Building ASEAN community tops summit's agenda

At the two-day summit which opened on Tuesday, the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are expected to reach an agreement toward that goal. The process of building the ASEAN community has been accelerated in recent years, and by 2015, the three pillars of the Political-Security Community, the Economic Community and the Socio-Cultural Community are expected to be formed.

In Cambodia, building the ASEAN community is the main agenda as the bloc holds its 20th Summit in Phnom Penh.

At the two-day summit which opened on Tuesday, the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are expected to reach an agreement toward that goal. The process of building the ASEAN community has been accelerated in recent years, and by 2015, the three pillars of the Political-Security Community, the Economic Community and the Socio-Cultural Community are expected to be formed.

This year’s summit will also discuss the acceleration of ASEAN’s integration, the implementation of the ASEAN Charter, and the realization of a drug-free ASEAN by 2015. ASEAN groups Cambodia, Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, which take turns chairing the summit twice a year.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan (centre L) and Indonesia's Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa (centre R) sign an agreement during the signing ceremony of the 20th ASEAN Summit at the Peace Palace in the Office of the Council of Ministers at Phnom Penh April 2, 2012. REUTERS/Samrang Pring

Foreign ministers and delegates of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) pose for a photograph after a signing ceremony during the ASEAN Summit
2012 at the Peace Palace in the Office of the Council of Ministers in Phnom
Penh April 2, 2012.

 中国公共网摘编：亓淦玉