An agreement by top diplomats from China and Southeast Asia to adopt a negotiating framework for a code of conduct in the South China Sea might be seen as a sign Beijing has weakened opposition to its manoeuvring in the region, but analysts have questioned whether it will actually help to resolve any disputes. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Sunday released a joint communique on the sidelines of a series of meetings in Manila, where the disputed waters were a hot topic. In the statement, which appeared to have been carefully worded so as not to upset China, Asean foreign ministers reaffirmed their readiness to begin substantive negotiations on the code of conduct, and tasked senior officials with starting negotiations with China.
