Expert hails South China Sea Code of Conduct breakthrough

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China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) arrived at a single draft negotiating text of the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea on Thursday. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi hailed it as a "major breakthrough" in COC negotiations.

Wang made the statement while attending the China-ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in Singapore on August 2.

He said that the progress is proof that China and ASEAN countries are capable of maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea and agreeing on regional rules followed by all parties through negotiations.

Both China and several ASEAN countries hope to reach a COC in the region to avoid conflicts and promote regional peace.

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Jia Xiudong, the senior research fellow of China Institute of International Studies, speaks very highly of the single draft negotiating text. He views it as a landmark and milestone in the history of China-ASEAN relations.

"The key word is a single, single draft text," Jia said.

In his opinion, China and ASEAN agreed to a single draft document that will form the basis of negotiations for a code of conduct in the South China Sea. Reviewing the history of the talks since 1995, Jia sheds light on the difficulties of reaching a basis, then discusses the importance of the draft.

"Now they have a single (draft) text which the states can represent to their domestic audience for consultation for each country. They can present text to the different agencies to ask for opinions," Jia told CGTN.

Jia point outs that all countries involved have attempted to find a consensus. The single draft negotiating text is the reflection of their willingness to work over regional issues through negotiation, which serves as the basis for further negotiations.

"They have shown their determinations to find a common ground in the issue," Jia told CGTN. Although it is still far from reaching an agreement to completely solve existing problems, Jia thinks that it is on the right track toward seeking common ground.