KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31 — Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin today said China has expressed clear support for ongoing efforts to finalise the Code of Conduct (COC) on the South China Sea.
Khaled said Chinese Defence Minister Admiral Dong Jun reaffirmed Beijing’s commitment to the process during their meeting.
“During our luncheon with the Chinese Minister of Defence, Admiral Dong stated clearly that China supports the formulation of the Code of Conduct on the South China Sea, and we look forward to that,” he said at a press conference.
He said discussions on the COC are currently being led by the Foreign Ministry, and progress will depend on negotiations between all relevant parties.
“As you are aware, the Foreign Ministry is taking charge of this. The materialisation of the Code of Conduct depends on ongoing discussions. But China supports the need for such a code,” he said.
He added that any further details on China’s position would have to come directly from Dong.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Chinese Premier Li Qiang had agreed to accelerate talks on the COC with Asean member states.
Anwar said the Chinese leader’s remarks came after the bloc stressed that all maritime disputes in the South China Sea be resolved based on a mutually agreed code of conduct during the recent Asean-China Summit early this week.
Asean and China signed the non-binding Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in 2002. Both parties decided to begin talks for a legally binding COC in 2013 and reportedly completed the second reading of the draft in 2023.
In July this year, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi reportedly said both sides are aiming to conclude consultations on the COC in 2026.
