"We hope the CoC can be signed this year. We will find a way to prevent further delays," he said in a brief interview in Jakarta on Thursday.
Last March, Chinese Ambassador to ASEAN Wang Qing said China has strong political will to complete the CoC this year.
According to him, the commitment was also reaffirmed by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi following China's annual political meeting known as the "Two Sessions."
Wang said the CoC would serve as a foundation to resolve maritime disputes and create a new narrative of the South China Sea as a region of peace and cooperation.
"Now we want to work with ASEAN countries to make the South China Sea a sea of peace and cooperation," he said.
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At the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM) retreat in January, Southeast Asian foreign ministers agreed to finalize a CoC for the South China Sea this year.
They also welcomed progress in ongoing negotiations involving several countries, including China, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
While the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DoC) was signed in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in November 2002, negotiations on a formal Code of Conduct (CoC) gained momentum more than a decade later.
Unlike the non-binding DoC, the CoC is intended to be a legally binding framework to manage behavior, reduce miscalculation, and prevent escalation through self-restraint and practical maritime cooperation, including search and rescue and environmental protection.
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Translator: Cindy Frishanti Octavia, Yashinta Difa
Editor: Anton Santoso
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