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MANILA, Aug. 7-- Joint efforts by China and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have greatly improved the situation in the South China Sea, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Monday, pointing out that China and ASEAN have the ability and the wisdom to negotiate the Code of Conduct (COC). From China's point of view, the most substantial progress made at the ASEAN foreign ministers' meetings and related meetings was that with the joint efforts of China and ASEAN countries, the situation in the South China Sea has been stabilized, Wang told reporters after attending the meetings. "We have carried out effective cooperations and have brought it back to the track to resolve disputes through direct dialogue and negotiation by the parties directly concerned," he said. China and ASEAN countries have successfully drawn up and adopted the framework of the COC in the South China Sea, announcing that they would initiate the substantive consultations on the text of the COC at a proper time within the year after preparation is completed, the minister said. Speaking at the earlier 7th East Asia Summit (EAS) foreign ministers' meeting, Wang said the momentum of improvement on the situation in the South China Sea is obvious compared with last year. "We should fully appreciate these important improvements and cherish the achievement made with our joint efforts," Wang said. At the China-ASEAN foreign ministers meeting on Sunday, Wang said that ASEAN foreign ministers highly evaluated the stabilizing situation in the South China Sea and the COC framework adopted at the meeting. | 
