During the last ASEAN Regional Forum, the foreign ministers of all member states once again reiterated that ASEAN and China should expedite negotiation over the Code of Conduct (CoC) in the South China Sea. In line with his ASEAN counterparts, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in August that China expected the CoC to be finalized in 2021, despite all the obstacles during the pandemic. However, some analysts share a pessimistic view of the time line. Even though all parties have said on many occasions that they were committed to negotiating the CoC, the ASEAN Secretariat has never said anything publicly on the substance of the expected CoC. Meanwhile, tension has increased in the South China Sea over the last several years amid the United States-China rivalry and increased militarization in the disputed area. The CoC negotiation must consider a variety of aspects, but protection of fish…
This article was published in thejakartapost.com with the title “CoC should prioritize protecting fishermen in South China Sea”. Click to read: https://www.thejakartapost.com/paper/2020/11/12/coc-should-prioritize-protecting-fishermen-in-south-china-sea.html.
