Chinese Ambassador: South China Sea Code of Conduct in Negotiation Process

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Lu Kang stated that China is currently negotiating the Code of Conduct (CoC) in the South China Sea with neighboring countries. "We are still in the process of negotiating the CoC, which will be beneficial long-term to maintain stability, peace, and development in the region," Lu Kang said at the Open House of the China Embassy in Jakarta yesterday.

Lu Kang admitted that China and its neighboring countries have differing opinions on the South China Sea. "However, reflecting on the past, these differences never affect the cooperation between countries in the region focusing on development, which is our priority," he said. "Of course, there was always the power that tried to shift our attention from our focus in development."

According to Lu Kang, the government and society surrounding the South China Sea know what's best for them and their interest. "The most important this is, that we'll work together to control this disagreement. If we can do it in the past, why not do it now?" he said.

The Code of Conduct is expected to reflect the norm, principle, and international instruments based on international law, especially the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), in order to realize a stable, secure, and peaceful South China Sea region.

China, so far, claimed almost all waters in the South China Sea, which overlapped the territorial claims of several Southeast Asian countries such as Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Phillippines.

ANTARA

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