The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, is a group of 10 countries located in South and Southeast Asia. The bloc first formed in 1967 as the New Emerging Forces, but it wasn’t until 25 years later that it came together as the ASEAN we know today. ASEAN members are: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar (formerly Burma), Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

ASEAN Summits

ASEAN leaders meet every year at the ASEAN Summit, hosted by a different member country each time. The meetings are a chance to discuss ASEAN’s future direction, as well as the global political climate. The first ASEAN summit was hosted by Thailand in 1976, and now takes place every year in a different country, rotating between Southeast Asian capitals.

ASEAN Cooperation

ASEAN has three main pillars — people, economic integration, and the social and cultural dimensions of the region — which guide the group’s work. A key part of ASEAN’s work is promoting collaboration between member states and tackling issues like climate change, wildlife trafficking and cyber security. There’s also a focus on generating more trade and investment in the region, which is a key way for countries to access new markets and generate wealth.

What is the ASEAN Vision?

The ASEAN vision is for a region that is peaceful, secure, resilient, and inclusive. ASEAN also aspires to be an International Centre for Convergence, where the world’s major economic, political and cultural forces can meet and collaborate. That vision is based on five pillars: – the ASEAN Economic Community – the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community – the ASEAN Security Community – the ASEAN Political-Legal Community – the ASEAN Ecological Community

ASEAN Community

The ultimate goal of ASEAN is to create a “community” of Southeast Asian countries. This will involve a major shift in how the group operates: The ASEAN Community will see the removal of barriers between member states, including the implementation of a free trade area, a single investment area and a single production area. ASEAN leaders have said they want to establish a community by 2020, but they are yet to decide how they will proceed with this goal.

Membership Benefits for Companies

Companies operating in ASEAN have access to a market of more than 640 million people, with a total GDP of $2.5 trillion. ASEAN is also the world’s third-largest economy, so it’s a huge opportunity for businesses. The region also has a strong middle class and a growing number of high net worth individuals. On top of that, ASEAN countries are attractive to foreign investors thanks to their relatively low labour costs and clean and reliable energy supplies.

How to Start Working With ASEAN Now

If you’re interested in expanding your business into ASEAN, start by getting on the ground and meeting people. A good way to do that is to attend trade and investment events hosted by ASEAN member countries. You can also find out what kinds of collaborations are happening between your company and other businesses in the region. And don’t forget about online channels, either — there are plenty of ways to reach Southeast Asian customers online. Finally, you can start reaching out to partners and clients in ASEAN countries now to establish important connections that can help you get started when the time comes.

Key Takeaway

ASEAN is the world’s third-largest economy and a key trading bloc in the East Asian region. The group unites 10 countries — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar (formerly Burma), Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The goal of ASEAN is to create a “community” of Southeast Asian countries. The group aims to remove barriers between member states and create a free trade area and single investment area. Companies operating in ASEAN have access to a market of more than 640 million people and a GDP of trillions of dollars.