Officials to discuss S. China Sea issues

BEIJING - The Fourth Senior Officials Meeting of China and 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) will be held in Beijing from Friday to Sunday.

"Senior officials will review the progress of its implementation, and focus on the promotion of pragmatic cooperation under the framework of the DOC," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said on Thursday at a regular news briefing.

Progress was made last year in the implementation of the DOC, Liu said, adding that China and ASEAN countries agreed in July on the guidelines for the implementation of the DOC, paving the way for its further implementation.