China and ASEAN Agree on 80 Percent of South China Sea Code but Miss Deadline

China and ASEAN have provisionally agreed on about 80% of a proposed South China Sea code of conduct, but they will miss their goal of finishing negotiations by the end of this year. The talks, begun in 2005, aim to reduce the risk of clashes in the strategically important waters by encouraging restraint. The main unresolved issues are the agreement’s geographic scope, the meaning of sensitive terms and whether it will be legally binding. Negotiations are expected to resume next year, when Singapore takes over ASEAN’s rotating chairmanship.