Maria Theresa Lazaro Says South China Sea Deal Is 80% Agreed, but Talks Remain Open

Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro says negotiators have made significant progress on a long-awaited South China Sea agreement, but there is still no final deal. Speaking after the first day of the ASEAN leaders’ summit in Manila on Sunday, Lazaro said ASEAN and China had provisionally agreed on about 80 per cent of the proposed code’s negotiating text. The Philippines had hoped to conclude the negotiations by the end of 2026, while holding ASEAN’s rotating chairmanship. Lazaro said that despite progress, differences among member states and China—and the time needed to work through them—had kept the code from being finalised this year. She estimated that another five to six months of discussions might be enough to finish the work. The proposed Code of Conduct is intended to set rules for managing tensions in the disputed waterway. The Philippines, China, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei have overlapping maritime claims in the South China Sea. Indonesia is not a claimant, but its North Natuna waters have also seen encounters involving Chinese fishing boats, according to the report. Lazaro said negotiators had provisionally agreed that the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties would form the foundation for the new code, which would contain more substantive provisions. She also said the parties agreed the code should provide a platform for practical maritime cooperation. The Philippines’ ASEAN chairmanship passes to Singapore in 2027. Lazaro expressed confidence that Singapore could bring the discussions to a conclusion, while acknowledging that negotiations were still underway and no final agreement had been reached.