KUALA LUMPUR: China has pledged to sign the Protocol to the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) as soon as all documentation is finalised, according to Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
“China made a commitment to ensure that they will sign the treaty without reservation. That’s something very good for ASEAN,“ Mohamad told reporters after attending the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference (PMC) with China, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada.
The meeting was held alongside the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi led his delegation at the high-level discussions, where both sides explored opportunities to deepen bilateral and multilateral ties.
Mohamad highlighted ongoing cooperation in ensuring free passage and open skies in the South China Sea, alongside adherence to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
“The rest of the discussions were on normal bilateral and multilateral (issues), including respect for UNCLOS. So everything is normal, and we look forward to better cooperation between ASEAN and China,“ he added.
Earlier this month, Mohamad noted that while China and Russia had signalled readiness to sign the SEANWFZ protocol, the US was still reviewing the treaty.
The SEANWFZ, or Bangkok Treaty, was signed in 1995 by ASEAN members to maintain Southeast Asia as a nuclear-free zone.
It took effect in 1997 and remains one of five global Nuclear Weapon-Free Zones. – Bernama
