27th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

          On 21 – 22 November 2015, H.E. General Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister of Thailand, H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs and H.E. Mrs. Apiradi Tantraporn, Minister of Commerce, attended the 27^th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

          The Prime Minister attended eleven Meetings: the ASEAN Summit; the Summits between ASEAN and its Dialogue Partners including China, India, the United States, New Zealand (40^th Anniversary Commemorative Summit), the Republic of Korea, Japan and the United Nations; the ASEAN Plus Three Summit; the East Asia Summit; and the ASEAN Plus Three Leaders’ Interface with the East Asia Business Council.

          The Summit marked another milestone for ASEAN where the Leaders announced the formal establishment of the ASEAN Community on 31 December 2015, as well as the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the ASEAN Community Blueprints 2025 for the next decade (2016-2025), namely the ASEAN Political-Security Community, the ASEAN Economic Community and the ASEAN Socio-cultural Community.

          The Leaders agreed to jointly address challenges that may arise from deepened integration and greater connectivity, such as transboundary haze pollution, drug trafficking, transnational crime, human trafficking, natural disaster, irregular migration and cybercrime. They remained resolute to fight terrorism and extremism in all its forms and manifestations and condemned the heinous attacks in Paris and elsewhere. On regional architecture, priority is given to maintaining and enhancing the ASEAN centrality to support effective and balanced relations with the major powers and Dialogue Partners of ASEAN. ASEAN has also upgraded its partnership with the United States and New Zealand to a strategic level. Furthermore, the Leaders discussed issues under international scrutiny such as climate change, where they reaffirmed their readiness to attend the COP21 in Paris next month; and the South China Sea, where concern was voiced and all parties were called on to resolve the situation by peaceful means and dialogue.

           As for Thailand, the Prime Minister reiterated Thailand’s commitment to building on ASEAN Community that is strong from within and united; and proposed that the ASEAN Member States should cooperate on agriculture and maritime tourism, as well as further enhance ASEAN as a single market and production base through the establishment of Special Economic Zones at major border areas and the promotion of a One-Plus-One investment model. All this is to help strengthen ASEAN’s competitiveness and narrow the development gap so that everyone can reap the benefits of integration and move forward together.

          On this special occasion, the Leaders signed three documents, which are 1) 2015 Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the Establishment of the ASEAN Community 2) Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together and 3) ASEAN Convention Against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. In addition, they adopted eighteen  outcome documents, which reflect their commitment in promoting further cooperation among ASEAN Member States and between ASEAN and its Dialogue Partners, as well as ASEAN’s proactive role in the Asia-Pacific region.

          The Leaders of ASEAN and China also witnessed the Signing of the Protocol to Amend the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Co-operation and Certain Agreements thereunder between ASEAN and the People's Republic of China by ASEAN and China Economic Ministers. The Prime Minister also joined fifteen other countries participating in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (ASEAN Member States, China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand and India) to announce the extension of RCEP negotiation until the end of 2016.