ASEAN and China must quickly conclude the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea for maritime stability so that the regional grouping can maintain its centrality, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said yesterday.

He added that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) should also be strengthened, as it is “the legal framework which both rights of navigation and claims of resources are based on”.

Dr Ng was speaking at the 20^th Asia Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers organised by the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.