Many countries expect the COC in the East Sea to be legally binding.

(Baonghean) - On August 7, Australia, Japan and the United States urged Southeast Asian countries and China to ensure that the Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea that the parties have just committed to drafting will be legally binding.

Foreign Ministers of China and ASEAN countries at the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Photo: Reuters

A statement issued by the foreign ministers of the three countries after a meeting in Manila, the Philippines, said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China should establish a set of rules that are “legally binding, meaningful, effective and consistent with international law.”

At the same time, these countries also urged China and the Philippines to comply with the ruling of the international arbitration court last year on the East Sea issue.

Days earlier, foreign ministers from Southeast Asian countries and China adopted the framework of a code of conduct to resolve disputes in the South China Sea, paving the way for negotiations on an actual code to be launched before the end of the year.

The event took place in the context of ASEAN foreign ministers issuing a joint statement calling for non-militarization of the East Sea and noting countries' concerns over illegal land reclamation in the region.

The draft framework has not been made public, but a leaked two-page plan says the framework aims to promote “mutual trust, cooperation and confidence, prevent and handle incidents, and create a favorable environment for the peaceful resolution of disputes.”

Phu Binh

(According to Straitimes)