ASEAN Summit Kicking Off in Singapore

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The 33rd summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will be chaired by Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and will mark the ending of Singapore’s chairmanship in the organization. Lee will hand over the chairmanship to his counterpart from Thailand Prayut Chan-o-cha at the closing ceremony.

The leaders of ASEAN are set to adopt the ASEAN Smart Cities Framework, aimed at urban development across the association and will discuss ASEAN’s goals and achievements.

ASEAN member countries alongside six ASEAN partner countries, namely Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand will also discuss the progress of the talks on creation of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The prospective free trade agreement is viewed as an alternative to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

Moreover, such events as the 21st ASEAN Plus Three Summit and the 13th East Asia Summit as well as the association’s summits with China, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the United States are scheduled. ASEAN will also hold informal summits with Australia and India.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and US Vice President Mike Pence are set to attend the related ASEAN events in Singapore, among others.

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