South China Sea: Security issues must be handled through negotiations - PM

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak pointed out that Malaysia holds the stand that issues concerning security in the South China Sea must be tackled through negotiations and that everyone should not take any action that could cause tension in the maritime region.

The Prime Minister, in his intervention at the 29th ASEAN Summit Meeting, said this had also been agreed upon by all ASEAN leaders.

"They (ASEAN leaders) have the same opinion and this (matter) was brought to the ASEAN-China Summit Meeting," he told Malaysian journalists tonight.

Najib said the meeting also targeted the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the adoption of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea in the South China Sea (COC) to be implemented next year.

"If the DOC and COC are implemented, we can manage the South China Sea without any tension," he said.

In addition, the Prime Minister said the Summit Meeting also agreed that the implementation of CUEC (Code for Encounters at Sea in the South China Sea) and the Guidelines for Hotline Communication among Senior Officials of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of ASEAN and China be used if an emergency occurred in the

maritime region.

"The CUEC can avoid any undesired incidents from occurring in the South China Sea," he said.

The issue concerning the South China Sea lately became a regional and international issue for those with common interests such as the developments in the South China Sea, terrorism and extremism, maritime security and other security issues.

The Prime Minister today led the Malaysian delegation on a tight programme on the second day of the ASEAN Summit Meeting which began with the 29th ASEAN Summit Meeting, followed by the ASEAN Plus One Summit Meeting which involved China, Japan and South Korea, ASEAN Plus Three Summit, Australia, and the United Nations.

The Prime Minister also held a bilateral meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, to discuss issues of common interest.

"The bilateral meeting also touched on my oficial visit to China scheduled from November 1 to 2," he said.