The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) wants a binding code of conduct for South China Sea claimants by yearend, President Duterte said, even as he admitted that any talk about a military buildup would be “useless.” “No terms of reference but we want (a) code of conduct enacted at the very least before (the) end of this year so that everybody will feel comfortable sailing there,” Duterte said in a press conference last night at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City. The framework will enumerate the key components of a code of conduct, a document needed to start the discussions among the signatories.

Romero, A., Lee-Brago, P., & Flores, H. (2017, April 30). Asean seeks binding sea code by yearend. Philippine Star, p. 6.