At the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with China in in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (photo: VOV-Bangkok)

At the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-58) and the ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on Thursday, Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan stressed that all parties must ensure that geopolitical tensions do not escalate or threaten security and global trade in the East Sea.

ASEAN welcomed progress in the negotiations of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) and expressed confidence in the comprehensive commitment of all parties to finalize a substantive and effective COC in the near future.

ASEAN also welcomed China’s willingness to become the first Nuclear Weapon State (NWS) to sign and ratify the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty without reservations.