Hanoi (VNA) – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is ready to further speed up the process to create a legally binding code of conduct (COC) in the East (South China) Sea with China.
ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh made the remarks in a recent written interview with Kyodo News.
He said the 10-member grouping welcomes the proposal of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to fast-track consultations on the code of conduct (COC), including the development of a framework for the code by mid-2017.
"ASEAN and China have agreed to intensify consultations on the COC to meet the deadline,” he said, adding that the bloc is even ready to further accelerate the COC process by presenting specific contents of the code.
He confirmed that three joint working group meetings on the COC have been scheduled in the first half of 2017.
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