The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China have made progress in their talks on a Code of Conduct in the East Sea, Philippine Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo said on April 4.

Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo. (Source: http://globalnation.inquirer.net)

Manalo said ASEAN has made good progress on coming up with a framework for a Code of Conduct with China, adding that ASEAN and China were more than halfway through identifying the COC’s contents.

The official also revealed that Manila would hold talks with Beijing next month to tackle issues of concern regarding the East Sea.

Negotiators from China and ASEAN have met in Indonesia and Cambodia in the last two months to try to come up with a final draft. The document could be approved ahead of a meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers in Manila in August.

ASEAN and China started negotiations on the COC in 2010. The two sides are expected to complete the COC framework draft in mid 2017.

(Source: VNA)