ASEAN, officially the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a political and economic union of 10 member states in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, military, educational, and sociocultural integration between its members and countries in the Asia-Pacific. The union has a total area of 4,522,518 km2 (1,746,154 sq mi) and an estimated total population of about 668 million.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation is an inter-governmental forum for 21 member economies in the Pacific Rim that promotes free trade throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Following the success of ASEAN's series of post-ministerial conferences launched in the mid-1980s, APEC started in 1989, in response to the growing interdependence of Asia-Pacific economies and the advent of regional trade blocs in other parts of the world; it aimed to establish new markets for agricultural products and raw materials beyond Europe. Headquartered in Singapore, APEC is recognized as one of the highest-level multilateral blocs and oldest forums in the Asia-Pacific region, and exerts a significant global influence.
The East Asia Summit (EAS) is a regional forum held annually by leaders of, initially, 16 countries in the East Asian, Southeast Asian, South Asian and Oceanian regions, based on the ASEAN Plus Six mechanism. Membership expanded to 18 countries including Russia and the United States at the Sixth EAS in 2011. Since its establishment, ASEAN has held the central role and leadership in the forum. EAS meetings are held after the annual ASEAN leaders' meetings, and plays an important role in the regional architecture of Asia-Pacific. The first summit was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 14 December 2005.
The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an international organisation of seven South Asian and Southeast Asian nations, housing 1.73 billion people and having a combined gross domestic product of US$4.4 trillion (2022). The BIMSTEC member states – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand – are among the countries dependent on the Bay of Bengal.
APEC Peru 2008 was a series of political meetings held around Peru between the 21 member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation during 2008. Although business leaders of the region also met before the summit officially began. Leaders from all the member countries met during November 22–23, 2008, in the capital city of Lima.
Asia Inc. is an international business magazine in Asia with world-wide distribution. Based in Singapore, it is primarily focused on Asian business issues. The magazine is a strategic partner of the APEC CEO summit. In addition to articles, Asia Inc. periodically publishes rankings of Asian business school MBA programs.
The Fourth East Asia Summit was held in Cha-am and Hua Hin, Thailand on October 25, 2009. The East Asia Summit (EAS) is a pan-Asia forum held annually by the leaders of 16 countries in the East Asian region. EAS meetings are held after annual ASEAN leaders' meetings. The Fourth East Asia Summit was rescheduled several times, had its venue changed and one attempt to hold it was cancelled due to the 2008–2009 Thai political crisis. It was finally held on October 25, 2009.
APEC Singapore 2009 was a series of political meetings held around Singapore between the 21 member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation during 2009. It culminated in the 17th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting (AELM) held in Singapore from 14 to 15 November 2009.
APEC United States 2011 was a series of political meetings around the United States between the 21 member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation during 2011. It culminated in the 19th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting held at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu, Hawaii from November 12–13, 2011. The United States last hosted an APEC summit at the 1993 summit in Seattle. President Barack Obama, a Honolulu native, and First Lady Michelle Obama hosted the other leaders and spouses.
APEC Vietnam 2006 was a series of political meetings held around Vietnam between the 21 member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation during 2006. Various meetings were held across Vietnam in 2006. Leaders from all the member countries met from 18 to 19 November 2006 in Hanoi. Notable objectives that APEC Vietnam 2006 aimed to achieve included advancing free trade and investments, enhancing human security and building stronger societies and a more dynamic and harmonious community. The theme surrounding this APEC meeting was towards a dynamic community for sustainable development and prosperity.
APEC Philippines 2015 was the year-long hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings which concluded with the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting held on 18–19 November 2015 in Pasay, Metro Manila. It was the second time the Philippines hosted the summit, the first being in 1996.
APEC Peru 2016 was the XXVIII year-long hosting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in Peru, which was culminate with the XXIV APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in 19–20 November 2016 in Lima. It marked the second time Peru played host to the APEC, previously hosting in 2008.
APEC Philippines 1996 was a series of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings focused on economic cooperation, held at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Subic, Zambales on 24–25 November 1996. It was the eighth APEC meeting in history and the first held in the Philippines.
There have been twenty-four United States presidential visits to Southeast Asia by ten U.S. presidents. Dwight D. Eisenhower became the first incumbent president to visit a Southeast Asian country when he visited the Philippines in 1960. Since then, every president, except John F. Kennedy and Jimmy Carter, has travelled to the region. The Philippines, a former U.S. colony (1902–1946) and a close U.S. ally, is the most visited Southeast Asian country with ten visits, followed by Indonesia with nine, and Vietnam with eight. Of the eleven sovereign states in the region, all but East Timor have been visited by a sitting American president.
APEC China 2001 was a series of economic and political meetings between the 21 member states of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum held in the People's Republic of China during 2001. Various meetings were held across the country, with leaders from all the member countries meeting 20–21 October 2001 in Shanghai.
APEC Mexico 2002 was a series of political meetings held around Mexico between the 21 member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation during 2002. Leaders from all member countries met from 26–27 October 2002 in Los Cabos. Counter-terrorism efforts were major topics on the agenda of APEC Mexico 2002. The APEC summit attempted to present a new opportunity for Asian investors and commercial agents to discover Mexico as a profitable frontier in the future.
APEC Chile 2004 was a series of political meetings held around Chile between the 21 member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation during 2004. Various meetings were held across Chile in 2004. Leaders from all the member countries met from 20 to 21 November 2004 in Santiago. The topic that Chile established was "A Community, Our Future".
APEC Malaysia 2020 was the year-long hosting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in Malaysia from December 2019 until November 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the meetings were held virtually, including the culminating Economic Leaders' Meeting.
APEC 2022 Thailand is a year-long hosting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in Thailand took place in 2022. Thailand previously hosted APEC meetings in 2003 and 1992.
