Asia-Pacific
U.S. exports to the Asian 10 (Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia) totaled over $239.4 billion in 2009.
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established in 1967 with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration by Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Since then, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, and Cambodia joined, making up what is today the 10 member states of ASEAN.
The ASEAN Vision 2020, adopted by the ASEAN leaders on the 30th anniversary of ASEAN, agreed on a shared vision of ASEAN as a concert of Southeast Asian nations and an agreement to become an economic union by 2020. The agreement sets deadlines for lowering travel restrictions and tariffs in the region of 500 million people. Trade in this ASEAN Economic Community totals more than $720 billion a year.
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
The APEC forum was formed in 1989. It serves as a multilateral forum in which Asian and Pacific economies can solve economic problems and cooperate in developing key economic sectors.
The APEC economies are: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Republic of the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, United States and Vietnam.
See CalChamber's APEC Trade Issues Page for further information