Phl hopes China to discuss sea code with ASEAN

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is ready to discuss with China the binding code of conduct of parties on the disputed South China Sea.

"ASEAN is prepared to speak to China and we hope that China will sit down with ASEAN nations and move the discussion on the declaration further up," Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing.

The Palace official made the statement as the country welcomes Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono who will be attending the World Economic Forum on East Asia hosted by the Philippines on Thursday and Friday.

The two ASEAN leaders, who will also be here upon the invitation of President Benigno Aquino III, will separately discuss political and defense issues, among other matters, with the Filipino leader.

This comes amid the increasing tensions in the South China Sea, including Beijing's deployment of an oil rig off the coast of Vietnam that sparked anti-China riots.

The Philippines, on the other hand, protested China's construction efforts on the contested Mabini Reef. Filipino authorities also arrested Chinese poachers in the disputed waters.

With its recent actions, Aquino said China violated the non-binding, informal code of conduct on the South China Sea which states that concerned parties should refrain from occupying the presently uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals and other maritime features.

Read: PNoy: China violated declaration of sea conduct with reef reclamation

Malacañang earlier said that Aquino and Dung are expected to "compare notes" on China's recent aggressive actions in the contested territories.

But on Wednesday, Lacierda said Dung's visit should not be viewed as Philippines and Vietnam teaming up against China.

"No, that's not the proper context to it... We certainly have a commonality with respect to our dispute with China. But again, this is an issue that has been tackled with the ASEAN as a whole," Lacierda said.