JAKARTA (Reuters) – China and ASEAN will speed up consultations this year on a code of conduct in the South China Sea. Qin Gang said that China will work with ASEAN to jointly maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea and accelerate consultations on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea. The South China Sea Code of Conduct is a legally binding document that regulates the behavior of countries in the disputed South China Sea and aims to create a framework to help mediate territorial and maritime disputes in the waterway. Some experts have accused China of deliberately slowing down the process, including using gray zone tactics and strategic ambiguity to claim sovereignty over the South China Sea, Reuters reported. The South China Sea Code of Conduct will be a further step forward on this declaration.
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