(Manila, 11th) Philippine President Marcos Jr. stated that during the Philippines’ 2026 tenure as rotating chair of ASEAN, the country will make every effort to push for the conclusion of a binding "Code of Conduct in the South China Sea" to clarify the responsibilities of all signatory countries and prevent escalation of the situation.
According to The Manila Times, in a podcast aired on the night of August 8, he said that after the implementation of the "Code," all countries will have clear rules and will avoid mutual accusations or incidents such as ship collisions and island-building, "because we have already agreed not to do so."
The "Code of Conduct in the South China Sea" was initiated by ASEAN and China in 2002, a framework draft was reached in 2017, and formal negotiations began in 2018, but progress has been slow.
According to the rotation order, Myanmar was originally scheduled to hold the chairmanship in 2026, but due to ongoing political uncertainty, the Philippines has taken its place. This year's chair is Malaysia.