12th Asia−Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit

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Opening ceremony of the 12th Asia−Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit (photo courtesy of https://tvnewsroom.consilium.europa.eu/)

The 12th Asia−Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit was established at a meeting of heads of state and government in Bangkok in March 1996. Currently it comprises 53 members, including 31 European representatives (28 EU members, Norway, Switzerland and the European Commission) and 22 Asian representatives (10 ASEAN members, Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Russia, South Korea and the ASEAN Secretariat).

Russia joined ASEM at the 8th summit in October 2010 in Brussels.

ASEM is an open and informal interregional dialogue for countries to cooperate in politics and security, financial, economic, social and cultural affairs.

The biennial meetings of the heads of state and government are held alternately in Asian and European countries.