Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi Monday called for pushing for talks on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea without outside involvement.
Wang made the remarks at a joint press conference with his Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan in Beijing.
“China and the (Association of Southeast Asian Nation) countries are fully capable, through our joint efforts, to work out, in an independent way, regional rules for the peace and stability of the South China Sea,” Wang said.
“I think as long as we continue to enhance mutual trust, deepen cooperation and get rid of interference from inside and outside the region, maybe more of interference from the outside, and after necessary preparatory work by all parties, we will be able to hold substantive consultations on the COC texts at a proper time until we reach important regional rules. We have confidence in it,” he added.
Wang said China and ASEAN countries agreed on a framework for the COC in the South China Sea on May 18, which was earlier than scheduled.
On the prerequisite of creating a sound environment and eliminating interference from all sides, the consultations went smoothly.
According to Wang, last July, China and ASEAN nations issued a joint statement on the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), which stipulates that disputes on the Nanshan islands should be resolved peacefully through negotiations between the parties directly concerned.
Since then, the relationship between China and the Philippines began to warm up.
The Philippines also agreed to rebuild bilateral consultation mechanism on the South China Sea issue with China.
Wang stressed discussing and formulating the COC is stipulated in the DOC. (Courtesy China Central Television)
