MANILA: Malaysia has called for renewed political will among Asean member states and China to expedite the finalisation of the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, as several outstanding issues remain unresolved.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said collective efforts must be intensified to conclude negotiations on an effective and substantive code, particularly as discussions have reached a critical stage.
"I urge we redouble our collective efforts, to finalise the draft COC as soon as possible. Renewed political will is imperative in achieving this goal, particularly at this final and critical stage," he said.
He said this in his speech at the Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM) here on Saturday (Nov 14).
Mohamad said Malaysia, which has served as co-chair of the COC negotiations since 2024, had worked closely with Asean member states and China to advance the discussions.
He said negotiations had been intensified this year, with meetings now being held monthly in an effort to achieve the three-year aspirational timeline agreed upon in 2023.
"I wish to put on record that, as Co-Chair, Malaysia has made every effort to steer our collective objective towards achieving an effective and substantive COC, within the three-year aspirational timeline agreed in 2023," he said.
However, Mohamad acknowledged that several key matters had yet to be resolved, particularly those concerning the nature and geographical scope of the proposed code.
"Nonetheless, at this juncture, there still remain several outstanding issues that we need to resolve urgently.
"These include the 'milestone issues', and in particular, the nature and geographical scope of the COC," he said.
The COC is intended to establish a framework for managing activities in the South China Sea and preventing incidents that could escalate tensions among claimant countries.
Negotiations between Asean and China have continued for more than two decades, following the adoption of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in 2002.
Malaysia, which is among the countries with overlapping maritime claims in the area, has consistently advocated peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy while maintaining constructive bilateral relations with China.
