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News– The 47th ASEAN Summit is taking place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from October 26 to 30, 2025.
ASEAN Summit 2025 – Key Highlights
Theme: Inclusivity and Sustainability
New Member: East Timor (Timor-Leste) is set to become the 11th member, marking its formal inclusion after gaining independence from Indonesia in 2002.
Key Focus: The Summit will focus on U.S. tariffs and access to rare earth minerals, which are vital for high-tech manufacturing and are predominantly produced by China.
About Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Source- research gate
It is a regional organization established to promote economic growth, political stability, and security cooperation among ten Southeast Asian countries — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Founded on: 8 August 1967
Place: Bangkok, Thailand
Established by: The ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration)
Founding Members: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand
Motto: “One Vision, One Identity, One Community.”
Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia
Economic Profile: ASEAN countries together have a population of around 678 million and a combined GDP of approximately USD 3.9 trillion, according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative.
Institutional Mechanism of ASEAN
1. ASEAN Summit:
The highest decision-making body of ASEAN.
Held annually to discuss regional issues and set policy directions.
Chairmanship rotates annually among member states.
2. ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC): Ensures the implementation of decisions and agreements made by ASEAN’s policy bodies.
3. ASEAN Secretariat: Functions as the administrative and coordinating arm, managing ASEAN’s programs and initiatives.
4. ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF):
Serves as a platform for dialogue and cooperation on political and security issues among ASEAN members and their external partners.
India joined the ARF in 1996.
Decision-Making Process: All decisions within ASEAN are made through consultation and consensus, ensuring equal participation of all member nations.
Associated Summits: The ASEAN Summit is accompanied by several related meetings, including:
East Asia Summit (EAS) — brings together ASEAN with major global powers such as the U.S., China, India, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.
ASEAN Plus One Summits — held between ASEAN and seven key dialogue partners (Australia, China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, Russia, and the United States).
ASEAN Plus Three Summit — involving China, Japan, and South Korea.
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