Beijing sincere on South China Sea Code of Conduct - Institute for Maritime and Ocean Affairs

Beijing revealed to Southeast Asian countries its attitude toward the proposed Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, as the foreign minister said on Monday that countries should first “eliminate disturbances” before reaching an accord.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is visiting Vietnam, said that China and member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have discussed the COC several times, but the process has failed due to interference from certain parties.

China and ASEAN countries have agreed to work on the COC within the framework of the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), Wang said. He urged all parties to create the necessary conditions for signing the COC.

Chen Qinghong, a researcher on Philippine studies with the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said China is not refusing to push for the process of signing the COC. Beijing has always shown its sincerity on the COC issue, he said.