Code of conduct talks create conditions for consensus

At a news conference after the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting on Tuesday, Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said the South China Sea issue is not the "sum-total" of relations between the Philippines and China, and the Philippines has decided to focus on the bigger picture of its relations with China.

Such a laudable stance will not only help China-Philippines ties continue to sail on a healthy track but also contribute to building peace and stability in the South China Sea.

In recent years, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations foreign ministers' meeting has become a venue for a few countries to play up the South China Sea disputes and instigate confrontations with China. This year, reasonable voices seem to have prevailed.