‘Negotiation fatigue’ risks stalling South China Sea code of conduct progress

Asia - South China Morning Post · Jul 30, 2026

Asean’s optimism in concluding a long-awaited code of conduct (COC) for the South China Sea by year’s end is not shared by observers, who point to major differences of opinion between Beijing and the Philippines especially. Analysts say any eventual consensus on a code is likely to be broad and symbolic, noting the importance of keeping dialogue flowing even as “negotiation fatigue” sets in. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China were making “good progress” in negotiations,...