MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is expected to call on fellow Southeast Asian leaders to expedite negotiations on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea during the 46th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from May 26 to 27.

In a Palace briefing on Thursday, Foreign Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary Dominic Xavier Imperial said the President will reiterate the Philippines’ push for the early adoption of the COC, a long-delayed agreement seen as key to reducing tensions and promoting regional stability.

“This is what we are banking on during the summits. The President certainly will push for it. He will raise this with the leaders of the ASEAN,” Imperial said.

The call aligns with earlier commitments made by ASEAN foreign ministers in 2023 to fast-track discussions on the COC, which aims to provide a framework for peaceful maritime cooperation and prevent conflict in the contested waters.

Marcos said it is important that there is a binding COC to avoid misunderstandings or miscalculations among claimant states. He said the agreement would help clarify overlapping claims and ensure a rules-based approach to managing disputes in the South China Sea.

Despite the Hague ruling, China has consistently denied Filipinos the right to access the maritime area, prompting a series of violent clashes between Chinese and Philippine Coast Guards.