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
Today, Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr Kao Kim Hourn had a meeting with Mr Zhang Shaogang, Vice Chairman of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), and Ms Yang Yan Yan, Chairwoman of CCPIT Guangxi. Dr Kao encouraged CCPIT to share best practices in utilising RCEP with business
Today, Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr Kao Kim Hourn paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister of Lao PDR and incoming ASEAN Chair for 2024 Sonexay Siphandone. Dr Kao expressed ASEAN Secretariat’s full support for Lao PDR’s chairmanship of ASEAN next year with the theme “ASEAN: Enhancing Connectiv
Today, Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr Kao Kim Hourn delivered remarks at the 3rd RCEP Economic and Trade Cooperation Business Summit. In his remarks, Dr Kao encouraged the business community to take advantage of the RCEP Agreement to diversify and further integrate their supply chain in ASEAN.
Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr Kao Kim Hourn delivered remarks at the 2023 China-ASEAN Power Cooperation and Development Forum. Dr Kao welcomed further cooperation with China to address challenges in pursuing energy interconnectivity and to support ASEAN’s long-term energy security and just energy
Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr Kao Kim Hourn attended the opening ceremony of the 20th China-ASEAN Expo today. As co-moderator of the programme, Dr Kao introduced the leaders from ASEAN Member States. Dr Kao also remarked on the positive developments China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) brought to the peoples
Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr Kao Kim Hourn met with the Minister of Commerce of the Kingdom of Cambodia Cham Nimul on the sidelines of China-ASEAN Expo today. Dr Kao congratulated Minister Cham Nimul anew on her recent appointment as the Minister of Commerce and looked forward to continued support
Today, Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr Kao Kim Hourn delivered remarks at the 2nd China-ASEAN Forum for Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Technology in Nanning, China. Dr Kao encouraged ASEAN and China to foster collaboration in peaceful use of nuclear technology for mutual scientific and technological benefi
Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr Kao Kim Hourn visited the State Power Investment Group Co Ltd (SPIC) in Nanning, China today. During the visit, Dr Kao was briefed on SPIC’s business activities. In return, Dr Kao encouraged SPIC to identify potential cooperation to further advance ASEAN-China energy
