From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 4):
Palace welcomes China’s move to discuss code of conduct in South China Sea
Malacanang welcomed China’s
latest statement on its willingness to hold discussions for the possible
crafting of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea
amid continuing tensions in the area.
In a press briefing in Malacanang on Thursday, Presidential Spokesman Edwin
Lacierda said he can not speculate on China’s intention to spearhead
low-level discussions to resolve the dispute but he said it is a welcome
development.
“It’s a forward step with China
agreeing to at least discuss the Code of Conduct with us. We already drafted
the Code of Conduct, and now we have asked them to discuss it with us, and China has
already said that they are discussing with us. And so this is a step in the
right direction,” Lacierda said.
After years of rejecting efforts to start talks for a Code of Conduct with
the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), China has agreed
to host talks between senior officials this coming September.
But the code would not touch on the territorial claims but would set rules
for actions by ships, aimed at minimizing the risk of missteps that could lead
to hostilities.
The discussions, to be held in China, was described as
“consultations” rather than “negotiations”.
Asean and
China ministers
met in
Brunei this week for
a security forum that tackled the tension in the
West
Philippine Sea.
The
US, an ally of the
Philippines and
Vietnam
said it is not taking sides on the issue but said that its strategic interest
is the freedom of navigation in the
West Philippine Sea.
The
US
hopes that the Asean and
China
agree on a valid Code of Conduct soon.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=541061
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