By Patricia Lourdes Viray
MANILA, Philippines — Asked if Beijing is willing to support a legally-binding and enforceable Code of Conduct (COC) on the South China Sea, the Chinese Foreign Ministry only said that a framework will be finished by June.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said that the situation in the disputed waters is cooling down following joint efforts of China and Southeast Asian countries.
"According to my knowledge, China and ASEAN have agreed to seek to conclude the consultation on the draft of a COC framework by the first half of this year," Geng said in a press briefing Wednesday.
Geng stressed that a COC is the "right track" in resolving the maritime dispute.
"The relevant parties have returned to the right track of resolving disputes through negotiations and consultations, and are fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) as well as actively advancing the consultation on a COC," Geng said.
However, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), under Philippine chairmanship this year, is likely to go soft on the sea row.
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