South China Sea Code of Conduct talks hit 70 percent – but several key issues remain unresolved
The long-awaited South China Sea Code of Conduct is 70 percent done, but several important issues still need to be settled.
By YouScoop Desk · · 1 min read
The gist
- Negotiations for the South China Sea Code of Conduct (COC) have reached 70 percent completion.
- Several important issues remain unresolved, and the DFA says certain elements still need to be refined.
- Reports say it is not yet certain the talks will be finished this year, and one headline says they are unlikely to hit a milestone by the ASEAN Summit.
Why it matters
The Code of Conduct covers the South China Sea, a body of water that Filipinos follow closely in the news. Progress is real, but the sources make clear that the final stretch is not settled yet.
Negotiations for a long-awaited Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea have reached 70 percent completion, according to reports from the Philippine News Agency, Philstar, and Manila Bulletin. For a deal that has been on the table for a long time, that is a step worth noting.
Still, the job is far from over. Several important issues remain unresolved, based on the Manila Bulletin report, so the headline progress does not tell the whole story.
An executive from the DFA, as reported by ABS-CBN, said certain elements of the code still need to be refined. In other words, the remaining work is about the details, and those details can take time to get right.
What Happens Next
Not all headlines painted the same picture. Some outlets carried headlines saying the talks are unlikely to hit a milestone by the ASEAN Summit, while another called the Sea Code of Conduct "up in the air."
Philstar reported that the negotiations are at 70 percent, but it is still not certain whether they will be completed this year. Beyond that, the sources do not give a firm timeline, so the next concrete update is still not known.
So for now, the picture is mixed: real progress on one side, and open questions on the other. Readers can expect more updates as the talks move forward, but the sources do not say when the final version will be ready.
So what do you think? Will the South China Sea Code of Conduct be finished this year, or will it take even longer? Drop your take below.
Sources
This story is written in our own words from reports by Philstar, Philippine News Agency and Manila Bulletin. Spotted an error? Tell us.
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