Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have agreed to work towards the conclusion of an effective Code of Conduct in the South China Sea based on a “mutually-agreed timeline”. Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said the timeline for the process has to be agreed by China, and a specific deadline cannot be given. The ASEAN Foreign minster’s retreat also discuss plans to build a network of smart cities across the region and bolster cooperation on fighting terrorism and transnational crime, which aligned with ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) retreat. In a joint statement said ASEAN will boost practical cooperation through joint exercises and training, information sharing, increasing dialogue and sharing best practices.