Asean dreaming again of sea code of conduct

It is commendable that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) tries to keep up the hope that one day China will honor and join their initiative to maintain a standard of acceptable and lawful behavior in the South China Sea.

All 20 Asean members are unanimous in their collective resolve to negotiate with China a binding Code of Conduct (COC) in the area. They restated their position even if none of that interest, much less, sense of urgency, is seen on the part of China.