ASEAN, CHINA TO HOLD COC TALKS IN CEBU, SIGNALLING 'MOVEMENT' IN NEGOATIONS: PHILIPPINES ASEAN SPOKESPERSON

From Linda Khoo

CEBU CITY,  Jan 27 (Bernama) – ASEAN and China will hold negotiations here on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, signalling another significant step towards concluding the agreement this year.

Philippines Spokesperson for ASEAN Matters, Dominic Xavier M. Imperial, confirmed that the negotiations will take place in Cebu, but did not disclose the venue or specific dates, saying details of the meeting remain confidential.

He described the upcoming talks as a sign of  “movement” in the COC negotiations.

“We would like to underscore that the Philippines, as ASEAN Chair, is facilitating progress in the discussions by encouraging more meetings so that we can endeavour to conclude the negotiations within the timeline,” he said at a media briefing here on Tuesday.

Local media reported that the negotiations will be held  on January 30, a day after ASEAN Foreign Ministers (AMM) Retreat in Cebu City.

When asked about expectations for the upcoming negotiations, Imperial said it was difficult to predict the outcome, but stressed that it was important for all parties to sit down and negotiate.

He said the frequency of meetings was significant, as it showed progress in the negotiations.

Last week, Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said COC negotiations have made significant progress, with nearly 70 per cent of the content agreed upon, but careful talks were still needed to ensure national sovereignty was not compromised.

Mohamad said overlapping claims needed to be resolved through bilateral or multilateral negotiations, while the COC served to establish behavioural principles and confidence-building measures to prevent tensions in the area.

-- BERNAMA