Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro is hopeful that negotiations between China and Southeast Asian nations on a long-awaited code of conduct (COC) for the South China Sea will be concluded this year ¡ª a move that could help reduce tensions over the disputed waterway.
¡°All parties, including all member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), are politically committed to finalizing the negotiations of the COC this year as we continue to tackle the milestone issues and the remaining paragraphs of the COC,¡± Lazaro told The Japan Times in a recent interview.
¡°The progress we have made so far gives us reason to be hopeful because every round of discussions brings us closer to a document that will have real meaning on the ground,¡± the Philippines¡¯ top diplomat said, as Manila sets maritime security as a key priority during its ASEAN chairmanship this year.
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