(VOVworld) - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is ready to speed up the formulation of a legally binding Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea with China. ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh has told  Kyodo News that the 10-member Association welcomes last year’s proposal by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on accelerating consultations on COC, including the development of a framework for COC by mid-2017.

ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh (Photo: VNA)

The ASEAN Secretary General said despite differences among ASEAN members on the East Sea issue, ASEAN will not diverge from its principle of consensus in decision making.