Ready to work with ASEAN to address maritime disputes: China

BEIJING: China said it is willing to work with the ASEAN nations to formulate a code of conduct to address the territorial disputes with its neighbours in the South China Sea.

"China is ready to work with ASEAN for comprehensive and effective implementation of DOC (declaration on conduct of parties) and steadily push forward consultations on a COC (code of conduct)," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told media persons here.

Qin's comment came ahead of the 10th joint working group meeting between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the implementation of the declaration on the conduct (DOC) of parties in the South China Sea.

The meeting will be held on March 18 in Singapore. China opposes any third party intervention to resolve the disputes. It claims sovereignty over almost all of the South China Sea.

Its claims however are strongly contested by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, all leading members of ASEAN.

Practical maritime cooperation will also be touched upon during the meeting, Qin said.

Qin called for favourable conditions for the implementation of the DOC and formulation of code of conduct to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.

Chinese and ASEAN officials met last September in Suzhou, in east China's Jiangsu Province, for the 6th China-ASEAN senior officials' meeting and the 9th joint working group meeting on the implementation of the DOC.