THE ASEAN SUMMIT AND WHAT IT HAS DONE
The highest decision- making organ of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( Asean) is the Meeting of the Asean Heads of State and Government.
The Asean Leaders' Formal Summit was first held in Bali, Indonesia in 1976. At first it was unscheduled due to domestic issues of member countries. Then in 1992, leaders decided to hold meetings every three years. It was changed in 2001 when leaders decided to hold it annually to address urgent issues affecting the region.
The Summit was an annual affair until 2009, when leaders began meeting twice a year. Member countries take turns every year to chair the two meetings. The chair of the Asean Summit rotates annually in alphabetical order of the English names of member states— in the case of Burma ( Myanmar), it dropped its 2006 hosting rights in 2004 due to pressure from the United States.
During the year-end meeting, the country chair also hosts the East Asia Summit which is a forum attended by Asean and the leaders of China, India, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Russia and the United States.
The Asean Summit now being held in Manila is the third hosted by the Philippines. The country hosted the 3rd Asean Summit held in Manila in 1987 and the 12th Asean meeting held in Cebu in 2007. The Philippines also hosted the 3rd Informal Asean Summit in 1999.
50th anniversary
This year's Asean year-end meeting, also to be hosted by the Philippines, is doubly significant as it will also be held to celebrate Asean's 50th anniversary.
As set out in the Asean Declaration, Asean aims to accelerate the economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region and to promote regional peace and stability.
At the 9th ASEAN Summit in 2003, Asean Leaders resolved that an Asean Community shall be established.
At the 12th Asean Summit in January 2007, the Asean Leaders affirmed their strong commitment to accelerate the establishment of an Asean Community by 2015 and signed the Cebu Declaration on the Acceleration of the Establishment of an Asean Community by 2015.
The Asean Vision 2020, adopted by the Asean Leaders on the 30th anniversary of Asean, agreed on a shared vision of Asean as a concert of Southeast Asian nations, out- ward looking, living in peace, stability and prosperity, bonded together in partnership in dynamic development and in a community of caring societies.
Free trade agreement
Asean has negotiated a free trade agreement among member states and with other countries such as China, as well as eased travel in the region for citizens of member countries.
The opening up of Burma is considered as one of Asean's more significant recent achievements, having pursued a policy of constructive engagement and non- confrontation.
To promote peace and stability in the re-
gion, members have also signed a treaty pledging to not have nuclear weapons.
In the recent past, top concerns of Asean include terrorism and territory.
The Asean has deepened cooperation on regional terror threats such as Jemaah Islamiyah, the South East Asian arm of Al- Qaeda which claimed responsibility for the 2002 Bali bombings. Most members have agreed to a counter- terrorism pact which includes sharing intelligence and easing the extradition process of terror suspects.
In the 2015 Asean Summit, there was a strong condemnation of extremist terrorism noting the threat posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria ( ISIS).
Asean leaders adopted the Langkawi Declaration on the Global Movement of Moderates. Leaders agreed to step up cooperation to promote efforts to drown out extremist voices, and conduct a range of activities including inter- faith dialogues and exchange of experiences on countering radicalization and tackling the roots of extremism.
Territorial dispute
On the other hand, the escalating South China Sea territorial dispute has emerged as a challenge to Asean's unity. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia have overlapping claims with China.
At the July 2012 summit held in Phnom Penh, Asean failed to issue a joint statement for the first time in its history when member countries could not agree on how to deal with China.
In its declaration on the conduct of parties in the South China Sea, the members affirmed their "commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, and other universally recognized principles of international law which shall serve as the basic norms governing state-to-state relations."
The members also said they were committed to exploring ways for building trust and confidence in accordance with the abovementioned principles and on the basis of equality and mutual respect.
They affirmed their respect for and commitment to the freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea as provided for by the universally recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Asean has long been discussing drawing up a code of conduct to be signed with China governing disputes in the South China Sea. How to make Beijing sign on the multilateral agreement is Asean's big test— to disprove critics who had said it is just big on words and short on action.