13-7-2023 (JAKARTA) The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China reached a significant milestone on Thursday (Jul 13) by adopting guidelines aimed at expediting the negotiation process for the code of conduct in the South China Sea.
The guidelines were established during a meeting between China’s top diplomat Wang Yi and the foreign ministers of ASEAN member states in Jakarta. The city is hosting the annual foreign ministers’ meeting and related discussions, with Indonesia serving as the current rotating chair of ASEAN.
Indonesia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi, expressed the importance of maintaining positive momentum and strengthening partnerships that uphold an inclusive and open regional framework. She emphasized the significance of respecting international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) of 1982, which China has ratified. Minister Marsudi also highlighted the need for dialogue and collaboration in fostering an open and inclusive regional architecture.
She expressed hope that China would be a trusted partner for ASEAN, working towards win-win cooperation that promotes peace, stability, and shared prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
While the details of the guidelines were not disclosed, it marks a step forward in the ongoing efforts to address the complex territorial disputes in the South China Sea. The region is crucial for global maritime trade, with over US$3 trillion worth of goods passing through its waters annually.
China asserts extensive territorial claims in the South China Sea, but several ASEAN member states, including Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, also have overlapping claims.
It is worth noting that Indonesia, as the current ASEAN chair, is not a claimant state in the South China Sea. However, it has faced conflicts with China in the past few years over fishing rights near its Natuna Islands, located in proximity to the disputed waters.
