China delaying code of conduct – Lorenzana

From the Manila Times (Dec 8): China delaying code of conduct – Lorenzana

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Friday expressed hope that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and China would be able to finalize in three years a binding Code of Conduct to address tensions in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Lorenzana was one of the speakers at the Albert del Rosario Institute Stratbase forum held at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati City on Thursday.

“I hope China fulfills its promise because it is actually China trying to delay this for the past six years already,” Lorenzana told reporters in a chance interview.



Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (second from right) greets former Foreign Affairs secretary Albert del Rosario. PHOTO BY RENE H. DILAN

In November this year, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said China expects results in 2021.

“If we have this Code of Conduct, then we have assurance that we will do something in accordance with the conduct and then, there will be no misunderstanding and miscalculations,” Lorenzana said.

He added that he prefers to have the code finished by next year since the issue not only involves the Philippines and China but other Asean countries.

The Code of Conduct was discussed during the Asean meeting in Singapore in October.
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Gregory Poling, director of the US think-tank Center for Strategic and International Studies, meanwhile, said that the administration of former US president Barrack Obama failed to use the mutual defense treaty with the Philippines in addressing disputes in the South China Sea.

He said the Obama administration “failed” to clarify that the mutual defense treaty between Manila and Washington should be applied in case the Philippines is attacked by anyone.

“The Philippines could have felt bolder to push back, in Scarborough Shoal for instance, and the Chinese could have been more reluctant to use force,” Poling told The Manila Times in an interview.

https://www.manilatimes.net/china-delaying-code-of-conduct-lorenzana/479478/