With PH as ASEAN chair, China calls for sea code it has long resisted

Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!

Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.

Visit Suniway.ph to learn

January 21, 2026 | 2:16pm

MANILA, Philippines — China's new ambassador to the Philippines called on Tuesday, January 20, for the swift finalization of the long-sought South China Sea code of conduct between ASEAN and Beijing by the end of this year.

Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan told media at an event in Makati yesterday that completing negotiations for the code would help regional stability, citing the Philippines' ASEAN chairmanship in 2026 as an opportunity to accelerate talks that have dragged on for more than two decades. 

China has, for years, consistently resisted a legally binding code that some ASEAN members such as the Philippines and Vietnam insist is necessary to hold Beijing accountable for its actions in the South China Sea. 

The aspect of the code that is most contentious is whether it should have legal force, which Beijing rejects. This has stalled negotiations since talks began in earnest in 2017, following a 2016 international tribunal ruling that invalidated China's expansive maritime claims.

Beijing has also proposed provisions that would give any signatory veto power over military exercises with countries outside the region — a measure observers say would effectively allow China to block joint drills between Southeast Asian nations and their partners, including the United States.

China has also further insisted that oil and gas development in disputed waters be conducted only with companies from countries bordering the South China Sea, a requirement that would exclude foreign energy firms already working with ASEAN members.

"If we can reach COC, that will be very helpful for the regional stability and very helpful for the long-term China-Philippines relations," Jing said during the Chinese embassy's event yesterday. 

But he acknowledged recent tensions between the two countries, noting "incidents occurring on the sea" alongside what he called attempts to "demonize China."

ASEAN and China agreed in July 2023 to finish the code within three years, or by July 2026. Philippine officials, including Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro, have said all parties are "politically committed" to meeting that deadline. 

Malaysia's Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said this week both sides are in the "final phase" of negotiations. 

Malaysia was last year's chair of ASEAN.

But whether the Philippines' chairship of ASEAN will make a difference remains uncertain. 

Beyond disagreements over whether the code should be legally binding, negotiations have stalled over geographic scope and enforcement mechanisms. Beijing has rejected proposals for monitoring or penalties, which would render the code as toothless as the non-binding 2002 Declaration on Conduct of Parties it is meant to replace.

Amid the slow pace of negotiations, since 2013, Beijing has continued its military buildup over disputed features in the sea.

Jing, who arrived in Manila in December after serving as deputy chief of mission at China's embassy in Washington, struck a conciliatory tone in parts of his speech, saying all Filipinos he has met "wish that the situation in the South China Sea could stabilize and our relations improve." He cited the Department of Foreign Affairs' recently announced 14-day visa-free policy for Chinese nationals as "good news" alongside the maritime incidents he characterized as "bad news."

But he also delivered a sharp warning to the Philippines, saying Beijing would "push back firmly without any hesitation" against what he called "groundless attacks and smears."