Asean agrees on South China Sea

Asean agrees on South China Sea

HUA HIN - Southeast Asian foreign ministers on Wednesday agreed to a code of conduct for the South China Sea, where territorial disputes have raised tensions with Beijing.

Asean foreign ministers pose for a group photograph during the Asean foreign ministers meeting in Hua Hin on Wednesday. (AFP photo)

Of the 10 nations in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, only Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong failed to attend the meeting in Hua Hin.

The Hua Hin meeting was an informal "brain-storming" session in preparation for two meetings in China that will focus on agreeing to a Code of Conduct (COC) to manage territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

"We reinforced the common Asean position on our expectation that the COC be a rules-based regime to promote confidence, to avoid incidents and to address incidents should they occur," Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said.

"We are all set to go to Beijing."

Asean will raise the issue at a foreign ministers' meeting between Asean and China planned in Beijing on Aug 28-30 to commemorate their 10th anniversary of a "strategic partnership".

"We want to see an early conclusion on the COC, the earlier the better," permanent secretary for foreign affairs Sihasak Phuangketkeow said.

Beijing has agreed to another special meeting of senior officials from Asean and China to begin formal talks on the COC in Suzhou, near Shanghai, tentatively set for Sept 14-15, Mr Sihasak said.

China, which had previously refused to discuss a COC with its Asean partners, agreed to begin formal talks on the sensitive issue at an Asean meeting in Brunei in July.

Since 2009, China's sovereignty claims in the area have sparked several confrontations with rival claimants such as the Philippines and Vietnam.

Asean members Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam have territorial disputes with China.

China has in the past insisted on handling South China Sea disputes bilaterally, a stance that is not expected to change even if it eventually agrees to a COC.

The issue is one of the few trouble spots in the otherwise smooth diplomatic ties between China and Asean.

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