The 33rd summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), being held in Singapore on Nov. 11-15 under the theme "Resilient and Innovative”.
The gathering of heads of state and government of the 10-member countries of ASEAN is expected to charter a new course for further regional integration and ASEAN's cooperation mechanisms with external partners.
This summit will focus on strengthening unity in various areas in the face of growing uncertainties in the global strategic landscape, as well as leveraging on innovation and technology to improve the lives of the people.
The leaders will also exchange views on regional and international issues with their counterparts at the 21st ASEAN Plus Three Summit and 13th East Asia Summit. There will also be a working lunch hosted by Singaporean President Mr. Lee for ASEAN leaders and Guests of the ASEAN Chair, summits with China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and the United States, as well as informal breakfast summits with Australia and India.
At its 28th and 29th summits held in Vientiane in September 2016, the leaders adopted the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan III and the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025, an integral part of the ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together, in a bid to advance the ASEAN community building process.
The highest decision-making body of ASEAN is the summit meeting of the ASEAN heads of state and government. The ASEAN summit is convened every year and Singapore is this year's chair. According to the ASEAN Charter, the chairmanship of ASEAN rotates annually among the member states.
Sources: Channel News Asia, Global Times