Expert: ASEAN Centrality Key in South China Sea Code of Conduct

International law expert Hikmahanto Juwana has emphasised the importance of ASEAN centrality in discussions on the Code of Conduct (CoC) for the South China Sea. The University of Indonesia professor added that ASEAN’s leading role is also intended to ensure regional leaders are not influenced by external interests during the CoC negotiations. “Through several ASEAN countries, certain parties may try to insert other interests; but this will only cause the negotiations to take longer,” Hikmahanto said in a statement received in Jakarta on Thursday. He also stressed the importance of finalising the South China Sea CoC promptly to ensure regional stability. During a discussion held by the Indonesia Strategic and Defense Studies (ISDS) in Jakarta on Wednesday (1/7), Hikmahanto said the CoC reflects the great hope of ASEAN countries and China, whose territories border the South China Sea, to coexist peacefully in the region. “We agree there is no need to use force there,” he stated. To address the issue, Hikmahanto reiterated the importance of ASEAN maintaining its centrality in advancing shared objectives in the South China Sea, especially given that the issues are complex and require a long time to resolve. He also expressed hope that countries outside the region would respect ASEAN’s position in the South China Sea, particularly during the process of formulating the CoC with China. He noted that sustained, consensus-based diplomatic dialogue is crucial in managing overlapping maritime claims in the South China Sea. In the ASEAN Leaders’ Joint Declaration on Maritime Cooperation, signed at the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, Philippines, in May, leaders agreed to continue CoC negotiations in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS. Meanwhile, in March 2026, Chinese Ambassador to ASEAN Wang Qing affirmed China’s strong political will to conclude the CoC in the South China Sea according to the target set for this year.