Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) In The Age of Connectivity
18 May 2016
The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) was launched in 1996 with an inaugural summit in Bangkok. Since then, the Summits have been held biennially, alternating between Asia and Europe. The 11th ASEM Summit which coincides with the 20th anniversary of ASEM will be hosted by Mongolia on 15-16 July 2016.
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of ASEM, the European Union Centre in Singapore with the support of the Mongolian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has prepared this booklet on “Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in the Age of Connectivity”.
This booklet gives an analytical account of ASEM’s history and background, assesses ASEM’s developments and achievements since the inaugural summit, and provides some thoughts on the future of ASEM.
In an increasingly volatile and uncertain, and yet inter-connected world, Asia and Europe must make full use of existing multilateral forums such as the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) to reinforce the message of our mutual interdependence and connections. We need more dialogue to understand the insecurities and fears arising from developments and events that seem increasingly beyond our control, and we need more cooperation to navigate through the storms and headwinds arising from a more turbulent world. ASEM can be a platform to generate new ideas for cooperation, and strengthen our connectivity for a mutually enriching partnership between Asia and Europe.
YEO Lay Hwee
Bart GAENS
Shada ISLAM
European Union Centre in Singapore, 2016