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The officials said the guidelines spell out how the countries should implement a Declaration of Conduct that they signed in 2002. Vietnamese negotiator Pham Quang Vinh called the agreement a "significant and good start" toward the ultimate goal of agreement on a binding Code of Conduct that could be used to settle South China Sea disputes.
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Tension over the disputes has been rising as countries step up exploration for oil and gas in the waterway. China, Taiwan and four ASEAN members - Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei -- have overlapping territorial claims in the sea.
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ASEAN, China Agree on Guidelines for China Sea Settlement