The East Asia Summit (EAS) is the Indo-Pacific's premier forum for strategic dialogue. It is the only leader-led forum at which all key Indo-Pacific partners meet to discuss political, security and economic challenges facing the region, and has an important role to play in advancing closer regional cooperation.

2025 marks the 20th anniversary of the EAS. Australia participated, as a founding member, in the inaugural EAS held in Kuala Lumpur on 14 December 2005.

The EAS has 18 members: the 10 ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) along with Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States. Timor-Leste will become a member of the EAS following its ASEAN ascension.

The Chair of ASEAN is also the Chair of the EAS. Malaysia is the 2025 ASEAN Chair, and its Chair year theme is 'Inclusivity and Sustainability'. The Chair sets the EAS priorities for the year, in consultation with EAS participating countries, and hosts most EAS meetings. The role rotates annually between the 10 ASEAN Member States. The Philippines will Chair in 2026 and Singapore in 2027.

In 2024, EAS members represented approximately 53 per cent of the world's population and accounted for approximately 60 per cent of global GDP. The EAS includes eight of Australia's top 10 trading partners. In 2024, Australia's two-way trade with EAS countries was worth $906 billion, 71.9 per cent of total two-way trade.

EAS Meetings and Processes

The EAS calendar culminates in the annual Leaders' Summit, which is held alongside ASEAN Leaders' meetings. In addition to their discussions, leaders can issue joint statements on topical issues to signal political will for policy responses and to provide a basis for cooperation. At the 19th East Asia Summit on 11 October 2024 in Vientiane, Leaders reinforced their support for ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). They also discussed strategic issues including the crisis in Myanmar, destabilising activities in the South China Sea, conflict in the Middle East, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the Korean Peninsula.

EAS Foreign Ministers and Economic Ministers meet annually. They discuss political, regional security and economic issues and prepare for the EAS Leaders' Summit. The 15th EAS Foreign Ministers' Meeting was held on 10 July 2025 and the 13th EAS Economic Ministers' Meeting will be held on 27 September 2025, both in Kuala Lumpur. EAS Environment, Energy and Education Ministers also meet regularly.

EAS Senior Officials' Meetings and meetings of EAS Ambassadors to ASEAN are held regularly to discuss emerging issues, prepare for EAS ministerial and Leaders' meetings, and take forward decisions by EAS leaders. A dedicated EAS Unit within the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta supports the monitoring and implementation of decisions by EAS leaders.

Recent Australia-led EAS Initiatives

Statements

• 2021 EAS Leaders' Statement on Mental Health Cooperation (co-sponsored by Brunei Darussalam)
• 2019 EAS Leaders' Statement on Cooperation to Combat Transnational Crime (co-sponsored by Thailand, Myanmar, the Republic of Korea and New Zealand)
• 2018 EAS Leaders' Statement on Deepening Cooperation in the Security of Information and Communications Technologies and of the Digital Economy (co-sponsored by Singapore)
• 2017 EAS Leaders' Statement on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (co-sponsored by Indonesia and Myanmar)

Workshops and Seminars

• 2025 Second EAS Workshop on Mental Health Cooperation held via videoconference (co-hosted with Brunei Darussalam)
• 2024 Sixth EAS Workshop on Maritime Security Cooperation held in Mumbai (co-hosted with Indonesia and India)
• 2024 EAS Workshop on Mental Health Cooperation held via videoconference (co-hosted with Brunei Darussalam)
• 2023 EAS Workshop on Developing Coastal Economies held in Jakarta (co‑organised with Indonesia)
• 2022 EAS Hackathon on Combatting Marine Plastic held in Jakarta (co-organised by Australia, India, and Singapore)
• 2022 EAS Workshop on Combating Marine Pollution held via videoconference (co-chaired with India and Singapore)
• 2021 EAS Workshop on Mental Health Cooperation held via videoconference (co-hosted with Brunei Darussalam)
• 2020 EAS Workshop on Cyber Capacity Building held via videoconference (co‑hosted with Singapore)
• 2020 EAS Conference on Maritime Security Cooperation held in Chennai (co‑chaired with India and Indonesia)
• 2019 EAS Seminar on Maritime Security and International Law held in Kuala Lumpur (co-hosted with Malaysia)
• 2018 EAS International Disaster Assistance Workshop held in Perth (co-hosted with Indonesia)
• 2017 EAS Non-Proliferation Seminar held in Melbourne (co-hosted with Thailand)
• 2016 EAS Maritime Security Cooperation Seminar held in Sydney (co-hosted with Indonesia)
• 2015 EAS Search and Rescue Lessons Learned Seminar held in Sydney (co-hosted with Thailand)

Key Dates

• 2025: 20th Anniversary of the EAS
• 2024: 50th Anniversary of ASEAN-Australia Dialogue Relations
• 2024: Second ASEAN-Australia Special Summit, held in Melbourne
• 2021: Australia's relationship with ASEAN elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
• 2018: First ASEAN-Australia Special Summit, held in Sydney
• 2014: Australia's relationship with ASEAN elevated to a Strategic Partnership
• 2011: The US and Russia joined the EAS
• 2005: Australia participated, as a founding member, in the inaugural EAS held in Kuala Lumpur
• 2005: Australia acceded to the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation
• 1994: Australia joined the ASEAN Regional Forum
• 1974: Australia became ASEAN's first Dialogue Partner

Past EAS Statements and Publications

2025 (Chair: Malaysia)

• Chair's Statement of the 15th EAS Foreign Ministers' Meeting

2024 (Chair: Laos)

• Chair's Statement of the 19th EAS Leaders' Meeting
• Chair's Statement of the 14th EAS Foreign Ministers' Meeting
• Chair's Statement of the 18th EAS Energy Ministers' Meeting
• ASEAN Media Statement of the 12th EAS Economic Ministers' Meeting
• Joint Statement of the 7th EAS Education Ministers' Meeting

2023 (Chair: Indonesia)

• Chair's Statement of the 18th EAS Leaders' Meeting
• Chair's Statement of the 13th EAS Foreign Ministers' Meeting
• Chair's Statement of the 11th EAS Economic Ministers' Meeting
• Chair's Statement of the 17th EAS Energy Ministers' Meeting
• EAS Leader's Statement on Maintaining and Promoting the Region as an Epicentrum of Growth
• The EAS Plan of Action (2024-2028)

2022 (Chair: Cambodia)

• Chair's Statement of the 17th EAS Leaders' Meeting
• Chair's Statement of the 17th EAS on Advancing Women's Economic Empowerment, Strengthening Energy Cooperation for A Comprehensive Post-Covid-19 Recovery, and Promoting Volunteerism for Sustainable Development
• Chair's Statement of the 12th EAS Foreign Ministers' Meeting
• ASEAN Media Statement of the 10th EAS Economic Ministers' Meeting
• Joint Ministerial Statement of the 16th EAS Energy Ministers Meeting
• Joint Statement of the 6th EAS Education Ministers Meeting

2021 (Chair: Brunei Darussalam)

• Chair's Statement of the 16th EAS Leaders' Meeting
• Chair's Statement of the 11th EAS Foreign Ministers' Meeting
• EAS Leaders' Statement on Sustainable Recovery
• EAS Leaders' Statement on Mental Health Cooperation
• EAS Leaders' Statement on Economic Growth Through Tourism Recovery
• Joint Media Statement of the 9th EAS Economic Ministers' Meeting

2020 (Chair: Vietnam)

• Chair's Statement of the 15th EAS Leaders' Meeting
• Chair's Statement of the 10th EAS Foreign Ministers' Meeting
• Ha Noi Declaration on the 15th Anniversary of the EAS
• EAS Leaders' Statement on Cooperation to Promote Steady Growth of Regional Economy
• EAS Leaders' Statement on Women, Peace and Security
• EAS Leaders' Statement on Strengthening Collective Capacity in Epidemics Prevention and Response
• EAS Leaders' Statement on Marine Sustainability
• Joint Media Statement of the 8th EAS Economic Ministers' Meeting

2019 (Chair: Thailand)

• Chair's Statement of the 14th EAS Leaders' Meeting
• Chair's Statement of the 9th EAS Foreign Ministers' Meeting
• EAS Leaders' Statement on Cooperation to Combat Transnational Crime
• EAS Leaders' Statement on Partnership for Sustainability
• EAS Leaders' Statement on Combating the Spread of Illicit Drugs
• Joint Media Statement of the 7th EAS Economic Ministers' Meeting

2018 (Chair: Singapore)

• Chair's Statement of the 13th EAS Leaders' Meeting
• Chair's Statement of the 8th EAS Foreign Ministers' Meeting
• EAS Leaders' Statement on ASEAN Smart Cities
• EAS Leaders' Statement on Combatting Marine Plastic Debris
• EAS Leaders' Statement on Counter the Threat of Foreign Terrorist Fighters and Returnees
• EAS Leaders' Statement on Deepening Cooperation in the Security of ICT and of the Digital Economy
• EAS Leaders' Statement on the Safe and Secure Use, Storage, and Transport of Nuclear and Other Radioactive Materials
• Joint Media Statement of the 6th EAS Economic Ministers' Meeting

2017 (Chair: Philippines)

• Chair's Statement of the 12th EAS Leaders' Meeting
• EAS Leaders' Declaration on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism
• EAS Leaders' Statement on Cooperation in Poverty Alleviation
• EAS Leaders' Statement on Countering Ideological Challenges of Terrorism and Terrorist Narratives and Propaganda
• EAS Leaders' Statement on Chemical Weapons
• Manila Plan of Action to Implement the Phnom Penh Declaration on the EAS Development Initiative and EAS areas of Cooperation