On 26-29 October 2014, Thailand will host the 8^th ASEAN-China Senior Officials’ Meeting on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (SOM on DOC), back-to-back with the 12^th ASEAN-China Joint Working Group on the Implementation of the DOC (JWG on DOC) at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Bangkok.

Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, will co-chair the SOM on DOC with Mr. Liu Zhenmin, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China. The JWG on DOC will be co-chaired by Mr. Arthayudh Srisamoot, Director-General of the Department of ASEAN Affairs, and Mr. He Wei, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs.

The meetings aim to build upon the positive momentum of dialogue and consultations among ASEAN Member States and China in promoting the full and effective implementation of the DOC. They include thepractical cooperative projects under the DOC framework, the continuing substantive progress in the discussions of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) with a view to achieving its early conclusion, thereby contributing to the success of the forthcoming 17^th ASEAN-China Summit in November 2014 in Myanmar.