MANILA – The South China Sea is a shared home for regional countries, and South China Sea issues should not become a stumbling block to China-ASEAN relations, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi here on Tuesday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during his meeting with Kao Kim Hourn, secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Wang said certain forces within the Philippine military and maritime law enforcement ranks have deliberately provoked incidents in the South China Sea to serve the interests of external forces, undermining the process of improving China-Philippines relations as well as peace and stability in the South China Sea.

He added that regional countries should remain highly vigilant against such moves.

Wang said China stands ready to work with the ASEAN to remove disruptive factors, accelerate consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC), jointly foster a new narrative of peace, stability, cooperation and friendship in the South China Sea, and keep the initiative on South China Sea issues firmly in the hands of regional countries.

Wang also said China, as the most important anchor of stability in the region, stands ready to strengthen cooperation with the ASEAN.

The Chinese foreign minister stated that China has always upheld the equality of all countries and pursued a policy of good-neighborliness and friendship with neighboring countries.

He noted that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC). China was the first major country to accede to the treaty, prompting other major countries to follow suit and significantly elevating ASEAN's international standing. China will continue to support ASEAN community-building and ASEAN's pursuit of unity and self-strengthening.

Wang mentioned that this year also marks the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the China-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, a pivotal year bridging past achievements and future cooperation. He added that the world is undergoing profound changes intertwined with turbulence, yet East Asia has generally maintained prosperity and stability -- a hard-won situation that all parties should cherish.

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Wang said that China stands ready to work with ASEAN to deepen mutual trust, enhance mutual understanding and mutual support, safeguard the common interests of China and ASEAN, uphold the legitimate rights and interests of the Global South, and advance the development of a more just and reasonable international order.

Kao spoke highly of ASEAN-China relations and the outcomes of practical cooperation between the two sides, and thanked China for its firm support for ASEAN's centrality in regional architecture. He added that ASEAN and China are inseparable neighbors, and China is ASEAN's most important comprehensive strategic partner, with the two sides having established 65 cooperation mechanisms.

He said that ASEAN looks forward to closer strategic alignment with China, deeper practical cooperation in trade, investment, digital economy and other sectors, more people-to-people exchanges, and steady progress in ASEAN-China relations.

Kao noted that ASEAN endorses the "dual-track approach", supports acceleration of consultations on the COC, and strives to turn the South China Sea into a sea of peace, cooperation and friendship. He said ASEAN is ready to work alongside China to jointly uphold regional peace and stability and make important contributions to development and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.

Early conclusion of consultations on COC

During a meeting with Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan in Manila, the Philippines, Wang said the early conclusion of consultations on the COC would help safeguard peace and stability in the region, keep the region's future in the hands of regional countries, and deny external actors any opportunity to meddle or cause disruption.

Wang said that China, together with ASEAN member states, has advocated for and remained committed to the early conclusion of consultations on the COC, building on the foundation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.

Noting that both China and Malaysia are at a critical stage of development and revitalization, Wang said China stands ready to seize the opportunities with Malaysia, enhance exchanges at all levels, deepen all-round cooperation, and promote maritime exchanges and collaboration, to jointly elevate China-Malaysia relations to a higher level.

Stressing that ASEAN is an important component of the multipolarizing world and a key force in the Global South, Wang expressed the hope that Malaysia would effectively fulfill its role as the country coordinator for China-ASEAN relations, safeguard the common interests of both sides, and ensure peace and stability in East Asia.

For his part, Mohamad stated that Malaysia-China relations and ASEAN-China relations are currently at their best in history.

He reaffirmed Malaysia's firm commitment to the one-China policy and expressed readiness to make every effort to advance ASEAN-China cooperation and uphold ASEAN's centrality in the regional architecture.

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Mohamad also noted that some external countries have nothing to do with the South China Sea yet are always keen to "flex their muscles" there. He expressed the hope for an early conclusion of the COC to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the region.