The 11th Senior Officials' Meeting on the Implementation of the DOC Held in Singapore

The 11th China-ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting on the Implementation of the DOC was held in Singapore on April 27, 2016, attended by diplomats of the 11 signatories to the DOC. Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin co-hosted the meeting with Chee Wee Kiong, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Singapore. Participants had consultations on furthering full and effective implementation of the DOC and exchanged views on strengthening maritime cooperation and pushing forward the COC. It was agreed among all parties that the DOC had laid a solid foundation for China and ASEAN member states to deal properly with issues related to the South China Sea. It was of great necessity to fully and effectively implement the DOC on this special occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of China-ASEAN Dialogue, strengthening maritime cooperation, giving full play to the DOC in safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea, promoting mutual trust and advancing the China-ASEAN Strategic Partnership. To this end, China advocated that foreign ministers of all parties issue a joint declaration on the full and effective implementation of the DOC in the China-ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting this July. Participants agreed to keep in close contact concerning the joint declaration. At the same time, they discussed and issued the Plan for the Implementation of the DOC (2016–2007), stating their shared aspiration for the establishment at an early date of technological commissions for voyage security and rescue, maritime research and environmental protection, as well as maritime cross-border crime fighting. 

As for the COC consultations, participants agreed to further the compiling of both the List of Vital and Complicated Issues and the List of Elements of the COC Framework Drafting, and they also decided that an expert group should be set up. It was agreed among parties to continue implementing the "early harvest" outcomes, including the establishment of a China-ASEAN diplomat hotline for maritime emergencies and a China-ASEAN hotline for maritime rescue. What's more, participants discussed about measures for maritime risk control and emergency prevention, and agreed on close communication as for the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) applicable to the South China Sea.