Politics
19:17, 07-Aug-2017
ASEAN foreign ministers to endorse South China Sea code of conduct
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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Sunday, as they prepare to endorse a code of conduct on the South China Sea. Wang said there has been tremendous progress in resolving disputes in the South China Sea.
But the code would be neither binding nor enforceable.
Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, all of whom have competing claims to sovereignty in the South China Sea, had wanted a legally binding and enforceable code of conduct to ensure freedom of navigation and overflight. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, through which about five trillion US dollars’ worth of goods pass every year.
Wang also said China encourages Chinese companies to continue investing in ASEAN countries, and China is committed to working with ASEAN countries on Belt and Road investment projects.