What is the difference between ASEAN and ASEAN Community?
Answers
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional grouping that promotes economic, political, and security cooperation among its ten members: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. ASEAN countries have a total population of 650 million people and a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of $2.8 trillion. The group has played a central role in Asian economic integration, signing six free-trade agreements with other regional economies and helping spearhead negotiations for what could be the world’s largest free trade pact.
The ASEAN Leaders have declared that the 2009-2015 Road Map consisting of the three Community Blueprints – Economic (AEC), Political-Security (APSC), Socio-Cultural (ASCC) -shall form the basis of the overall ASEAN Community (AC15).
The ASEAN Community pursues the goal of ASEAN’s founding fathers of improving the lives of Southeast Asia peoples through economic and cultural development, social progress, regional peace and security, collaboration, mutual assistance in training and research, improvement of living standards, promotion of Southeast Asian studies and cooperation with regional and international organisations. ASEAN recognises the importance of ensuring the safety of its citizens from challenges and threats such as climate change, pandemics, natural disasters and transnational crimes. It offers new opportunities to the region and the world for an atmosphere of peace and stability, of bigger, more open and rules-based market for business, of better health and education; and of sustainable development.