Senior officials from China and member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have finalized a draft framework for the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea. The draft framework was completed Thursday during the 14th senior officials’ meeting on the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea (DOC). The consensus was reached ahead of the mid-2017 goal set by the leaders of ASEAN and China. Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said the word and commitment of one country to another will make the framework for the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea binding.

Mabasa, R. (2017, May 20). Draft of sea code completed: commitment will make framework for COC in South China Sea binding – Cayetano. Manila Bulletin, pp. 1, 6.