CEBU CITY — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) spokesperson Dax Imperial on Tuesday night said the ASEAN and China are committed to concluding the Code of Conduct (COC) negotiations in 2026, with discussions expected to move forward based on agreements reached in previous meetings.
In a press briefing ahead of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat (AMM) on January 29, Imperial said the upcoming ‘confidential’ meeting aims to facilitate progress in the negotiations.
“The Philippines, as chair, is really facilitating the progress of the discussions in terms of encouraging more meetings so that we’ll be able to at least endeavor to conclude the negotiations or the discussions within the timeline that was given under the guidelines which was set back in 2023,” he said.
This announcement follows the adoption of guidelines by the foreign ministers of ASEAN and China in 2023, aimed at accelerating the early conclusion of the Code of Conduct, with a commitment to finalize it within three years.
Imperial emphasized that all parties involved are aligned in their commitment to reach a resolution, highlighting a collective effort to complete the negotiations by 2026.
“I will not be able to provide details of these negotiations, but what I can say is that there is always that um progress. Every time there’s a meeting that is involved or every time we hold meetings, whether on these negotiations, there is always progress seen,” he added.
In November, DFA Secretary Theresa Lazaro indicated that the Philippines intends to honor the commitments made by regional leaders in 2023 concerning the South China Sea COC, aiming to finalize the agreement this year.
The AMM will be attended by foreign ministers from member states, except Myanmar, which will be represented by a senior official from its senior official meeting.
The ASEAN foreign ministers will meet for the first time this year to discuss the Philippines’ role in hosting ASEAN events.
After nearly two decades, Cebu will once again host ASEAN events, including the AMM and the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF).
