Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 29, 2019. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

The Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea is a pioneering undertaking in establishing rules and regulations in the South China Sea, and China and the Philippines should be committed to promoting the adoption of the COC in 2021 or even earlier, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday.

Xi made the remarks in Beijing during a meeting with his Philippine counterpart Rodrigo Duterte.