PH: South China Sea Code of Conduct to be completed at ASEAN 2027

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Under the Philippines’ ASEAN chairmanship this year, negotiations on the South China Sea Code of Conduct (COC) were nearly completed, leaving its finalization to Singapore, which will assume the chairmanship next year.

During a press briefing on Sunday, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Tess Lazaro reiterated that the COC is 80% done, but added that it failed to reach completion under the country’s chairmanship due to time constraints in the negotiations.

“Negotiations are negotiations are negotiations. In other words, the 10 ASEAN countries plus China have also, of course, different views on how things are. So that is the reason why it was not really—I think there was not enough time,” she said.

“If we were given probably another five to six months, I think we can finish that,” she added.

In 2025, ASEAN member states and China agreed to conclude a COC on the South China Sea by 2026, with President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. likewise eyeing the completion of the pact during the Philippines' chairmanship.

Malacañang, meanwhile, earlier expressed hope that the COC would be signed before the Philippines' ASEAN chairmanship ends.

The proposed code seeks to establish rules to prevent disputes in the South China Sea from escalating and developing into a major armed conflict that could involve the United States, a Philippine ally, and other countries in the region.

The DFA said the Philippines still views the 80% milestone in drafting the code as an achievement, noting how far talks have come since Manila took over shepherding the negotiations.

“Sinabi ko nga [As I said], 80%, actually, it's even increasing as discussions continue. But I have to emphasize that it is one already of the achievements of the Philippines as chair, because what was the COC before we shepherded it, it was only about 50% perhaps,” Lazaro said.

“But to go to 80% and even moving, then there's a little bit. Konti na lang ang pag-uusapan nila sa [They will only have a little more left to discuss in] Singapore. But indeed, this Code of Conduct is really something that we can be proud of,” she added.

The Philippines is hosting this year's ASEAN Summit and is expected to turn over its chairmanship to Singapore. — BM, GMA News

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