China urges ASEAN partners to expedite South China Sea code

China is maintaining close consultations with ASEAN countries on a South China Sea Code of Conduct and hopes all parties will stay committed to the goal, focus on consensus and remove interference to finalize the code at an early date, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Monday.

Guo made the remarks at a regular news briefing after ASEAN leaders stressed at last week's summit the need to formulate a legally binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr said at a news conference after the summit that the code could be finalized within the year.

Guo said formulating the code of conduct is an important step in implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and represents an important consensus between China and ASEAN countries.

The code of conduct, he said, will help all parties better manage differences, promote cooperation and maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.