No. 167/2557

Thailand to co-chair the The 11^th ASEAN-China Joint Working Group on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (JWG on DOC) in Bali on 24 – 25 June 2014                       

On 24-25 June 2014, Mr. Arthayudh Srisamoot, Director-General of the Department of ASEAN Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, will co-chair the 11^th ASEAN-China Joint Working Group on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (JWG on DOC) meeting with Mr. He Wei, Deputy Director-General of the Department Boundary and Ocean Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China. The meeting will be held in Bali, Indonesia.

The objective of the 11^th JWG on DOC is to maintain and push forward the momentum of dialogue and consultations between ASEAN Member States and China in promoting effective implementation of practical cooperative projects under the DOC framework and ensuring substantive progress in the discussions of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) as mandated by the senior officials at the 7^th ASEAN-China SOM on the Implementation of the DOC (SOM on DOC) held in Suzhou last September. The Meeting will exchange views on various issues such as basic principles/commonalities on COC including measures and/or mechanisms that will provide value-added to the DOC to enhance greater trust and confidence among ASEAN Member States and China. In addition, they will also discuss approach on the development of the COC and consider draft progress report on the implementation of the DOC and the COC process to be submitted for notation at the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference (PMC) Session with China in August in Nay Pyi Taw.

Thailand attaches great importance to promoting cooperation and building greater trust and confidence among ASEAN Member States and China. In this regard, Thailand is committed to accelerating the work of the JWG on DOC and will host the 12^th JWG on DOC back-to-back with the 8^th SOM on DOC in October 2014 in Thailand.

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                                                                                      20 June 2014