The ministry’s secretary-general Amran Zin said the South China Sea dispute will be taken up following progress being made on a declaration of conduct of parties in the South China Sea, and the negotiations to finalise the code of conduct.

“We are making progress as far as the code of conduct is concerned,” he said. “So, now we are having discussions internally in Asean and also with China on how we determine the next step in terms of negotiation.”

The declaration of conduct, a non-binding framework for managing tensions, was signed in 2002 by Asean members and China; it reaffirms commitments to freedom of navigation, peaceful resolution of disputes, and self-restraint in maritime activities.

Critics have questioned its effectiveness due to continuing territorial disputes and actions that contradict its principles, particularly regarding China’s militarisation of the area.

Asean and China agreed in 2023 to conclude negotiations on the code of conduct by 2026.

Amran said the Myanmar crisis, including issues such as online scams and human trafficking, would be discussed at the retreat.

He said the Myanmar crisis has been on Asean’s agenda since 2021 and efforts continue to help Myanmar resolve the situation.

Amran said other topics for discussion at the Langkawi retreat include Asean community-building efforts, engagement with partners beyond the region, and a review of progress on decisions by Asean leaders at the last summit in October.