Finally, under pressure from ASEAN, mainland China reluctantly signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" in 2002. Chen describes the move as akin to "trading a concession on the South China sea problem for establishing a free trade zone!"
之後 2002 年，中國在東協施壓下，勉強簽署了《南海各方行為宣言》，「既在南海問題上讓步，就以成立自由貿易區做交換！」陳鴻瑜說。