Kuala lumpur: Discussions on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea need to be approached with utmost care and deliberation to ensure it effectively mitigates potential conflicts in the area, as ASEAN works towards its goal of concluding negotiations by 2026. Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro emphasized the importance of handling COC discussions carefully, given that the COC is expected to be legally binding. According to BERNAMA News Agency, Lazaro stated, "Nothing is easy, even in all aspects of the ASEAN discussions and narratives; nothing is immediate. There are a lot of challenges and a lot of discussions. So it is just taking its own pace." She noted that the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) took several years to materialize, and the COC discussions, which carry the expectation of being legally binding, require even more caution and deliberation. Lazaro expressed the Philippines' commitment to completing the COC and emphasized the importance of continuing discussions on its details. ASEAN aims to finalize the South China Sea COC by 2026, although the issue of whether it will be legally binding is still under discussion. In a Chairman's Statement from the 46th ASEAN Summit in May, ASEAN leaders reaffirmed their commitment to upholding peace, stability, and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea amid growing regional maritime tensions. The statement welcomed progress in negotiations toward the COC, envisioned as a legally binding instrument to manage competing claims among claimant states, including China. The South China Sea is a critical global maritime trade route, rich in marine and mineral resources, making it economically and strategically important. The 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM) and related meetings, held under Malaysia's ASEAN Chairmanship 2025 with the theme 'Inclusivity and Sustainability', are ongoing from July 8 to 11. At least 1,500 delegates from ASEAN and its external partner countries, including foreign ministers, diplom ats, and senior officials, are attending 24 ministerial-level meetings over four days. This marks the fifth time Malaysia has assumed the ASEAN chairmanship since joining the regional bloc, having previously held the role in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015.