ISTANBUL

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged leaders of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries Monday to expedite the implementation of a “code of conduct” for the South China Sea, the South China Morning Post reported.

“We underscore the urgent need to accelerate the adoption of a legally binding code of conduct in the South China Sea. This is to safeguard maritime rights, promote stability and prevent miscalculations at sea,” Marcos said during the 46th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia.

The code of conduct, which has been under negotiation between ASEAN and China since 2002, seeks to ease tensions in the contested South China Sea by establishing guidelines for maritime conduct and mechanisms for managing crises.

Negotiations have repeatedly stalled over the years due to ongoing tensions surrounding territorial disputes and conflicting national interests.

In 2016, an international arbitral tribunal in The Hague sided with the Philippines in a maritime dispute against China specifically concerning the South China Sea, concluding that China's claims had no foundation in international law. China has rejected the tribunal's decision.

Several ASEAN member states including the Philippines have overlapping territorial claims with China in the disputed South China Sea.