The proposed Code of Conduct in the South China Sea will be an “unavoidable” topic that will be discussed in the 35th Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Thailand this week, according to Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Junever Mahilum-West.
President Duterte is scheduled to attend the regional summit from Nov. 2 to 4 and could renew his pitch for the swift completion of the CoC of parties passing the disputed territory for regional peace and stability.
The President previously pushed for the early crafting of the rules governing the conduct of nations in the vital waterway to reduce tension and minimize the risk of incidents and miscalculation.
“I think it will be featured in the discussions. It’s unavoidable. Kasi doon sa meeting na ‘yun ng mga leaders, they will have a parang tour of the horizon of what’s happening throughout the region so in all three pillars of cooperation: Political security, economic, and then socio-cultural. So it will be discussed there and then I think we could expect the countries to give their positions,” Mahilum-West said.
Mahilum-West, however, made clear there would be no intensive negotiations on the CoC during ASEAN leaders’ meeting with China. “But as to intensive negotiations, we don’t expect that will happen in this meeting – in these kinds of meetings,” she said.
Asked if the President will press for the swift completion of the CoC during the regional summit, Mahilum-West said: “I wouldn’t want to preempt what the President would say. But in terms of looking at the conditions, the situation on the ground or at sea in the South China Sea, for example, I think the President would be expected to say something about it.”
The ASEAN summit and related meetings with the theme “Advancing Partnership for Sustainability” will be held in Nonthaburi. The dialogue partners of ASEAN include China, Japan, South Korea, United States, India, and the United Nations.
A set of rules governing the CoC are currently being negotiated by the 10-member ASEAN and China to manage the dispute for over two decades. (Genalyn Kabiling)
