Premier Li Keqiang attended the 23rd China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders' meeting via video link on Nov 12.

He said the South China Sea is the common home of the countries in the region. The situation in the South China Sea is generally stable, the Premier said, adding that China and ASEAN countries have strived to deepen cooperation, actively manage differences and comprehensively implement the Declaration on the Conduct (DOC) of Parties in the South China Sea, and steadily promote the negotiation on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea.

As the upgraded version of the DOC, the COC will be more substantive, effective and operable, and will be an institutional guarantee for peace and stability in the South China Sea, the Premier said, emphasizing China's consistent and firm attitude in concluding the negotiation on the COC in a timely manner.

China called on parties concerned to accelerate the negotiation process in a flexible and pragmatic way while overcoming the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic to show to the international community that the countries in the region have the wisdom and ability to manage the situation and safeguard peace and stability in South China Sea, the Premier said.

China will actively consider holding face-to-face negotiation in China as soon as possible when the pandemic winds down and push forward the second reading of the code, the Premier said.