But relations between Beijing and Manila have been precarious and unstable in recent years. Can the two insulate negotiations from their maritime and political frictions, or will these become yet more obstacles to the conclusion of the code of conduct?
China has never accepted the July 12, 2016, ruling by the tribunal of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, rejecting it immediately as “null and void” with “no binding force”. Beijing continues to reiterate its non-acceptance of the ruling even as Manila marks the anniversaries over the years. As the 10th anniversary approaches, both countries can be expected to enter another period of political tension and high-profile clashes in the South China Sea.
But the relationship was not always so. The 2016 election of Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines led to a stabilisation as his administration gravitated towards China and away from the United States.