ANKARA 

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to the "peaceful" resolution of long-simmering South China Sea dispute, calling on all parties to exercise "maximum" restraint and avoid any activities that could escalate disputes or threaten peace and stability in the contested waters.

The grouping's leaders, who met at the 46th ASEAN Summit held in Kuala Lumpur under Malaysia’s chairmanship, reiterated their "unwavering" commitment to upholding peace, stability, and freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea, amid rising concerns over regional maritime tensions, Malaysia's state-run Bernama news agency reported.

In a statement issued following the conclusion of the summit, the leaders reiterated the need to maintain a rules-based regional order, emphasizing the "critical importance of fostering mutual trust and confidence among claimant states and other stakeholders."

“We further reaffirmed the need to enhance mutual trust and confidence, exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability,” it said.

The bloc's leaders also underscored the importance of fully implementing the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), which serves as a political commitment to avoid aggressive actions and resolve disputes through dialogue.

“We welcomed the progress in the ongoing negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC),” the statement said, adding that the bloc remains committed to the early conclusion of an effective and substantive COC in accordance with international law.

The leaders reaffirmed the importance of undertaking confidence-building and preventive measures to foster "greater trust and transparency" among parties involved in the South China Sea.

The South China Sea has been a longstanding source of tension and distrust in the region.

The sea—a crucial passage for a significant portion of the world’s commercial shipping—is bordered by Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

*Writing by Aamir Latif​​​​​​​