KUCHING: Malaysia has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing a substantive and effective Code of Conduct (COC) for the South China Sea, further highlighting the importance of peace, security and stability within the ASEAN region.
In a statement the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Wisma Putra) said the COC, currently being negotiated by ASEAN member states and China, is aimed at constructively addressing key issues in the disputed waters while fostering mutual trust, confidence-building and constructive dialogue among parties.
“It is also envisaged to serve as a meaningful instrument in ensuring the peaceful resolution of disputes and the prevention of tensions in the region.
“The negotiations are being held under the framework of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), which was signed on Nov 4, 2002, as a shared commitment between ASEAN and China,” Wisma Putra said.
It added that this year alone, five rounds of COC negotiations have been scheduled across ASEAN and China — Jakarta in February, Manila in April, Kuching in August, Singapore in September and China in November.
“Malaysia remains deeply committed to ensuring the effective implementation of the DOC by all parties.
“At the same time, Malaysia remains committed to advancing a substantive and effective COC that constructively addresses key issues in the South China Sea, while safeguarding its sovereignty, sovereign rights and national interests,” it stated.
The DOC and COC efforts, Wisma Putra added, reflect Malaysia’s continued role in fostering regional dialogue and cooperation under the ASEAN-China framework, particularly in promoting peace, stability and mutual trust in the South China Sea.
This week, Malaysia is hosting the ongoing 48th Meeting of the ASEAN-China Joint Working Group on the Implementation of the DOC (JWG-DOC) and the 24th ASEAN-China Senior Officials’ Meeting on the Implementation of the DOC (SOM-DOC) in Kuching from Aug 11 to 14.
The last time Malaysia hosted the meetings was in 2019.
Aside from chairing ASEAN in 2025, Malaysia is also serving as the Country Coordinator for ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations from Aug 2024 to July 2027, co-chairing discussions with China on the DOC’s implementation and the COC negotiations.
