Will China, Asean set aside self interest to finalize COC?

Will China, Asean set aside self interest to finalize COC?

2ND OF TWO PARTSSINCERITY against self-interest.China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) have to deal with this dilemma if they are indeed resolved to end the almost 20-year-old journey to finish a Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea (SCS).The "burden" to finalize the COC this year fell on the Philippines in 2023 when Asean leaders decided that the COC should be concluded in three years — or in 2026, which happened t…