Philippines Hosts ASEAN-China Code of Conduct Negotiations 

MANILA 14 April 2025 — The Philippines hosted last week the latest round of negotiations to conclude an ASEAN-China Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea. The meeting of the Joint Working Group on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (JWG-DOC), which is tasked with undertaking the COC negotiations, was held in Manila on 09-11 April 2025. The JWG-DOC is co-chaired by Malaysia and China.  

The negotiations continued to tackle the paragraphs of the Draft COC, including the so-called milestone issues, in line with the commitment of ASEAN and China to conclude a substantive and effective COC in an early fashion.

The meeting was an opportunity for the Philippines to strongly call for the need to adhere to international law, particularly the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award. The Philippines voiced its concerns on the situation in the West Philippine Sea, especially with regard to recent incidents that posed risks to Philippine vessels and personnel, and actions by other countries that infringed on the Philippines’ sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction. The Philippines also reiterated its commitment to resolve disputes peacefully and to pursue constructive diplomatic approaches in managing differences at sea. 

It will be recalled that in 2023, the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN and China adopted the Guidelines on Accelerating the Early Conclusion of the Code of Conduct and agreed to work towards concluding the COC within three years.

The next round of negotiations will be held in Malaysia later in the year. END