South China Sea code of conduct: can Beijing and Asean meet 2026 deadline?

China and Southeast Asian nations have made progress in negotiating a code of conduct for the South China Sea, with Manila announcing that roughly 80 per cent of the draft agreement is complete. Yet whether the long-awaited accord can meet its year-end deadline comes down to Beijing and regional claimants finding common ground on key concessions, according to a Chinese expert. Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro said on Saturday after a series of Asean ministerial meetings that 77 per...