(REUTERS) China hosted the ASEAN delegations for the 13th Senior Officials’ Meeting on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in the northern region of Inner Mongolia on Tuesday (August 16), state media reported.
State broadcaster CCTV said the meeting reviewed and passed two documents of pragmatic maritime cooperation, including a joint statement from China and ASEAN countries on the application of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES).
“The Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) is actually a rule reached at the Western Pacific Naval Symposium. Considering some ASEAN nations have not taken part in it, everyone agreed to apply this rule in the South China Sea in order to avoid incidents between navies in the South China Sea from this year. This rule might be technical, but the application of this rule is politically significant. It has political significance to safeguard the South China Sea against potential risks,” said China’s Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin.
Liu said China and ASEAN nations are the direct victims if peace and stability in the South China Sea are damaged, and should be fully responsible for protecting the region.
“Outside powers can just walk away after making trouble (in the South China Sea). Countries within the region are the permanent hosts here. We, as host, should well safeguard the regional peace and stability,” he added.
China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion of trade moves annually. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have rival claims.