Talks on S. China Sea Code of Conduct being ramped up: Asean sources

Talks between Asean and China to sign the long-delayed South China Sea Code of Conduct (COC) are ramping up, with differences closer to being ironed out than before.

- Yew Lun Tian

Sources tell The Straits Times that the fresh momentum to ink the code – which sets out ways for Asean and China to peacefully manage conflicts in the disputed South China Sea – is partially driven by Beijing's desire to constrain the actions of other claimant states, as well as to pre-empt any moves in the region by the new US administration under President Donald Trump.

"China is happy to sign the COC tomorrow, if the terms are right," said a diplomat from an Asean country. Beijing has been fingered as being the party previously dragging its feet over the code, three decades in the making, over sticking points such as whether it should be legally binding and its geographical scope.

ST spoke to five diplomats and sources from Asean countries who are privy to the closed-door deliberations. They declined to be named as they are not authorised to divulge details of ongoing talks to the media.

They say that Chinese negotiators have shown their eagerness for the COC talks to wrap up sooner by suggesting more frequent meetings going forward.

During a meeting in December 2024 in Laos, negotiators finished the third and final reading of the single draft of the COC. This meant that the various teams had put all their positions on a single document and gone through the document in chronological order together to suss out common ground and one another's bottom lines.

Although there is now a single draft of the COC, the negotiating parties will still need to iron out their differences before the agreement can be finalised.

The most recent meeting, held on Feb 21, was at the senior officials' level. This typically involves the top officials in the foreign ministries, who would have more authority to make decisions before the negotiations proceed to the ministerial level.