ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn said he is optimistic that ASEAN and China can conclude the negotiations on the South China Sea Code of Conduct (COC) this year.
In an interview with CGTN at the Shangri-La Dialogue 2026 in Singapore, Kao said both sides remain committed to advancing talks and stressed that finalizing the agreement serves the interests of ASEAN and China.
"We have been negotiating for the COC since 2017. And the goal was to conclude the COC negotiations within this year. Our member states on the ASEAN side and China have been working very hard together to conclude the COC. And I believe that we have a lot of confidence, I have a lot of optimism that we will be able to conclude this. It's for the interests of ASEAN in China to have the COC concluded. I think there's a commitment and there's interest there," the secretary-general said.
The push for the COC dates back to the early 2000s, following the 2002 Declaration of Conduct of Parties, a non-binding accord between ASEAN and China. The talks then stalled for years before regaining traction in 2017.
Kao also noted that special events will be held to mark the deepening ties between China and ASEAN.
"This year, what is important also I want to highlight is that this is the 5th anniversary of the ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic partnership. And we have to do a lot of activities in that regard. "
