Investing activity in ASEAN from 2011-2012. 
 

Leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region, including US President, Barack Obama and Russian Federation Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, are among the foreign dignitaries due to attend an ASEAN summit held in Bali in November 2011.

It is easy to see why there is such an international focus on Southeast Asia. Commitment to free trade and encouragement of the private sector is fortifying an open multilateral trading system. In 2010, the region grew by 7.6% after a sharp downturn in 2009, following the 2008 global financial crisis.

ASEAN trade volumes are running at more than US$1.5 trillion a year. The main trading partners in 2009 were China (US$178 billion), the EU (US$172 billion), Japan (US$162 billion) and the US (US$150 billion). The figure for China is even higher if trade with Hong Kong (US$68 billion) is taken into account.