Philippine upbeat On The South China Sea Code Of Conduct As Talks Intensify
LAPU-LAPU CITY (Cebu, Philippines), May 6 (Bernama-PNA) -- The Philippines remains cautiously optimistic over progress in negotiations for a long-awaited Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, the Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported.
The optimism is even as energy security and cooperation are expected to take centre stage in the country’s hosting of the 2026 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Cebu this week.
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Assistant Secretary Dominic Xavier Imperial said discussions between ASEAN member states and China are moving forward, citing sustained engagement and increasing frequency of meetings.
“We are encouraged by the progress that we're seeing, also very encouraged by the commitment of both parties – this is the 10 ASEAN countries and China – sitting down together,” Imperial said in a press briefing here Wednesday ahead of the ASEAN Leaders’ Summit.
He pointed to a renewed push for regular dialogue, first underscored during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Retreat in January, noting that the agreed increase in meeting frequency is being sustained.
“In fact, we just concluded one last month and we are expecting another meeting to happen in a couple of weeks from now,” he said.
The Code of Conduct, under negotiation since 2002, seeks to establish rules governing behaviour in the disputed waterway to prevent incidents and manage tensions.
Talks have faced repeated delays due to conflicting territorial claims and strategic interests among claimant states.
The Philippines has been pushing for faster progress, with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. previously calling on ASEAN leaders to accelerate the adoption of a legally binding agreement during the country’s chairship this year.
The urgency of maritime rules-setting comes as broader regional challenges, including energy security and disaster resilience, are expected to dominate discussions at the upcoming ASEAN Summit.
According to the Presidential Communications Office, leaders will tackle the impact of rising global fuel prices driven by tensions in West Asia, alongside efforts to strengthen regional cooperation on disaster response.
The Philippines has proposed the Manila-ASEAN Strategic Protocol for Emergency and Comprehensive Transformation (Manila-ASPECT) framework, aimed at improving coordination on early warning systems, humanitarian response, and cross-border disaster management.
-- BERNAMA-PNA
