East Asia Summit

The East Asia Summit (EAS) is a regional forum held annually by leaders of 16 countries in the East Asian, Southeast Asian, South Asian, and Oceanian regions, with ASEAN playing a central role and leadership since its establishment. The first summit was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on December 14, 2005, after several years of discussion and planning, with the idea of an East Asia Grouping dating back to 1991. The summit's membership has expanded to 18 countries, including Russia and the United States, since its inception. EAS meetings are held after the annual ASEAN leaders' meetings and play a significant role in the regional architecture of Asia-Pacific.learn more on wikipedia