Professional Documents
Culture Documents
ASEAN
ASEAN
Association of Southeast
Asian Nations
2. Malaysia
3. Indonesia
4. Philippines
5. Singapore
6. Thailand
7. Myanmar (Burma)
8. Laos
9. Cambodia
10. Vietnam
ASEAN Map
ASEAN Candidate States
1. Papua New Guinea
Japan
South Korea
BACKGROUND
In 1960s, the Southeast Asian states
were faced with various security
challenges, such as:
Cold War and tension between East and
West
Presence of US forces in Vietnam
External Security Threat from China
(and Indonesia for smaller states).
Internal subversive activities by
communists (backed by China &
Indonesia)
Separatist movements within member
states
Challenges of socio-economic
development
PRELUDE TO ASEAN:
The countries of Southeast Asia had been
very active to establish
intergovernmental organizations (IGOs)
since early 1950s.
For instance, Indonesia among others
was pursuing proactive role in organizing
Afro-Asian conferences including Bandung
Conference and establishment of Non-
Aligned Movement (NAM).
Besides, Southeast Asian countries were also
interested to create micro-regional IGOs, operating
only in Southeast Asia. Thus, they had created the
following IGOs:
Association of Southeast Asia (ASA) comprising of The
Philippines, Thailand, the Federation of Malaya (Malaysia) in
1961.
Maphilindo comprising of Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia
in 1964.
However, these organizations could not take off and were
buried soon.
ESTABLISHMENT OF ASEAN:
3. Myanmar Issue
5. Inter-state conflicts
ASEAN Community
The process of ASEAN community building is a result of the
considerable change in the association’s mission in the recent two
decades. The end of the Cold War, the advance of globalisation,
the rise of China and India in economic size and political influence
as well as the Asian financial crisis have forced ASEAN to shift
from its original preventive diplomacy of maintaining peace and
harmony among its members and in the region to the constructive
diplomacy of community building to cope with increasing political
and economic competition in a globalised world.
ASEAN Community
One of the most notable threats to ASEAN members is China,
whose robust economy is in direct competition with those of
its Southeast Asian neighbours, especially in trade and
foreign direct investment.
Meanwhile, in recent years, the sleeping dragon has also
tried to enhance its economic and political influence and
presence in the region, particularly in Myanmar, Laos,
Vietnam and Cambodia.
This important change has increasingly drawn ASEAN states,
which share the common fear of intrusive outside powers,
into the long-term strategic competition between the United
States and China in Asia Pacific.
In order to cope with China and avoid external
intervention, Southeast Asian countries feel the
need to act collectively and to lean on each
other, so that they can have combined
strengths as well as better bargaining power in
both economic and political issues.
The same will work when dealing with other
regional communities such as the the European
Union and United States or with international
organizations such as the UNO and the WTO.
ASEAN FTA
ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) is a trade bloc agreement by the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations supporting local
manufacturing in all ASEAN countries.
The AFTA agreement was signed on 28 January 1992 in Singapore.
When the AFTA agreement was originally signed, ASEAN had six
members, namely, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines,
Singapore and Thailand. Vietnam joined in 1995, Laos and Myanmar
in 1997 and Cambodia in 1999. AFTA now comprises ten countries of
ASEAN. All the four latecomers were required to sign the AFTA
agreement in order to join ASEAN, but were given longer time frames
in which to meet AFTA's tariff reduction obligations.
The primary goals of AFTA seek to:
Increase ASEAN's competitive edge as a production base in the world
market through the elimination, within ASEAN, of tariffs and non-
tariff barriers; and
Attract more foreign direct investment to ASEAN
Other FTAs
ASEAN – Australia – New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) was
signed on 27 February 2009 and became effective on 1 January
2010.
ASEAN–China Free Trade Area (ACFTA), in effect as of 1 January
2010
ASEAN–India Free Trade Area (AIFTA), in effect as of 1 January
2010
ASEAN–Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership (AJCEP)
ASEAN–Korea Free Trade Area (AKFTA), in effect as of 1 January
2010.
ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)
The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) is a formal, official, multilateral
dialogue in Asia Pacific region.
Currently, it has 27 members / participants.
ARF objectives are: a) to foster dialogue and consultation on
security and political issues, and, b) to promote confidence-
building and preventive diplomacy in the region.
The ARF met for the first time in 1994.
The current participants in the ARF are as follows: all the ASEAN
members, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, the People's Republic of
China, the European Union, India, Japan, North Korea, South
Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea,
Russia, East Timor, United States and Sri Lanka.
The Republic of China (also known as Taiwan) has been excluded
since the establishment of the ARF.
Issues regarding the Taiwan Strait are neither discussed at the
ARF meetings nor stated in the ARF Chairman's Statements.
ASEAN other Meetings
Aside from the ones above, other regular meetings are also
held. These include the annual ASEAN Ministerial Meeting as
well as other smaller committees. Meetings mostly focus on
specific topics, such as defence or the environment, and are
attended by Ministers, instead of heads of government.
Held Annually.
ASEAN other Meetings
Asia-Europe Meeting
The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) is an informal dialogue
process initiated in 1996 with the intention of
strengthening cooperation between the countries of
Europe and Asia, especially members of the European
Union and ASEAN in particular. ASEAN, represented by
its Secretariat, is one of the 45 ASEM partners. It also
appoints a representative to sit on the governing board
of Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), a socio-cultural
organisation associated with the Meeting.
ASEAN-Russia Summit
The ASEAN-Russia Summit is an annual meeting
between leaders of member states and the President of
Russia.
ASEAN Cultural Activities
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