(VOVworld) - Philippine Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo said on Tuesday that ASEAN and China have made good progress on coming up with a framework for a Code of Conduct. 

Philippine Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo (left) (Source: VNA)

Manalo said that ASEAN and China are more than halfway through identifying the COC’s contents. The official also said Manila will hold talks with Beijing next month to tackle issues concerning the East Sea. Negotiators from China and ASEAN have met in Indonesia and Cambodia over the past two months to try to come up with a final draft. The document is likely to be approved ahead of a meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers in Manila in August.