On 21 May 2026, Mr. Vathayudh Vichankaiyakij, Acting Director-General of the Department of ASEAN Affairs, represented the Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs at the 26th ASEAN-China Senior Officials’ Meeting on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (SOM-DOC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The meeting reviewed the implementation of the DOC, exchanged views on the situation in the South China Sea, and provided guidance in expediting the COC negotiations towards its conclusion by the agreed timeline in 2026.

The 26th SOM-DOC was followed by the 55th Meeting of the ASEAN-China Joint Working Group on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (JWG-DOC) between 22-23 May 2026, where the meeting continued the COC negotiations and discussed the Work Plan on the Implementation of the DOC for 2026.