Kuala Lumpur to host largest in history ASEAN summit

The largest in history summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will open in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. ASEAN was founded in 1967 by five countries of the region, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.

Five more countries joined it later: Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia. East Timor had the special observer’s status with ASEAN and the country presented a formal request to join the association in March 2011.

East Timor has also officially joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The relevant declaration to that effect was signed at the summit of the Association in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia.

Further to ASEAN leaders, India will be represented by Shri Jaishankar the Foreign Minister as PM Modi will be addressing the summit virtually. It will also be attended by Prime Minister of Japan Sanae Takaichi, Prime Minister of China Li Qiang, US President Donald Trump, President of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa and others.

Economic issues, including regional digital integration, will be in the focus of summit participants. Several milestone documents are also expected to be approved at the summit, including the official admission of East Timor to ASEAN.

Strong security measures have already been taken in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. Police squads patrol the city downtown where delegation members are arriving. Helicopters cruise in airspace. Drones hover at a height of several meters in skies to monitor the situation in the downtown.

Roads will be blocked in the area of the conference center hosting the summit until October 28, when ASEAN summit activities will end.