oreign ministers of ASEAN member countries and China have reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the disputed South China Sea through the framework of the Declaration of Conduct of Parties (DOC), according a statement released on Monday.
"[ASEAN and China] are committed to the full and effective implementation of the Declaration of Conduct of Parties [DOC] in its entirety, and working substantively towards the early adoption of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea [COC] based on consensus," said the joint statement, released from the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting currently taking place in Vientianne, Laos, where China is also in attendance.
The joint statement contains reaffirmations from the Southeast Asian organization and the East Asian giant on the importance of the DOC to all relevant parties. The DOC itself was adopted four years ago in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
"[The DOC] is a milestone document that embodies the collective commitments of the Parties to promote peace, stability, mutual trust and confidence in the region," the statement further said.
The joint statement outlines that all parties recognize that maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea region serves not only the fundamental interests of ASEAN member states and China, but also the international community.
The joint statement comes following a Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruling in favor of the Philippines in its case against China's claim to the vast waters. The statement itself does not specifically mention the ruling.
Four of the 10 ASEAN member countries are claimants to the disputed region, through which approximately US$5 trillion worth of trade passes each year. China has previously stated that it would ignore the ruling and continue to push for a resolution through bilateral negotiations by relevant parties. (ebf)
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