Will South China Sea’s code of conduct remain elusive as deadline looms?

AI Summary

Negotiations over a South China Sea code of conduct face a looming end-of-2026 deadline, but analysts warn the agreement could lack meaningful force. The talks involve China and claimant states Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and the Philippines, with disputes over territorial claims remaining a central obstacle.

A long-awaited code of conduct (COC) for the South China Sea risks becoming a toothless agreement, analysts have warned, as Beijing and Southeast Asian nations scramble to hammer out a deal by the end of 2026. More than three decades since it was mooted, the proposed pact has remained gridlocked over how to balance competing territorial claims among China and four rival claimant states – Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and the Philippines. Maritime experts speaking at a conference in Kuala Lumpur this...