Note: This article was originally published in The Manila Bulletin on 20 October 2017. ERIA's High Level Forum on ASEAN@50 was mentioned.

While there seems to be progress made in advancing the adoption of a Code of Conduct (COC), former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has cautioned the region that it would not be realistic to expect the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a group to resolve the South China Sea issue. (Read the full article by using the link above).