Asia's Best Kept Secret: The ASEAN Economic Community

The ASEAN Economic Community officially launched December 31 2015, linking together the 10 nations and more than 625 million consumers of ASEAN into a single market and production base. While more work remains to be done to complete ASEAN’s ambitious goals, progress forges ahead on plans for the next 10 years.

In recognition of ASEAN’s importance, President Obama has invited the 10 ASEAN Heads of State to join him for a US-ASEAN Leaders Summit in Rancho Mirage, California February 15 and 16. Following that historic meeting, the US-ASEAN Business Council has organized a major, open-to-the public conference that will focus on the realities and possibilities of the US-ASEAN relationship - Asia's Best Kept Secret: The ASEAN Economic Community. ASEAN currently represents America’s 4th largest trading partner with two-way trade reaching $215 billion in 2014 and more than 370,000 U.S. jobs supported. ASEAN is also America’s leading destination in Asia for foreign direct investment, holding more U.S. FDI than China and Japan combined.

Speakers will include senior government officials from the U.S. and ASEAN, as well as business and academic leaders from across the region, who will speak to the importance of the relationship, the meaning and future of the AEC, and business opportunities across a wide range of sectors.