Asean to hold South China Sea code of conduct negotiations from March

SINGAPORE/JAKARTA, Feb 4 (The Straits Times/ANN): Asean chair Indonesia is set to hold new rounds of negotiations with Asean member states and China from March, as both sides try for years to hammer out a code of conduct (COC) to govern the disputed South China Sea.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said at the Asean Ministerial Retreat in Jakarta on Saturday that the 10-nation regional bloc was also committed to promoting the implementation of the Declaration of Conduct of Parties (DOC).