Beijing is in “no rush” to sign the proposed South China Sea accord which would govern maritime behavior in the region, Reuters reported, citing a report from state-owned Xinhua News Agency on Monday. China’s foreign minister Wang Yi said that more work is needed on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) Code of Conduct. China said it will host talks between senior officials in September. Four ASEAN members, including Vietnam and the Philippines, have overlapping claims with China in the disputed waters. Friction has surged as China uses its growing naval might to more forcefully assert itself in the oil- and gas-rich sea.
Categories