For a long time, any mention of the South China Sea has reminded people of disputes or conflicts between China and other Southeast Asian countries. 

Such thoughts may lessen now as national oil companies from China, the Philippines, and Vietnam have signed an agreement for a joint marine survey in some areas of the sea.

The tripartite accord, signed by the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), Philippine National Oil Company and Vietnam Oil and Gas Corporation, on Monday in Manila, is a significant step by the three countries towards a peaceful resolution of this issue. All three countries have overlapping territorial claims in this region.

The deal, the first of its kind, commits the three companies to carrying out a three-year exploration for oil in an area of about 14,000 square kilometers.

Despite the deal being confined to a reasonably small area and the fact that it is only an assessment, the smooth implementation of the plan would prepare the way for cooperation on a larger scale.

The agreement is the product of accelerated cooperation between China and Southeast Asian countries in recent years.

The overlapping claims of sovereignty over some archipelagoes in the South China Sea have turned the region into one of the world's potential flashpoints.

Such a situation not only hampers China's relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), but has also posed a great obstacle to closer ties in all dimensions.

To prevent conflict, China and the regional bloc signed, in November 2002, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.

In this landmark protocol, signatories committed themselves to solving disputes in this area in a peaceful manner through talks instead of by force and confrontation.

They also promised to try every means to set up mutual trust in the spirit of "cooperation and understanding" so as not to make disputes complicated before their final settlement.

In this sense, the signing of the trilateral agreement is an important step towards putting words and principles into practice.

Its signing also signals a historic breakthrough between China and ASEAN member states over this issue.

It is the concrete implementation of the slogan "shelving disputes for joint development" advocated by the Chinese government to solve territorial controversies with its neighbors.

Given rich oil reserves in this area, the smooth implementation of the agreement may possibly provide a good model for future energy cooperation in the South China Sea.

What matters is not how we cooperate, but the fact that the three countries have now agreed to do so.

This shows that any issue can be solved through consultation and dialogue if all the parties show sincerity and make concerted efforts.

The trilateral cooperation in the spirit of mutual trust and understanding is also expected to set a good example to resolve disputes in a peaceful way in other areas.

(China Daily March 17, 2005)