USS George Washington aircraft carrier in the East Sea on October 24, 2013 (Photo: AFP)

(VOVworld) – Naval chiefs of the US and several Asia-Pacific countries, including China, Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia have signed a code of conduct to improve communications and minimise possible conflicts at sea at the 14^th Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS), held in Quingdao, China. The Code of Unplanned Encounters on the Sea, signed on Tuesday, is expected to reduce the possibility of clashes or misunderstanding at sea routes surrounding China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. The agreement, which is not binding, is believed to help set up international standards on using sea routes.