Editor's Note: The author is Zhou Shixin, director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Shanghai Institutes for International Studies. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

Recently, Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, elaborated on China's principled position on the South China Sea issue at the China-ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting. Wang noted that China and ASEAN countries possess the wisdom and capability to continue properly handling the South China Sea issue and make peace, stability, cooperation and friendship the mainstream narrative surrounding the South China Sea.

It should be recognized that although the South China Sea issue involves disputes over territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation between China and some ASEAN countries, China and all ASEAN member states have demonstrated a strong aspiration and resolve to advance peace and stability in the waters. 

Building on the ASEAN Declaration on the South China Sea adopted in July 1992, the parties signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) founded on the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, the Charter of the United Nations, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and other instruments. After that, Senior Officials' Meetings and Joint Working Group meetings to assess and implement the DOC were established, which have played a vital role in the overall easing of the current situation in the South China Sea.

In recent years, China and ASEAN countries have resolved to negotiate a more preventive and binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) based on the DOC. Faced with this critical window of opportunity, all parties should seize the moment, fend off disruptions and strive to attain this goal. Regrettably, the Philippines, in its capacity as ASEAN Chair for 2026, has repeatedly stirred up trouble to mark the 10th anniversary of the so-called South China Sea Arbitration Award. Such moves not only disrupt regional countries' agenda for advancing regional peace and development, but also once more lay bare to the international community that certain Philippine politicians have violated various consensus policy documents reached historically between China and the Philippines. There are also growing concerns that certain ill-intentioned extra-regional powers may take sides and aggressively intervene in the South China Sea issue, triggering renewed escalation of tensions.

A questionnaire survey conducted by CGTN of China Media Group among 2,664 respondents in six countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Singapore – between June and July this year shows that intervention by major extra-regional powers is widely regarded as a key driver of tensions in the South China Sea, and peaceful and autonomous settlement of South China Sea disputes represents a consensus among respondents. Specifically, 84.6% of respondents believe South China Sea disputes should be settled through peaceful dialogue and consultation in accordance with international law. Meanwhile, 64.3% hold that intervention by extra-regional powers has led some claimant states to rely on outside support rather than engage in regional dialogue, further weakening regional capacity to resolve disputes autonomously. Another 74.4% warn that sustained extra-regional intervention will escalate regional tensions, thereby threatening global trade and energy security.

Lessons from history and reality have repeatedly validated one truth: Once regional countries lose autonomy over the settlement of regional affairs to outside powers, the situation will spiral out of control. Troublemakers stand to benefit from chaos, while regional nations bear the brunt. Developments in recent years reveal that during the annual series of East Asian regional cooperation summits and foreign ministers' meetings, extra-regional powers, either alone or in coalition with certain countries, stir up trouble over the South China Sea. Their attempts intensify regional tensions and divisions within ASEAN members, disrupt multilateral cooperation agendas, erode hard-won mutual trust among regional states, and in turn hamper regional integration.

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the China-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The evolution of China-ASEAN relations demonstrates that mutual respect and trust underpin good-neighborliness, sincere engagement serves as the path to coexistence, win-win cooperation lays the groundwork for success, and openness and inclusiveness are essential for prosperity. These valuable experiences deserve to be carried forward. 

Regional countries must strictly abide by the DOC, resist attempts by extra-regional forces to stoke tensions, and oppose certain countries creating maritime incidents. They must firmly keep the initiative to uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea in their own hands. All sides now face an important opportunity to conclude the COC. It is imperative to seize this window, overcome distractions, work toward this objective, and turn the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation that delivers greater benefits to the peoples of all ASEAN countries.