Barry Wain of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies said China’s campaign for Asean to move to a binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea was very obvious when it warned Asean members not to attend the Asean Maritime Legal Experts Meeting held in Manila in August.

As a result, he said two Asean members—Laos and Cambodia—did not send a delegation.

Wain was among the speakers at a recent forum on the South China Sea organized by the Carlos P. Romulo Foundation that tackled the South China Sea disputes.

Manila’s proposal aims to demilitarize the disputed islands in the South China Sea and end Chinese military intrusions in the areas.

“I’m afraid that Asean will decide in the near future not to adopt the Philippine proposal,” Wain said during the forum.

He also raised doubts that China was truly keen on pushing through its commitment to sign a binding Code of Conduct on the South China Sea with Asean.