Key facts
- The Philippines chairs ASEAN in 2026 and hosts the 49th Summit and related meetings from November 15 to 18.
- Malacañang said completing the Code of Conduct is one of Marcos's key goals for the chairmanship.
- Palace press officer Claire Castro said Marcos hopes for finalisation but deferred to the foreign ministry on the agenda.
- Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow told CNA ASEAN will avoid taking sides but that neutrality has limits.
- Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi agreed in a call to lower public rhetoric.
- An Indrastra analysis argued disputes over the code's scope, legal force and enforcement remain unresolved.
World leaders converged in Manila on November 15 for the ASEAN summit, with the Philippines using its 2026 chairmanship to press a South China Sea Code of Conduct. Malacañang said on November 10 that completing the code between ASEAN and China was one of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s key goals for keeping the region peaceful and prosperous.
The Palace was less definite on the mechanics. Press officer Claire Castro acknowledged the president's hope for finalisation but said the Department of Foreign Affairs would know more about whether the code is formally on the summit agenda, ABS-CBN reported. Marcos had earlier spoken of finalising a binding code before the chairmanship ends, a longer horizon than the summit week.
Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow, also Thailand's deputy prime minister, told CNA that ASEAN will continue to avoid taking sides among major powers but that neutrality has limits. The bloc has negotiated a binding code with China for decades, building on the non-binding 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi agreed in a phone call earlier in November to lower public rhetoric and de-escalate maritime tensions. The Philippine foreign ministry had told officials, particularly in defense and security, to align remarks with Marcos's China policy. Security around Manila venues was stepped up on November 10, with contingency plans for accidents and medical emergencies in place.