国内英语新闻:Progress made in South China Sea code of conduct consultations: spokesperson

BEIJING, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- Consultations between China and ASEAN countries on Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea have made positive progress, the Foreign Ministry said Friday.

All sides have agreed to complete the COC on an early date, spokesperson Hua Chunying told a routine press briefing, adding that they also reached important consensus on "early harvest".

Hua's remarks came after a meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers in Malaysia.

China and the ASEAN countries are working to comprehensively and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and steadily push forward consultations on the COC, said Hua.

Formulation of the COC is a component of implementation of the DOC, according to Hua.

Signed in 2002, the DOC outlined the most important principles in the management of disputes on the South China Sea.

Hua called on relevant sides to enhance cooperation so as to create favorable conditions for consultations on the COC.