ASEAN defense chiefs push for SCS Code of Conduct

MANILA, Philippines — Defense chiefs of all 10 member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have renewed their commitment to work together “in a constructive and peaceful manner to maintain the South China Sea (SCS) as a sea of peace, stability and prosperity.”

At this year’s 18th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) in Laos, the defense ministers said preserving peace and promoting prosperity in the region should be done “through the full and
 effective implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the early conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), within a mutually-agreed timeline.”

The Vientiane Joint Declaration said ASEAN member-countries, through their defense chiefs, “are committed to promoting maritime security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight and creating a conducive environment for the peaceful settlement of disputes in the South China Sea.”

In the statement, the ASEAN defense ministers emphasized “the need for the early conclusion of an effective and substantive COC in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS while underlining the full and effective implementation of the DOC in the South China Sea in its entirety.”

ASEAN groups the Philippines, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The defense chiefs said such development would complement “existing confidence-building measures such as Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea, Guidelines for Air Military Encounters, Guidelines for Maritime Interaction, ASEAN Direct Communications Infrastructure and other related activities under the DOC framework to promote communication, mutual trust and confidence and to reduce tensions and the risk of accidents, misunderstandings and miscalculation in the air and at sea.”

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and his counterparts in the US, Australia, Japan and South Korea issued a separate joint statement reaffirming their “shared commitment” to a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, after their ADDM meetings.

The Department of National Defense (DND) also announced yesterday that Australia, Japan, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea and the United States issued a joint statement on the SCS issue after engaging in meetings during the ADDM-Plus meeting in Lao PDR.

“The defense leaders underscored their shared commitment to advance a vision for a free, open, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific, where international law and sovereignty are respected,” the DND said in a joint readout of the meeting.

“The ministers and secretaries emphasized the importance of close multilateral cooperation in support of regional security and stability, and underscored the importance of ASEAN centrality and ASEAN-led regional architecture,” they said.

“The leaders highlighted the progress made in strengthening their defense cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to working together moving forward,” the readout stated.

The DND likewise announced that Teodoro met with Japanese Minister of Defense Nakatani Gen on the sidelines of the 18th ASEAN ADMM and 11th ADMM-Plus yesterday “to discuss ways to further strengthen the defense partnership between the two nations.”

“Both leaders underscored the importance of deepening Phl-Japan relations, particularly in addressing shared security challenges in the region,” DND spokesman Director Arsenio Andolong said.

“Discussions also focused on advancing mutual defense initiatives, including logistics, maritime security and humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

The leaders emphasized their collaboration within ASEAN frameworks, reflecting shared support for regional stability and peace,” he said.