China, ASEAN officials meet in Indonesia

China and ASEAN are holding two days of talks on policy in the South China Sea. Senior officials from the joint working group are meeting in Bali, Indonesia.

On the agenda is the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. China and ASEAN will discuss an approach on the development of the Code of Conduct. They will also consider a draft progress report on the implementation of the Declaration and the Code process.

The report will be submitted for notation at the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference Session with China in August in Nay Pyi Taw in Myanmar. Earlier, the Chinese government urged the ASEAN members to commit themselves to a full and effective implementation of the Declaration, enhance practical maritime cooperation, and steadily move forward the negotiation process of a Code of Conduct.