New developments appeared on the line China-ASEAN. The Tuesday meeting of senior diplomats has marked significant improvements, among them the setting of a deadline for the South China Sea code of conduct (COC). The first draft is expected for next year. In addition to that, both sides agreed to arrange more frequent negotiations and creating a hotline between China and ASEAN in the case of emergencies.

Liu Zhenmin, the chairman of the conference said: ‘(…) the situation in the South China Sea is getting more and more complicated, especially with the interference of external forces, ASEAN countries and China have realized that we have to grasp the key to the South China Sea issue in our own hand’. Indirectly he tried to blame the United States and its regional allies, such as Japan and Australia, for stirring the conflict. China and the ASEAN are trying to take back control of the situation rather quickly; only last month the international court in Hague ruled that China has no historic right over the South China Sea. Although it is the third meeting that discusses a potential COC for the South China Sea, this one has marked the most concrete commitments.

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