Cooperation key to peace in South China Sea, officials and experts say

Southeast Asian officials and scholars emphasized the need for cooperation and mutual understanding in the South China Sea during the 12th Beijing Xiangshan Forum on Thursday.

During the session on Asia-Pacific security cooperation, Rommel Banlaoi, president of the Philippine Society for International Security Studies, noted that public opinion in the Philippines has been strongly influenced by media narratives reflecting Western perspectives, which have contributed to opposition toward China in the maritime dispute.

He expressed confidence, however, that the two sides could resolve their differences through dialogue, despite this view running counter to mainstream sentiment in the Philippines.

"Without talking to each other, the two sides cannot properly understand one another," Banlaoi said.

Malaysian Minister of Defence Mohamed Khaled Nordin highlighted the importance of the South China Sea as a vital maritime corridor connecting Asia with the rest of the world, calling it "an essential lifeline of the global economy and prosperity".

"For centuries, our people have traded, migrated, and shared these waters," he said at the forum's second plenary session, adding that Malaysia's relationship with China remains strong and constructive.

Acknowledging regional uncertainties and their potential consequences, Khaled urged countries to adopt a cooperative approach. "We must embrace a new paradigm not based on uncertainty, but on opportunity, cooperation, and the willingness to work together in accordance with international law," he said.

ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn said at a press conference during the forum that ASEAN and China have set a tentative deadline to conclude negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea by July next year. He expressed optimism and confidence that the process would be completed on schedule.

As Malaysia is the current chair of ASEAN, Khaled underscored the regional bloc's commitment to keeping the South China Sea a "sea of peace, friendship and prosperity", rather than a source of tension or conflict.

"ASEAN is determined to maintain peace in these waters for the sake of regional stability," he concluded.