VIENTIANE, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members and China issued a joint statement Wednesday on the application of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) in the South China Sea.
The statement was issued after the two sides held the 19th ASEAN-China Summit in the Lao capital and commemorated the 25th anniversary of dialogue relations between ASEAN and China.
The document reaffirmed commitment to the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the Joint Statement of the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN Member States and China on the Full and Effective Implementation of the DOC, including the importance of the freedom of navigation and overflight.
It said the two sides recognized that maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea region serves the fundamental interests of ASEAN member states and China as well as the international community.
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