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View all search resultsChina commits to peace in South China Sea: Minister
Ball in Beijing’s court to ensure regional stability, experts warn.
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ew Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, alongside his Indonesian counterpart Retno LP Marsudi, announced in a joint statement on Wednesday that China was committed to “synergizing” with nations from Southeast Asia to keep the South China Sea peaceful and stable, amid heightened tensions over the disputed waters.
In the statement, issued during Qin’s maiden state visit to the region, China pledged to uphold contributions to regional security and intensify dialogue.
Qin claimed Beijing would work toward a “prosperous, beautiful and amicable” region and champion “true multilateralism”, an apparent swipe at United States-led mini-lateral groupings focused on containing Chinese aggression.
“Both China and Indonesia [...] will work with other ASEAN countries to fully and effectively [...] speed up consultations on the COC to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea,” he said.
The COC refers to the yet-to-be-completed Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, which was called for in a 2002 agreement between ASEAN and China to manage overlapping border claims.
The code aims to prevent open conflict by offering a set of guidelines for claimant states and others from around the region to follow when operating in the busy body of water.
“We hope and trust Indonesia and other ASEAN countries bear in mind stability and prosperity in the region,” Qin said.
