The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN on 7 January 1984, followed by Viet Nam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, Cambodia on 30 April 1999, and Timor-Leste on 26 October 2025 making up what is today the eleven Member States of ASEAN.
ASEAN organs always strive to achieve ASEAN’s goals and objectives, the Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat shall be functioned as coordinating Secretariat to help facilitate effective decision-making withing and amongst ASEAN bodies. In addition, each Member State shall appoint a Permanent Representative to liaise with Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat
ASEAN shall develop friendly relations and mutually beneficial dialogues, cooperation and partnerships with countries and sub-regional, regional and international organisations and institutions. This includes external partners, ASEAN entities, human rights bodies, non-ASEAN Member States Ambassadors to ASEAN, ASEAN committees in third countries and international organisations, as well as international / regional organisations.
The rodmap for an ASEAN Community (2009-2015) was declared by the leaders in 2009. The ASEAN Community, anchored on three community pillars: Political-Security Community, Economic Community, Socio-Cultural Community was launched in 2015. The ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together was introduced in 2015 as a Post-2015 Vision. It comprises the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint 2025, the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025 and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN on 7 January 1984, followed by Viet Nam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, Cambodia on 30 April 1999, and Timor-Leste on 26 October 2025 making up what is today the eleven Member States of ASEAN.
ASEAN organs always strive to achieve ASEAN’s goals and objectives, the Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat shall be functioned as coordinating Secretariat to help facilitate effective decision-making withing and amongst ASEAN bodies. In addition, each Member State shall appoint a Permanent Representative to liaise with Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat
ASEAN shall develop friendly relations and mutually beneficial dialogues, cooperation and partnerships with countries and sub-regional, regional and international organisations and institutions. This includes external partners, ASEAN entities, human rights bodies, non-ASEAN Member States Ambassadors to ASEAN, ASEAN committees in third countries and international organisations, as well as international / regional organisations.
The rodmap for an ASEAN Community (2009-2015) was declared by the leaders in 2009. The ASEAN Community, anchored on three community pillars: Political-Security Community, Economic Community, Socio-Cultural Community was launched in 2015. The ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together was introduced in 2015 as a Post-2015 Vision. It comprises the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint 2025, the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025 and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 16 September 2026, delivered a lecture at the China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing, China, on the sidelines of his working visit to China. With the theme “ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: Progress and Prospects,” D
JEONJU, 16 September 2026 – The ASEAN-Korea Centre (AKC) will hold the opening ceremony of the Jeonju ASEAN Hall tomorrow, at the Korea Traditional Culture Center in Jeonju, marking the opening of the AKC’s third ASEAN Hall following those in Seoul and Jeju.
Around 100 distinguished guest
At the invitation of H.E. Ma. Christina A. Roque, Secretary of Trade and Industry of the Republic of the Philippines and Chair of the ASEAN Economic Ministers’ (AEM) Meeting in 2026, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, will lead the delegation of the ASEAN Secretariat to participate in
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 16 September 2026, attended a luncheon hosted by H.E. Ni Hong, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of China, in Beijing, China, on the sidelines of his Working Visit to China. During the luncheon, Dr. Kao exchanged views with Minister Ni
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 16 September 2026, delivered remarks at the First Plenary Session of the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, in Beijing, China. Speaking on the topic of “International Order and Strategic Stability,” Dr. Kao underscored that strategic stability requir
During his Working Visit to Beijing, China, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 15 September 2026, met with H.E. Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs and Mi
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 15 September 2026, met with H.E. Zhang Lizhong, Secretary-General of the ASEAN-China Center (ACC), on the sidelines of his Working Visit to Beijing, China. The two sides exchanged views on ASEAN-China relations and the role of the ACC in promoting c
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 15 September 2026, met with H.E. Dong Jun, Minister of National Defense of China, in Beijing, on the margins of his Working Visit to China. The two sides exchanged views on ways to advance ASEAN-China practical defence cooperation, amidst the changi
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 15 September 2026, delivered remarks at the Reception commemorating the fifth anniversary of the ASEAN–China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in Beijing, China, on the sidelines of his working visit to China.
In his remarks, Dr. Ka
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, delivered pre-recorded video remarks at the NUS Alumni Network Jakarta event, “ASEAN 2045: Geopolitics, Innovation and Opportunity in a Changing World,” held in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 15 September 2026 .
Anchored on ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Fu
