The Philippines, as ASEAN chair, aims to accelerate talks with China on a South China Sea code of conduct and conclude them this year, Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro said.
The pace of negotiations will increase from quarterly to monthly working group meetings, with additional senior official meetings planned.
Talks have stalled for years over issues like legal status, scope, and enforcement, despite overlapping claims by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam, while China claims nearly the entire sea.
Lazaro emphasized the goal is to produce an “effective and substantive” code aligned with international law, though she noted challenges remain.
Momentum has improved as several ASEAN members submitted proposals to guide the next stage of discussions under the Philippines’ leadership.
Source: PhilNews24 | February 8, 2026
PHILIPPINES PUSHES TO COMPLETE SOUTH CHINA SEA CODE TALKS BY 2026
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