Singapore’s prime minister says a South China Sea code of conduct will take time

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Singapore’s prime minister says Southeast Asian countries’ quest to reach agreement with China on a code of conduct in the contested South China Sea will take time, with difficult issues yet to be resolved despite recent efforts to accelerate the process. China’s increasing military assertiveness in the busy waterway against neighbors with competing territorial claims has been high on the agenda of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Australia. Lee said on Tuesday that a first draft of the code has been written, but the final document will take time. Leaders of the 10-nation bloc hope a code of conduct with China would be key to reducing the risk of naval confrontations.