The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of China has explained that the contents of ASEAN Chairman’s statement on the South China Sea reflects the real situation in the disputed territory.

MFA spokesperson Geng Shuang said the situation in the South China Sea has been cooling down and moving towards a "stable and positive direction."

"Therefore, what is written in the statement matches the real case in the South China Sea," Geng said in a regular press conference Thursday.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte as rotating chair of Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) issued the ASEAN Chairman’s statement last Thursday, a day after the closing of the successful 31st ASEAN Summit in Manila.

Some media reports, however, put emphasis on ASEAN’s soft stance on China’s activities in the South China Sea.

"It goes without saying that the contents regarding the South China Sea in the Chairman's statement of the ASEAN Summit need to faithfully reflect the real situation in the South China Sea," Geng explained.

In the Chairman’s statement, the ASEAN has expressed elation over the improving relations between ASEAN and China particularly the adoption of the framework of the Code of Conduct for the South China Sea.

"We reaffirmed our commitment to the full and effective implementation of the DOC (Declaration of the Conduct) in its entirety, and the importance of undertaking confidence building and preventive measures to enhance, among others, trust and confidence amongst parties," said the statement.

ASEAN has also reaffirmed "the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, security, stability, maritime safety and security, rules-based order and freedom of navigation in and over flight above the South China Sea."

"In this regard, we further reaffirmed the need to enhance mutual trust and confidence, emphasized the importance of non-militarization and self-restraint in the conduct of all activities by claimants and all other states, including those mentioned in the DOC that could further complicate the situation and escalate tensions in the South China Sea, and stressed the need to adhere to the peaceful resolution of disputes, in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)," the statement said.

Last August, ASEAN and China foreign ministers adopted the COC framework which aims to improve the relations among countries amid overlapping claims by China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines in the South China Sea.

In his address during the 20th China-ASEAN Leaders' Meeting last Monday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang encouraged the parties to work hard to finish the COC on the basis of consensus "at an early date to make it an anchor of peace and stability in the South China Sea."

"China's commitment to the goal of upholding peace and stability in the South China Sea will not change, nor will we change our policy of peacefully resolving disputes over territory and maritime rights and interests through consultation and negotiation with countries directly concerned," Li said.

He said China looks forward to working with ASEAN countries in the constructive spirit of friendly consultation to continue to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).