CEBU CITY—Technical working groups of ASEAN member-states will meet face-to-face every month to hasten negotiations on a binding Code of Conduct which the bloc aims to finish this year under the Philippine chairmanship, Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro said Thursday.
“We, the Philippines, now as chair, will have monthly face-to-face meetings of the technical working group. And that has been a commitment,” she said in a press conference ASEAN Foreign Ministers (AMM) Retreat.
She said discussions with China are ongoing as she expressed optimism about Beijing’s participation.
Lazaro said contentious points – referred to as “milestones” – include the definition of self-restraint, adding that the Philippine delegation is actively working on this issue.
“There’s not been any result or decision on the contentious issues…So, now everybody is trying to put in definitions as well as possible areas of cooperation and…trying to address the milestone issues,” she said.
“We are even triply working hard to make sure that there is something about a confluence of or rather some kind of consensus or building a consensus. Right now, we’re doing the role of a consensus builder,” Lazaro added.
Negotiations for the COC have been ongoing for nearly 17 years.
In 2023, the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN and China adopted guidelines to accelerate the conclusion of the COC, agreeing to finalize it within three years.
As this developed, Lazaro said the Philippines will anchor its chairmanship of the bloc on the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 (ACV 2045), guiding the region toward a resilient, innovative, and people-centered community over the next 20 years.
“Our chairmanship is anchored with three main priorities, or what we call the three Ps: peace and security anchors, prosperity corridors and people empowerment. This reflects our belief that stability, growth and human security must move forward, hand in hand,” she said.
Lazaro also recognized the 50th anniversary of the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, describing it as a cornerstone of ASEAN’s political and security architecture.
“It has provided the foundations for peace, stability, and cooperation in our region by enshrining principles that remain just as relevant today, respect for sovereignty, non-interference, peaceful settlement of disputes, and the renunciation of force or the use of force,” she added.
The foreign affairs chief also noted the growing complexity of security challenges in the ASEAN region, including maritime tensions, internal conflicts, and ongoing humanitarian issues.
She said these external developments, including unilateral actions with cross-regional impacts, continue to affect ASEAN’s stability and challenge the rules-based international order.
“Taken together, these realities underscore the enduring importance of ASEAN’s time-honored principles of restraint, dialogue, and adherence to international law in seeking to preserve peace and stability for our peoples,” Lazaro said.
