Philippines foreign minister hopeful asean china maritime code ready by mid 2017 #comments

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The Philippines' Foreign Minister, Perfecto Yasay, expressed optimism that the ASEAN-China Maritime Code of Conduct (COC) will be ready by mid-2017. The COC aims to establish a set of rules to prevent incidents and promote cooperation in the South China Sea, where territorial disputes have been ongoing between China and several ASEAN member states.

Yasay stated that the Philippines is committed to the COC and is working closely with other ASEAN countries to finalize the agreement. He emphasized the importance of the COC in promoting peace and stability in the region, and in preventing conflicts over territorial claims.

The COC has been under negotiation since 2013, and ASEAN and China have made significant progress in recent years. However, the agreement has been delayed several times due to disagreements over key issues, such as the scope of the code and the role of the United Nations in resolving disputes.

The Philippines has been a vocal advocate for the COC, and has called for a peaceful and diplomatic resolution to the South China Sea disputes. The country has also been a key player in the ASEAN-China dialogue, and has worked closely with other ASEAN member states to promote cooperation and stability in the region.

Overall, the Philippines' Foreign Minister's statement suggests that the country is optimistic about the prospects for the COC, and is committed to working with other ASEAN countries to finalize the agreement.