CoC Not To Resolve Maritime Dispute In The South China Sea

Map of conflict claims of inter-state territory in the South China Sea. (ANTARA/inquirer.net/pri.) (ANTARA/inquirer.net/pri.)

JAKARTA - ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General for Security Politics Michael Tene said the code of conduct (CoC) was not intended to resolve maritime dispute problems in the South China Sea, but to create a conducive environment and prevent conflict.

This statement was made by Michael in response to high expectations for Indonesia's chairmanship in this year's ASEAN, especially regarding the South China Sea issue.

The problem in the South China Sea is a maritime limit issue. You have to negotiate bilaterally between countries that have maritime border problems that cannot be resolved through the CoC," Michael said as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, September 15.

"CoC is intended to create a conducive environment in conducting friendly negotiations and prevent open conflict", he stressed.

The South China Sea is still a hotspot in the region. China claims almost all the waters in the South China Sea. ASEAN member countries that also have territorial claims in the region are Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

ASEAN and China have long been trying to formulate legally binding CoCs to avoid conflict between disputed countries in the region.

The move that ASEAN and China have taken in resolving the South China Sea dispute is the signing of the Declaration of Conduct (DoC) in 2002. DoC is a non-binding agreement outlining the principles of resolving disputes peacefully in these waters.

The DoC asked the parties to refrain from activities that could threaten or deploy troops, resolve disputes peacefully through dialogue and consultation, and respect the freedom of sailing and flying.

The preparation of the DoC is an entry point for compiling a code of conduct guideline document in the South China Sea.

During Indonesia's chairmanship, CoC negotiations have reached the stage ofsecond reading or discussing the negotiations for the second round.

Indonesia has hosted the CoC negotiations between ASEAN and China in March. By the end of 2023, Indonesia plans to return to host the next round of CoC negotiations.

Michael emphasized that the CoC negotiations are a complicated and long process so it does not make sense to expect the code of conduct guidelines to be completed during this year's Indonesian chairmanship.

However, he said ASEAN and China are committed to finalizing the CoC, which is expected to promote peace and stability in the South China Sea.