ASEAN-China Informal Consultation on COC

ASEAN-China informal consultation on the Code of Conduct (COC) opened in the capital of Cambodia on July 8, 2012, ASEAN introduced the draft COC compiled by its members for discussions in order to remove the two sides’ differences and reach a consensus on the COC.

 

ASEAN-China informal consultation on COC is part of the 45th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM45), ASEAN Foreign Ministers with Dialogue Partners meeting and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).

 

At the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Vinh and his Chinese counterpart Fu Ying emphasized that this conference is one important step toward COC, laying a legal framework for resolving disputes in the East Sea, with the purpose of maintaining peace, stability and cooperation in the East Sea.

 

This is the first time ASEAN countries and China have held informal consultation since the two sides agreed to work towards COC signing at the ASEAN Summit held in Phnom Penh April 2012.

 

During the summit in April last year, ASEAN countries did not reach consensus on the time discussing the draft of COC with China. However, ASEAN hope that the bloc will reach an agreement with China on COC this year.

 

Thu Huyen