China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi Wraps Up Southeast Asian Tour with Promise for South China Sea Code of Conduct

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (r) at a news conference on July 12 in Kuala Lumpur with Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah. Photo: Andrea Verdelli/Pool/AFP

Wang Yi, China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, pledged progress on a long-awaited code of conduct for the South China Sea region. His comments came as he wrapped up a five-nation tour of the region in Malaysia. 

China’s claim on much of the South China Sea has long been controversial in the region. The Philippines recently raised the stakes by reiterating a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague refuting Chinese ownership of an archipelago in the disputed area. China has disregarded the court’s finding.

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by Cobus van Staden

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