Philippines clash ‘has not changed’ South China Sea code hopes: Chinese envoy

Renewed tension at sea between China and the Philippines “has not changed” Beijing’s desire to solidify rules of conduct in contested waters with Southeast Asian nations, its ambassador in Manila said on Tuesday.

Filipino and Chinese sailors clashed at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea on Monday in what was their first serious encounter at sea in months.

Beijing claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, a vital global trade route, despite an international ruling that found its claims have no legal basis.

Southeast Asian nations have long sought to reach a code of conduct (CoC) with China for the waterway, a quest analysts have warned is unlikely to result in a document with teeth.

However, Chinese ambassador Jing Quan brushed aside suggestions that the clash, which had drawn condemnation of Beijing from Manila’s allies, could derail the goal of reaching an agreement by the end of the year.

“No matter what happened bilaterally, I think our willingness to finish the CoC talk at the end of this year has not changed,” Jing told local reporters hours after meeting Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos for closed-door talks.

Jing said the code was a separate matter from the territorial disputes that have seen the Philippines and China clash repeatedly in the South China Sea.

“I don’t think the CoC really addresses those bilateral disputes. It’s kind of rules of engagement among different relevant parties,” Jing said.

China also summoned Manila’s envoy to Beijing on Tuesday “to lodge solemn representations” over the sea clash.

The renewed hostilities between China and the Philippines come as Manila hosts the foreign ministers of the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for several days of talks.

They are joined by counterparts from the United States, China, Japan, Russia and numerous other countries.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Manila on Tuesday and is expected to meet his Philippine counterpart on Wednesday.

“The South China Sea is a shared home for regional countries, and South China Sea issues should not become a stumbling block to China-ASEAN relations”, Wang said as he met ASEAN’s secretary-general, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua.

In a separate interview, Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow told AFP the code would be “a stabilising influence” but said the broader issues would not be resolved easily.

“Definitely, it’s going to take a lot of talks, a lot of diplomacy,” Sihasak said.

“But let’s try to stabilise the situation, and perhaps the code of conduct can help in this direction.”