It remains to be seen whether ASEAN and China can finalize the long-awaited agreement by the previously agreed deadline of July 2026.
A photo released by the Armed Forces of the Philippines that claims to show a China Coast Guard vessel firing a water cannon in the vicinity of Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, Aug. 20, 2025.
The Philippines is hoping a code of conduct for the South China Sea can be completed when it is chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) next year, its foreign secretary said yesterday.
Theresa Lazaro, who took up her post in a cabinet reshuffle in July, said that the Philippines would propose convening meetings more frequently – possibly weekly – in order to expedite negotiations.
“I think there is already a sense among AS
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