ASEAN vows to promote talks with China on S. China Sea code of conduct

Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Wednesday vowed to advance negotiations with China on a legally binding code of conduct aimed at reducing territorial and maritime conflicts in the South China Sea, a potential flashpoint that could destabilize the region.

"We looked forward to intensifying official consultations with China on the development of the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea with a view to its early conclusion," said a chairman's statement issued after the ASEAN summit in Brunei, referring to the talks the two sides launched in September.