Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Jervis Manahan

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro is hopeful the South China Sea Code of Conduct will be finished by the end of 2026, as the Philippines wraps up its hosting of the ASEAN.In a press conference at the end of the four-day meeting, Lazaro said the regional bloc and China are making significant progress towards the conclusion of the code of conduct.&quot;This seems to be the focus of many countries. I can see the political will from all the countries involved,&quot; Lazaro said.Lazaro said they have been holding monthly meetings starting this January for the acceleration of the negotiations on the Code of Conduct.“I think you know very well that we have monthly meetings. These negotiations have not been done this way,” she said. “Since the start of January, there have been monthly meetings of the negotiators, and this is now part of the political will that we intend to finish this code of conduct by the end of the year,” she added.Lazaro was asked how the continued aggression of China and the provisional agreement will affect the crafting of the Code of Conduct, to which she said these will be part of the discussions.&quot;Remember that the Code of Conduct is in consonance with the 1982 UNCLOS and no diminution of the rights of third parties when you talk about the governance of the seas,&quot; Lazaro said.Lazaro also noted that one of the key areas of progress is the growing consensus on the principle of self-restraint, which forms part of the agreement’s terms of reference.She added that negotiations have also continued on the COC’s geographical scope, legal nature, and its relationship with the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro is hopeful the South China Sea Code of Conduct will be finished by the end of 2026, as the Philippines wraps up its hosting of the ASEAN.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro is hopeful the South China Sea Code of Conduct will be finished by the end of 2026, as the Philippines wraps up its hosting of the ASEAN.

There is political will to finish SCS Code of Conduct by year-end, says Lazaro

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There is political will to finish SCS Code of Conduct by year-end, says Lazaro

Jervis Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 24, 2026 01:18 AM PHT

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South China Sea

Code of Conduct

ASEAN

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