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20th Anniversary of Signing! Witnesses told the secret story of the release of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea

author:Overseas network

Source: Global Times

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration on the Conduct of All Parties in the South China Sea (hereinafter referred to as the "Declaration"). At a commemorative seminar hosted by the Department of Border and Ocean Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China and co-organized by the China Institute of Border and Oceanography of Wuhan University and the China South China Sea Research Institute, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister He Namhong, Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifdin Abdullah, Myanmar Foreign Ministry Permanent Secretary Qiane, and other dignitaries from China and ASEAN countries delivered important speeches, affirming the important role played by the Declaration in safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea over the past 20 years.

The Global Times reporter witnessed this unique seminar throughout the process, listened to the witnesses recall the release process of the Declaration 20 years ago, and felt the tireless dedication and efforts of the older generation of diplomats. There were no swords at the scene, and they communicated frankly with each other in laughter. The Chinese and foreign guests attending the meeting unanimously agreed that the Declaration expressed the common aspirations of all parties and expressed their ardent expectations for the early conclusion of the "Code of Conduct in the South China Sea" (hereinafter referred to as the "Code").

"Honored and proud"! Signatory: The Declaration guards peace and stability in the South China Sea

20 years ago, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, then Vice Foreign Minister and Special Envoy, personally participated in and witnessed the Declaration from scratch and signed the Declaration as a representative of the Chinese side. Wang Yi said in a video message at the seminar that the Declaration is the first political document signed by China and ASEAN countries on the South China Sea issue, which establishes the basic principles and common norms for all parties to deal with the South China Sea issue. Over the past 20 years, we have scrupulously abided by the provisions of the Declaration, worked together to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea, and maintained the freedom and safety of navigation in the South China Sea. Over the past 20 years, through the Platform of the Declaration, we have actively carried out sea-related dialogue and cooperation, and achieved "early harvests" in many fields. Over the past 20 years, we have used the framework of the Declaration to consolidate china-ASEAN political mutual trust and promote the vigorous development of China-ASEAN relations.

At the seminar that day, there were also five signatories and witnesses of the Declaration, including Suraj Sha Tin Tai, former Deputy Prime Minister and former Foreign Minister of Thailand. "It is a great pleasure to meet so many friends today, especially colleagues from some ASEAN countries!" At the beginning, Surakir greets his old friends with ease.

Surakiart, who attended by video in Bangkok, recalled that at the beginning of the negotiations on the Declaration, there were divergent views among the signatories. However, all parties expressed their willingness to resolve the issue in a peaceful manner through dialogue and jointly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea. It was on the basis of this shared aspiration that, after years of discussion and negotiation, the Declaration was finally signed.

"This sends an important signal: there is a strong will of regional countries to ensure that the South China Sea truly becomes a sea of peace, freedom and prosperity." Suraj said that in the past 20 years, the international situation has been turbulent, and the Declaration has withstood many tests and is still of practical significance, guarding peace and security in the South China Sea. As a member of this historical process, he is "honored and proud".

Former Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Laos, Somsavat Lingsavat, another witness to the seminar, signed the Declaration on behalf of the Lao Government, and his feelings were "both happy and glorious". Song Shawar said that the signing of the Declaration is of landmark significance, representing the collective commitment made by ASEAN countries and China to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea, enhance mutual trust and promote cooperation.

Songshawar mentioned that looking back over the past 20 years, significant progress has been made in political, economic, security, social, cultural and other aspects of cooperation between ASEAN countries and China, which are inseparable from the important foundation laid by the Declaration.

When Hassan Virayuda, then Indonesian Foreign Minister, signed the Declaration on behalf of the Indonesian government in 2002, he revealed in a video link that signing the Declaration was not only the result of negotiations between governments, but also the "Track 1.5 Dialogue" involving government officials, scholars and representatives from all walks of life for a long time. Hassan also said that negotiations on the "guidelines" are very important and that the "Track 1.5 Dialogue" may continue to work.

In addition, Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and then Foreign Minister Ho Nam Hung and former Vietnamese Foreign Minister Nguyen Thanh, who also signed the Declaration, each recounted their unique memories of the experience. Listening to the speeches of old friends, fu Ying's thoughts, vice chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress of China, also returned to 20 years ago. Fu Ying, then director of the Asia Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had an indissoluble relationship with ASEAN countries and also participated in the process of consultation and implementation of the Declaration.

Fu Ying said that after the end of the Cold War, China began to restore or establish diplomatic relations with some countries in Southeast Asia. In this process, the differences and disputes over some islands, reefs, beaches, sand and related rights and interests in the South China Sea have become relatively large issues of disagreement. If we don't have a good way to deal with them, these issues will always hang over our heads, interfering with efforts to advance partnerships. The signing of the Declaration has brought these issues into the framework of rational control, allowing China and ASEAN countries to cooperate in various fields, which has also laid a solid foundation and guarantee for China and ASEAN countries to achieve leapfrog development in the past 20 years.

Drink beer, play golf... "non-traditional diplomatic methods" come in handy

It will not be easy to get the 11 signatories to accommodate the concerns of all parties and to maximize consensus. In this process, "non-traditional diplomatic methods" play a key role. Former Philippine Deputy Foreign Minister Lauro Baja, who spearheaded the topic of "non-traditional diplomatic approaches" at a seminar on the same day, said that the reason why the negotiations on the Declaration were called "non-traditional" was because they were not bilateral talks in the traditional sense, but negotiations between ASEAN countries and China, involving a wide range of consultations and meetings between 11 parties, as well as bilateral or trilateral talks.

Baja, who served as the Philippine Deputy Foreign Minister from 1998 to 2003, experienced the entire process of negotiations on the Declaration, and in addition to affirming the fruitful results of the Declaration, he "revealed" the story behind the signing of the Declaration in detail at a seminar on the same day, saying that some details are still vividly remembered.

Once, Baha and Fu Ying attended an event together, and they stood in the corner of the conference room and "chatted." The Declaration, the Code, and many other topics were discussed, and we unconsciously chatted for an hour and a half. Negotiations do not only take place at the negotiating table, but on some seemingly casual occasions, representatives of ASEAN countries and China may conduct in-depth exchanges and consultations, and will also exchange views with each other and ask each other's views and opinions, which is the "non-traditional diplomatic method" followed by the Declaration. "It is essential to maintain a relaxed and liberal atmosphere during negotiations, and 'non-traditional diplomatic approaches' can have this effect, helping all parties to improve understanding and promote positive progress in the relationship," Baja said. ”

Baja revealed that after years of consultations, ASEAN countries and China have finally drawn up a draft Declaration, and formal diplomatic negotiations have begun after having a draft. However, how to make the wording acceptable to all parties has really tested the wisdom of the countries in the region. For example, he said, as mentioned in article V of the Declaration, "including non-habitation actions on currently uninhabited islands, reefs, beaches, sand or other natural formations", instead of using the coercive expression "occupation", the objective description of "taking residence" was used, which made the wording of the Declaration more neutral. The wording of the provisions of the Declaration seems ordinary, in fact, every sentence and every word has been tempered many times, and negotiators from ASEAN countries and China have worked hard to search in the "language jungle" to find an expression that accurately expresses the wishes of all parties and is acceptable to all parties.

"Why do we encounter so many difficulties, get into so many deadlocks, walk into so many dead ends, and finally get out?" Baha gave his own answer, "Because we respect each other, treat each other as equals, and have a common desire to maintain regional peace and stability and focus on cooperation and development."

Listening to Baha's words, Fu Ying, a former ambassador to the Philippines, lamented, "There were indeed many arduous negotiations and negotiations at that time, but at the same time there were many good memories."

The "diplomatic iron lady" revealed her sentimental side, saying that China's engagement with ASEAN countries has not been smooth, and sometimes frustrated on the return plane, feeling that things may be deadlocked, but as Baha said, the common desire of each other has prompted the parties to continue the negotiations. At the same time, with the increase in exchanges between China and ASEAN countries, mutual trust has been continuously enhanced, and it is easier for everyone to see things from a macro perspective, which has accumulated conditions for the final conclusion of the Declaration.

The "long talk in the corner" allowed Fu Ying to gain valuable experience in the "non-traditional diplomatic methods" of ASEAN countries. "In the venue, it is easy to talk about disagreements when encountered. The diverse 'non-traditional diplomatic approaches' of ASEAN countries can often help create an atmosphere and break the deadlock. Fu Ying said that for example, after arguing for a day during the day, eating and drinking beer together at night, or playing golf together the next day, in this process, many things can be talked about, and some problems will be relieved, and this "non-traditional diplomatic method" is quite enlightening to the Chinese side.

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi also mentioned in his video speech that the Declaration condenses the essence of East Asian cultures such as consensus and taking care of the comfort of all parties, and embodies the greatest common denominator of regional countries on the South China Sea issue. Fu Ying said that when she first saw the expression "take care of the comfort of all parties", she repeatedly pondered the meaning of it, and later found that in short, it was "when the parties want to say and what they want to do, they also need to take into account the feelings of others." Fu Ying stressed that this is one of the connotations of the Declaration, and it should also be held high in the consultation on the "Guidelines".

On the day of the "code" of meeting, drink together to celebrate

At the seminar, Chinese and foreign guests expressed their ardent expectations for the early conclusion of the "Guidelines". Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister He Namhong said that the Declaration signed on the basis of consensus between ASEAN countries and China has played an important role in the past 20 years. As the rotating chair of ASEAN in 2022, Cambodia hopes that ASEAN countries and China can reach a "code" at an early date on the basis of following the Declaration. In his view, the "norms" should be a substantive agreement reached by the direct parties that would guarantee lasting peace, security, stability and prosperity in the region.

In his video message, Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifdin said that the "Code" is a natural evolution of the Declaration, and although there is still a lot of work to be done, it will continue to be committed to the negotiation and promotion of the "Code" in the future. Saifdin stressed the importance of the full and effective implementation of the Declaration and the early conclusion of effective and substantive "guidelines".

Tan Xunsheng, a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Boundary and Maritime Affairs and head of the Chinese side of the Joint Working Group on the Implementation of the Declaration, has participated in the negotiations and consultations on the "Code" on many occasions, and he said in an interview with the Global Times reporter that the "Code" is not a new thing, but an extension of the construction of rules and order in the South China Sea under the framework of the "Declaration", and the connection between the "Declaration" and the "Code" is inseparable.

In the 1990s, in order to control the situation in the South China Sea, China and ASEAN countries began to explore how to jointly maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea. The original idea was to develop a "code of conduct", which was later adapted to the Declaration based on the consensus of the parties. Tan said that although the "guidelines" have not yet been agreed, the Declaration has played an important role in promoting peace and stability in the region over the past 20 years. Now China and ASEAN countries are also working together to adopt the Co-Opus as soon as possible.

Tan Xunsheng told the Global Times reporter that although the consultation process of the "Co-if" is complicated, many positive progress has been made with the efforts of all parties. In September 2013, at the Sixth Senior Officials' Meeting and the Ninth Joint Working Group Meeting on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea held in Suzhou, the parties believed that with the successful implementation of the Declaration, the time was ripe to start consultations on the Code, and the parties immediately determined a step-by-step consultation method from easy to difficult. In the years since, China and ASEAN countries have formed two consensus documents and lists of major and complex issues. In 2017, the "Co-operative" framework was reached and consultations entered the fast lane. In 2018, text-based consultations were officially launched, and a draft single consultation text was reached. One year later, the first round of readings of the 2019 text was completed ahead of schedule. At the beginning of 2020, the epidemic disrupted the original plan and rhythm, but the determination of China and ASEAN countries to reach a "co-operation" at an early date has not wavered, and they have continued to maintain contacts and continuously consolidate the good momentum of consultation. In June 2021, the 19th Senior Officials' Meeting between China and ASEAN countries to implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea was held in Chongqing, which was also the first offline senior officials' meeting since the epidemic. The meeting reached a consensus on the next consultation arrangement of the "Guidelines" and agreed to resume the second round of reading of the text as soon as possible, so as to strive for the early conclusion of the "Guidelines".

In May 2022, China and ASEAN countries held the 36th Joint Working Group meeting on the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in Siem Reap, Cambodia, which was the first time since the COVID-19 epidemic that all parties held a working group meeting offline to continue to promote the review of the text in a face-to-face manner, marking a new beginning for consultations.

The development of "guidelines" is the common aspiration of all parties. Tan Xunsheng told the Global Times reporter that the "CO-DRC" consultation is a process of equal participation and consultation between China and 11 ASEAN countries, and each country has its own interests and propositions, and the consultation cannot be achieved overnight. The current epidemic is still ongoing, and face-to-face communication is limited. Influence or interference from countries outside the region has also become a problem that must be faced in the consultations. He stressed that the willingness of China and ASEAN countries to formulate the "CoL" is sincere and firm, and China is willing to work with all parties to promote the conclusion of the "COOPS" consultations as soon as possible.

During the coffee break of the seminar, the Global Times reporter noticed that the Chinese and foreign guests gathered together in pairs and threes, talked intimately like old friends, and chatted about the feelings of participating in the meeting. During the banquet, a Chinese person raised his coffee in his hand and joked, "Look, this is the 'non-traditional diplomatic method'", and another guest from an ASEAN country laughed and responded, "Wait until the day the 'code' is reached, and then go to beer to celebrate!" Reaching the "Code" at an early date and further realizing peace and stability in the South China Sea is undoubtedly the common aspiration of China and ASEAN countries.

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