34th ASEAN Summit, Bangkok, Thailand, 20 – 23 June 2019

33rd ASEAN Summit, Singapore, 13 – 15 November 2018

32nd ASEAN Summit, Singapore, 27 – 28 April 2018

31th ASEAN Summit, Manila, Philippines, 13 – 14 November 2017

30th ASEAN Summit, Manila, Philippines, 26 – 29 April 2017

28th and 29th ASEAN Summits, Vientiane, Lao PDR, 6-8 September 2016

27th ASEAN Summit, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 18-22 November 2015

26th ASEAN Summit, Kuala Lumpur & Langkawi, Malaysia, 26-28 April 2015

25th ASEAN Summit, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, 11-13 November 2014

24th ASEAN Summit, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, 10-11 May 2014

23rd ASEAN Summit, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, 9-10 October 2013

22nd ASEAN Summit, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, 24-25 April 2013

21st ASEAN Summit, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 18 November 2012

20th ASEAN Summit, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 03-04 April 2012

19th ASEAN Summit, Bali, Indonesia, 14-19 November 2011

18th ASEAN Summit, Jakarta, Indonesia 7-8 May 2011

17th ASEAN Summit, Ha Noi, 28-30 October 2010

16th ASEAN Summit, Ha Noi, 8-9 April 2010

15th ASEAN Summit, Cha-Am Hua Hin, Thailand, 23-25 October 2009

14th ASEAN Summit, Cha-am, Thailand, 26 February – 1 March 2009

13th ASEAN Summit, Singapore, 18-22 November 2007

12th ASEAN Summit, Cebu, Philippines, 9-15 January 2007

11th ASEAN Summit, Kuala Lumpur, 12-14 December 2005

10th ASEAN Summit, Vientiane, 29-30 November 2004

9th ASEAN Summit, Bali, 7-8 October 2003

8th ASEAN Summit, Phnom Penh, 4-5 November 2002

7th ASEAN Summit, Bandar Seri Begawan, 5-6 November 2001

4th Informal Summit, Singapore, 22-25 November 2000

3rd Informal Summit, Manila, 27-28 November 1999

6th ASEAN Summit, Ha Noi, 15-16 December 1998

2nd Informal Summit, Kuala Lumpur, 14-16 December 1997

1st Informal Summit, Jakarta, 30 November 1996

5th ASEAN Summit, Bangkok, 14-15 December 1995

4th ASEAN Summit, Singapore, 27-29 January 1992

3rd ASEAN Summit, Manila, 14-15 December 1987

2nd ASEAN Summit, Kuala Lumpur, 4-5 August 1977

1st ASEAN Summit, Bali, 23-24 February 1976

The Association of South-East Asian Nations, or Asean, aims to bolster economic

growth among its 10 members and to promote peace and stability across the
region.
A loose gathering of five countries at its inception, Asean has become a body with regional
and global clout, despite political and economic differences among its members.
It now seeks to create a full-blown economic community.

Asean was set up on 8 August 1967 at a meeting in the Thai capital Bangkok. The founder
members - Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore - declared that:
"The association represents the collective will of the nations to bind themselves together in
friendship and cooperation and, through joint efforts and sacrifices, secure for their peoples
and for posterity the blessings of peace, freedom and prosperity".
Brunei joined in 1984, followed by Vietnam in 1995, Laos and Burma in 1997 and Cambodia
in 1999.
At the first Asean summit in 1976, on the Indonesian island of Bali, members signed a
Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC). The TAC enshrines the principle of non-interference
in the domestic matters of member countries. It is open to non-members and has been
signed by China, India, Japan, Russia and South Korea.
In 1994 Asean set out its vision for long-term security with the creation of the Asean
Regional Forum (ARF). It aims to resolve conflicts by peaceful means and to pursue
preventative diplomacy. The US, Russia, India, China, Japan and North Korea are among
the ARF's 23 members. A year later members signed the South-East Asia Nuclear Weapon-
Free Zone Treaty.
Looking ahead, Asean wants to accelerate economic integration by creating a European
Union-style single market. This will involve scrapping tarriffs and liberalising trade and the
movement of labour and capital.
The move is, in part, a response to the vigorous economic growth of China and India - two
low-wage mass markets. Asean is negotiating free trade agreements with both countries,
and with Japan. A deal between Asean and China would create the world's biggest free
trade zone.
Asean held its first East Asian Summit (EAS) in late 2005. The EAS groups the Asean
countries and China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand on a biennial
basis. The forum is seen as a way of creating a trade bloc to rival the EU and US.
In November 2007 Asean leaders signed a landmark charter aimed at speeding up and
deepening economic integration. It turns Asean into a rules-based legal entity and also
commits member states to promoting human rights and democratic ideals. It was ratified by
all ten member-states in 2008, despite initial misgivings from the Philippines about Burma's
detention of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
 Founded: 1967
 Membership: 10 states - Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
 Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia (home of permanent secretariat)
 Combined population of member states: 502 million (Asean, 2004)

Secretary-general: Surin Pitsuwan

Surin Pitsuwan, who served as foreign minister of Thailand from 1997-2001, assumed the
post of Asean secretary-general in January 2008, succeeding Ong Keng Yong of Singapore.
The secretary-general is appointed for a five-year term and is responsible for coordinating
and implementing Asean activities.
Structure:
 Annual summit of heads of state and government: The highest decision-making body.
 Asean Ministerial Meetings: Annual meeting of Asean foreign ministers, coordinates
activities and formulates guidelines.
 Standing Committee: Chaired by the foreign minister of the summit host country, it
includes the secretary-general and the directors-general of the Asean National Secretariats.
It reports to the Asean Ministerial Meetings.
 Secretariat-General: Runs Asean activities and implements policies; headed by the
secretary-general.
 Others: 29 committees and 122 technical groups support the ministerial bodies and Asean
activities.

Its critics have portrayed Asean as being big on words and short on action, driven by the
desire for consensus among its members. Its staunch support for the principle of non-
interference has, paradoxically, reinforced both regional stability and authoritarian
governance.
At the Bali summit in 2003, members backed the general principle of promoting democracy.
But in some countries - notably Burma, Laos and Vietnam - this remains a distant ideal.
In particular, the stand-off between the military regime and the opposition in Burma has
been a thorny issue. Asean has resisted calls to take more direct action against the regime.
Instead, it pursues a policy of constructive engagement and non-confrontation with Burma.
Rangoon agreed to forego its 2006 chairmanship of Asean; some members had feared that
Burma could damage the group's standing by taking the chair.
Asean welcomed the 2010 Burmese elections as a step towards democracy, despite their
clearly fraudulent nature, and cites the subsequent release of democracy leader Aung San
Suu Kyi as proof of the worth of engagement with Burma.
International terrorism is high on the Asean agenda, especially since the Bali nightclub
attacks in 2002. Asean countries have faced insurgencies in southern Thailand and on the
Indonesian island of Aceh, but the organisation has played little role in their mediation or
resolution.
Asean aspires to stem weapons proliferation. It has urged Asian nuclear powers, and those
aspiring to become nuclear powers, to engage in dialogue within the Asean Regional Forum.
Asean adopted a security plan at its 2004 summit; tensions on the Korean peninsula were
high on the agenda.
1. Indonesia is the biggest economy in Asean
The Philippines, whose gross domestic product (GDP) numbers $292 billion, is tied
with Singapore at fourth place when it comes to size of economy.
Among Asean member states, Indonesia has the biggest economy with $819 billion,
followed by Thailand with $395 billion and Malaysia with $296 billion.

2. Laos has the fastest economic growth

With a growth rate of 7.4 percent in 2015, Laos grew the fastest in terms of economy
among Asean member states.
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The Philippines economy, in contrast, grew 5.9 percent, which puts it behind
Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam.

3. Indonesia has the highest population

Indonesia is the most populous country in Asean with over 257 million people,
followed by Philippines with 100 million people.
Vietnam places third, with a population of 91 million. At last place is Brunei with the
smallest population numbering only 423,188.

4. Vietnam has the fastest growing population

Vietnam may soon overtake the Philippines in terms of population, as it has the
highest population growth rate among Asean member states with 2.1 percent.
And while Brunei may have the smallest population, it has the third fastest population
growth rate at 1.6 percent just behind Singapore with 1.8 percent.

5. Philippines has the highest unemployment rate

The unemployment rate in the Philippines is the highest among Asean countries at 6.3
percent. Indonesia is a close second with 6.2 percent.
Thailand and Cambodia have the lowest unemployment rates among member
states with just 0.2 percent each.
6. Singapore has the highest percentage of internet users
More than 82 percent (around 4.4 million) of the entire population of Singapore are
internet users, the highest in the Asean region.
In the Philippines, 40.7 percent of the population (around 40 million) are internet
users, putting the country in fifth place in terms of percentage of internet users.

7. Thailand had the most number of tourist arrivals

Nearly 30 million tourists visited Thailand in 2015, making it the most popular among
Asean countries.
Malaysia places second with more than 25 million tourist arrivals. The Philippines is
in sixth place with 5.3 million tourists that same year, just ahead of Cambodia with 5
million tourist arrivals.