On 28 July 2008, the ASEAN Studies Centre and the Regional Economic Studies Programme, both of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung organized a roundtable on The ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint. The brainstorming session gathered Southeast Asian experts from the region to discuss the AEC Blueprint, which ASEANs leaders had adopted at their summit meeting in November 2007, and the prospects of any obstacles to its implementation by the target year, 2015. The roundtable started with a progress report on the AEC Blueprint given by S. Pushpanathan, Principal Director of Economic Integration and Finance, ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta. Thereafter, the sessions examined the various aspects of the Blueprint tackling the non-tariff barriers, designing a comprehensive ASEAN Investment Agreement, a regional framework for competition policy, the role of infrastructure development in economic integration, the importance of international production networks in economic integration, etc.

Ch. 23. Encompassing the AEC blueprint into ASEAN's subregional frameworks : A commentary / Gary P. Krishnan -- Theme 4. Socio-cultural. ch. 24. Population ageing in ASEAN : Prospects and implications / Kang Soon Hock and Yap Mui Teng. ch. 25. Making ASEAN relevant to the young / Diana Lee. ch. 26. ASEAN and human capital / Faizal Bin Yahya. ch. 27. The ASEAN quest for greater engagement and commitment / Braema Mathiaparanam -- Theme 5. External relations. ch. 28. Lao PDR's role in ASEAN-China trade ties / H.E. Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh. ch. 29. ASEAN's diplomatic importance to China / Sheng Lijun. ch. 30. ASEAN as a mover of Asian regionalism / Akiko Fukushima. ch. 31. What I have always wondered about ASEAN : A perspective from ROK / Lee Sun-Jin. ch. 32. India's place and ASEAN's primacy in the New East Asia / P.S. Suryanarayana. ch. 33. Reflections on regionalism : The ASEAN journey / Simon Murdoch. ch. 34. ASEAN and Latin America : Time for a vibrant connectivity / Paulo Alberto da Silveira Soares. ch. 35. Building a strategic partnership : A review of relations between ASEAN and the ILO / Ng Gek-Boo -- Theme 6. The future. ch. 36. The future of ASEAN : Obsolescent or resilient? / Amitav Acharya. ch. 37. How Can ASEAN stay relevant? / Joergen Oerstroem Moeller. ch. 38. ASEAN into the future : Towards a better monitoring and evaluation of regional co-operation programmes / Azmi Mat Akhir. ch. 39. Strengthening the foundation for an ASEAN community / Wilfrido V. Villacorta

Know Your ASEAN sets down, in clear and simple language, the basic facts about the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It does so in the form of 40 questions and their answers. This is the second edition of the booklet that was among the contributions of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies to the observance of the 40th anniversary of ASEAN's founding on 8 August 1967. The booklet provides facts on ASEAN's establishment, membership, financing and decision-making. It recalls the association's contributions to regional security. It explains what ASEAN is doing to integrate the regional economy and promote regional cooperation on the environment, infectious diseases, counter-terrorism, poverty reduction and natural disasters. It clarifies such issues as non-interference and human rights. It touches on ASEAN's relations with other countries and international institutions. Since the first edition was published in 2007, many developments have taken place in ASEAN and Southeast Asia, including the adoption of the ASEAN Charter. Hence, the need for an updated version of the text. Through this booklet and their other work, ISEAS and its ASEAN Studies Centre hope to contribute to the expansion of public understanding about ASEAN, recognizing the fact that regional solidarity, integration and cooperation are possible only with sufficient public support. As in the first edition, the publications design and cartoons are by Miel, the award-winning Senior Executive Artist and leading cartoonist of the Straits Times.

This book investigates long-term development issues for members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It finds that with the proper policy mix—including domestic structural reforms and bold initiatives for regional integration—ASEAN has the potential to reach by 2030 the average quality of life enjoyed today in advanced economies and to fulfill its aspirations to become a resilient, inclusive, competitive, and harmonious (RICH) region. Key challenges moving forward are to enhance macroeconomic and financial stability, support equitable growth, promote competitiveness and innovation, and protect the environment. Overcoming these challenges to build a truly borderless economic region implies eliminating remaining barriers to the flow of goods, services, and production factors; strengthening competitiveness and the institutional framework; and updating some governing principles. But ASEAN should not merely copy the European Union. It must maintain its flexibility and pragmatism without creating a bloated regional bureaucracy. The study’s main message is that through closer integration, ASEAN can form a partnership for achieving shared prosperity in the region and around the globe.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a miracle. Why?In an era of growing cultural pessimism, many thoughtful individuals believe that different civilisations-especially Islam and the West-cannot live together in peace. The ten countries of ASEAN provide a thriving counter-example of civilizational co-existence. Here 625m people live together in peace. This miracle was delivered by ASEAN.In an era of growing economic pessimism, where many young people believe that their lives will get worse in coming decades, Southeast Asia bubbles with optimism. In an era where many thinkers predict rising geopolitical competition and tension, ASEAN regularly brings together all the world's great powers.Stories of peace are told less frequently than stories of conflict and war. ASEAN's imperfections make better headlines than its achievements. But in the hands of thinker and writer Kishore Mahbubani, the good news story is also a provocation and a challenge to the rest of the world.This excellent book explains, in clear and simple terms, how and why ASEAN has become one of the most successful regional organizations in the world. - George YeoA powerful and passionate account of how, against all odds, ASEAN transformed the region and why Asia and the world need it even more today. - Amitav Acharya