EU hopeful sea code would bring regional peace, stability

EUROPEAN Union Ambassador to Manila Massimo Santoro said the EU is hopeful that the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea being finalized this year would be "legally binding" to ensure peace and stability in the region. The Philippines, as chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in 2026, has expressed commitment to finalizing this year the COC between Asean and China, which has dragged on for 17 years due to some contentious issues. The Asean is composed of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Timor-Leste, Thailand, and Vietnam. "Sometimes somebody asks me, why is the European Union so interested in the South China Sea?" Santoro said in an interview with a select group of reporters over the weekend. "Well, if I move it to the trade dimension, almost 40 percent of the trade that goes to Europe passes from the South China Sea," Santoro pointed out. The envoy expressed confidence that "any side to this negotiation is interested in a code of conduct which is functional for its purpose." "From our side, we also hope a legally binding one. This is what the European Union likes," Santoro added. "Clearly, we are supportive of a code of conduct. This is a good tool for all parties adhering to it, for ensuring stability, for ensuring predictability, for ensuring that no unilateral action occurs, for ensuring full respect of rights, the legitimate rights of each party," he said. “I think that if the code of conduct becomes a good, solid product, fully consistent with Unclos (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), in my view, its potential goes well beyond the only parties to it," the envoy added. Santoro also said that "any negotiation which is multilateral depends on the willingness, on the participation, and on the genuine approach of all sides involved." "I think that it is not a surprise the Philippines is making so far an excellent job in this negotiation. I'm completely confident that the Philippines is an excellent actor for such negotiations," he said. Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro earlier said the COC in the South China Sea, once finalized, would benefit both the Asean and China.

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