Pasay city: The Philippines will utilize the 2016 Arbitral Award as a fundamental framework in its pursuit of a Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, engaging China and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), announced Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro on Friday. 'We will use this Award as our clear legal and policy baseline to engage partners and to pursue an effective, legally binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea,' she stated at a conference marking the 10th anniversary of the landmark ruling in Pasay City.

According to Philippines News Agency, Secretary Lazaro emphasized Manila's commitment to concluding the ongoing COC negotiations within the current year. In a separate interview, she highlighted the progress being made, noting that ASEAN and Beijing have been holding monthly meetings with a 'breakthrough' achieved in each round of discussions.

The negotiations have been focused on four key contentious issues within the draft COC, which include establishing a link between the COC and the non-binding Declaration of Conduct (DOC) on the South China Sea. Other core issues being addressed involve determining the legal binding nature of the final document, defining the COC's geographical scope, and clarifying terms such as self-restraint.

Secretary Lazaro also mentioned that other ASEAN member states are preparing separate papers to propose ways forward in addressing at least one of these critical subjects.