REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi will meet her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing, May 13, to discuss the completion of a Code of Conduct (CoC) framework to resolve the South China Sea territorial dispute.
The negotiations on the framework are currently in the final stage and are expected to be completed by the middle of this year.
It is in line with the Chinese government's commitment made last year to encourage and revitalize the negotiations in order to complete the CoC framework right on schedule.
"What the minister will discuss with China is actually the next stage or post-CoC framework. We expect that talks on the timeline will provide insights into the final decision on the CoC framework," Foreign Ministry's spokeperson Arrmanatha Nasir informed reporters here on Friday.
The government of Indonesia has played an active role in pushing for the drafting of a CoC framework to handle regional conflict in the South China Sea.
Indonesia continues to promote peace and stability for resolving the South China Sea territorial dispute, although the country is not involved in the problem.
"Indonesia continues to help ease the tensions. In accordance with Article 7 of the Charter of the UN, all conflicts in the region must be resolved in the region as well, and since the South China Sea is located between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, we must help in the settlement efforts," Indonesian Ambassador to China and Mongolia Soegeng Rahardjo had noted last month.
He said several major countries in the region, including the US, are looking to address the tension in the Korean Peninsula, and thus, it is the right time to settle the South China Sea territorial dispute.
Minister Marsudi will be one of the ministries who will accompany President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to attend the "Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation" to be held in Beijing on May 14-15.
Minister Marsudi and Minister Yi will also follow up on some pending issues from the meeting between President Jokowi and President Xi Jinping held in November 2016.
The other issue related to the rising security tensions in the Korean Peninsula over the missile and nuclear test conducted by North Korea will also be discussed.
"The current situation in the Korean Peninsula will be discussed. Both ministers will discuss what steps China can take in order to keep the situation in the Korean Peninsula conducive," Nasir explained.
However, the main objective of the bilateral meeting between Minister Marsudi and Minister Yi will be to focus on the implementation of the Indonesia-China comprehensive strategic partnership as is listed in the action plans for the 2017-2021 period.
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