KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia plans to utilise its role as chair of the Asean summits next year to address unresolved issues in the South China Sea, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Mohamad Alamin said Malaysia is also the joint chairman of the Asean-China Joint Working Group on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (JWGDOC) and Asean-China Senior Officials Meeting on the Implementation of the DOC (SOM-DOC).
"This platform of the Asean summits is crucial and we will make the most of it, particularly when we take on the Asean chairmanship. I am confident and optimistic that we can engage in discussions to finalise the Code of Conduct (COC) for the South China Sea.
" Once finalised, all parties must respect the COC and uphold our country's sovereignty," he said in response to a supplementary question from Suhaizan Kaiat (PH-Pulai.
Suhaizan asked if Malaysia plans to leverage the upcoming Asean chairmanship to resolve the issues in the South China Sea.
Earlier, he reiterated Malaysia's position regarding the issues in the South China Sea is clear and consistent.
"All disputes and resolutions related to the South China Sea must be based on international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS 1982).
"Additionally, it is important to note that Asean countries and China signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) on Nov 4, 2002.
"This is part of regional efforts to ensure peace and stability and to avoid tensions in the South China Sea. In line with the understanding under the DOC, Asean countries have adopted an approach of "self-restraint" to ensure that actions taken and activities conducted in the South China Sea do not escalate tensions on the ground."
He said this in response to the initial question from Suhaizan on the recommendation to resolve the tensions in the South China Sea between China and Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan.
He added currently, Asean countries and China are negotiating the code of conduct in the South China Sea.
"The COC is viewed as a framework to prevent conflicts and tensions in the South China Sea, and it does not prejudice the territorial and maritime claims of each country.
"The negotiations are being carried out by Asean member states and China through platforms such as the JWGDOC and SOM-DOC), based on a Single Draft Negotiating Text (SDNT) COC that serves as the basis for discussions."
This year, the COC negotiations were held in Bali, Indonesia in March; in Bangkok, Thailand in May and last month in Xi'an, China.
Another round of COC negotiation is scheduled to be held in Vientiane, Laos, next month.
He said Malaysia also plays an important role at the international level as the country coordinator for Asean-China Dialogue Relations for three years from August to July 2027.
"As the coordinator, one of Malaysia's roles is to serve as co-chair, alongside China, in negotiating the draft COC. In this regard, Malaysia is committed to ensuring that the COC will be an effective and substantive document for addressing issues related to the South China Sea.
"Malaysia will always ensure that the negotiated COC will never undermine the sovereignty, sovereign rights, and interests of the country."