What are ASEAN and Its Member Countries, Headquarters, Objectives

ASEAN - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations

ASEAN Full Form - "The Association of Southeast Asian Nations". ASEAN is a regional organization.

ASEAN was established in 1967 by the governments of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand to accelerate economic development, social progress, and cultural development, and promote peace and security in Southeast Asia.

Establishment of ASEAN:-1967 in Bangkok, Thailand.

The principle and objectives of ASEAN:-“One vision, one identity, one community".

ASEAN Day:-8 August.

ASEAN headquater/Secretariat- Indonesia, Jakarta.

ASEAN countries have a total population of about 650 million and a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of $ 2.8 trillion.

ASEAN Members or ASEAN Countries 

1. Indonesia.
2. Malaysia.
3. The Philippines.
4. Singapore
5. Thailand
6. Brunei
7. Vietnam
8. Laos
9. Myanmar and 
10. Cambodia.

The six FTA partners of ASEAN are India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.

Current Secretary-General of ASEAN:-Lim Jock Hoi

• Summit:-32 and 33Summit-Singapore, 2018
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• 34 and 35 Summit- Bangkok, Thailand, 2019
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• 36 and 37 Summit- Hanoi, Vietnam (via video conferencing), 2020.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations

Origin of ASEAN - 1967-ASEAN is signed with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by its founding countries.

The founding countries of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

In the 1990s-after the end of the Vietnam War in 1975 and the Cold War in 1991, membership doubled due to changing circumstances in the region.

Also joined Brunei (1984, sixth member), Vietnam (1995), Laos and Myanmar (1997) and Cambodia (1999).

In 1976, ASEAN had its first meeting in Bali, Indonesia. Whose agenda was peace and cooperation?

The ASEAN The community consists of three pillars:

1. ASEAN Political-Security Community.

1. ASEAN Economic Community.

1. ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community.

ASEAN Ministerial Council

Four important new ministerial bodies have been established to support the summit.

• ASEAN Coordination Council (ACC)

• ASEAN Political-Security Community Council

• ASEAN Economic Community Council

• ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Council 

36th ASEAN Summit

The 36th edition of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Summit 2020, held twice a year was held in Hanoi, Vietnam, via video conferencing.

The theme of this summit was “ Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN".

The main objective of this summit was on COVID-19 pandemic response, post-pandemic recovery, and future cooperation with partners.

Earlier, the 36th ASEAN Summit was scheduled to take place in Da Nang, Vietnam in mid-April 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

ASEAN Summit agenda

ASEAN Covid-19 Response Fund:-The summit has decided to establish the ASEAN Covid-19 Response Fund with reserves for medical supplies to meet immediate needs during the epidemic.

A special ASEAN meeting convened in April to deal with the epidemic had failed to agree on an emergency fund.

It has also decided to formulate ASEAN standard procedures for epidemic response in case of health emergencies.

South China Sea issue:-The summit expressed concern over land modification and recent developments in the South China Sea.

China claims most of the resource-rich South China Sea, but Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Taiwan have also been asserting their claims on the region.

Vietnam also accused China of drowning its trawler. The incident prompted the US to warn that China was trying to exploit the epidemic conditions of other states to expand its illegal claims.

The United States are not a contender for any region in the South China Sea.

Both Vietnam and the Philippines lodged a protest with China following the unilateral announcement of the creation of new administrative districts on the islands.

In addition, in April, China officially named 80 islands and other geographic features in the disputed waters, for which Vietnam and the Philippines are also offering their claims.

The summit has also called on the parties to avoid tensions and carry out responsibilities under international laws.

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