ASEAN defence ministers who backed the new multilateral air code yesterday are hoping to convince their counterparts in the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) grouping to sign on when they meet today. The air guidelines are meant to reduce the likelihood of accidents that could escalate into a conflict, especially with increased air traffic in the region. Dr Collin Koh, a research fellow at the RSIS, said that any such code is reliant on the goodwill of each signatory to comply, and there is always going to be a challenge of compliance and enforcement if isn’t binding.