China Sea where other Asean countries, such as Brunei, Ma­laysia and Vietnam, have terri­torial claims.

”Going forward, the Chi­nese side will continue to properly address the South China Sea issue with the Phil­ippines through dialogue and consultation and create an enabling atmosphere for the sound and steady growth of China-Philippines relations and all-round progress in bi­lateral practical cooperation,” he said.

Geng further noted that the concerted efforts made by both Philippines, under Presi­dent Duterte, and China, un­der President Xi Jinping, have resulted in the “overall im­provement” of the two coun­tries’ bilateral relationship.

”Practical cooperation has fully unfolded, producing re­markable results and bringing tangible benefits to people of both countries. It fully proves that good neighborliness and friendly cooperation is the right choice in the fundamen­tal interests of the two coun­tries and two peoples,” the of­ficial said.

President Duterte is set to return to Beijing to attend the Belt & Road Forum for International Cooperation on May 14-15, eight months after his first visit in October last year that revived the Phil­ippines-China relations amid the South China Sea issue.

Geng, meanwhile, de­scribed President Duterte’s visit to the Chinese naval vessel that docked in Davao City last Sunday as a show of “growing political mutual trust” between the Philippines and China.

”The Chinese side will work with the Philippine side to continue to strengthen mu­tual trust, properly handle the issue of the South China Sea, deepen practical cooperation and push for the sustained, sound and steady growth of the bilateral relationship for the benefit of the two peoples,” Geng said. PNA