Beijing said Sunday it is "ready to work" with Southeast Asian nations on a code of conduct in the flashpoint South
China Sea, where it is accused of building up military installations and bullying fellow claimants.
China claims most of the resource-rich waterway, a major global shipping route that has long been a source of tension in the region.
For years, the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been locked in talks for a code of conduct for the sea, where China is accused of deploying warships, arming outposts and ramming fishing vessels.