With Phl as ASEAN chair, China calls for sea code

China's new ambassador to the Philippines called on Tuesday, January 20, for the swift finalization of the long-sought South China Sea code of conduct between ASEAN and Beijing by the end of this year.

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Chinese Ambassador-designate to the Philippines Jing Quan paid a courtesy call on Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines Maria Theresa Lazaro, Dec. 10, 2025. CHINESE EMBASSY MANILA VIA FACEBOOK

(CHINESE EMBASSY MANILA VIA FACEBOOK)

Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan told media at an event in Makati yesterday that completing negotiations for the code would help regional stability, citing the Philippines' ASEAN chairmanship in 2026 as an opportunity to accelerate talks that have dragged on for more than two decades.

China has, for years, consistently resisted a legally binding code that some ASEAN members such as the Philippines and Vietnam insist is necessary to hold Beijing accountable for its actions in the South China Sea.

The aspect of the code that is most contentious is whether it should have legal force, which Beijing rejects. This has stalled negotiations since talks began in earnest in 2017, following a 2016 international tribunal ruling that invalidated China's expansive maritime claims.