The 15th ASEAN Summit and its related summits will be held in the Thai seaside resort Hua Hin between Oct. 23 and 25.

Ten leaders from ASEAN member countries together with the leaders of the six dialogue partners, namely China, India, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea, will attend the ASEAN summit.

The theme of this year's ASEAN summit is "Enhancing connectivity, empowering peoples".

In addition to the ASEAN summit, key meetings at the summit level also include:

1. 12th ASEAN-China Summit

This summit will follow up on the establishment of the China- ASEAN Funds on Investment Cooperation and on Commercial Credit, to which China has pledged to contribute 10 billion US dollars and 15 billion US dollars respectively.

2. 12th ASEAN-Japan Summit

The meeting will explore ways and means to strengthen and expand the various areas and dimensions of cooperation between both sides, such as energy, environment, preparedness against pandemics and cultural exchange.

3. 12th ASEAN-ROK (Republic of Korea, or South Korea ) Summit

It is expected that the meeting will follow up on South Korea' s three initiatives to cooperate with ASEAN, namely on development cooperation, Low Carbon Green Growth, and cultural and people-to- people exchange cooperation, announced at both parties' special Summit in Jeju, South Korea, in June this year.

4. 7th ASEAN-India Summit

Key topics of discussion are expected to include the revision of the bilateral trade target to 70 billion U.S. dollars in 2011.

5. 12th ASEAN Plus Three Summit (with China, Japan and South Korea)

The meeting will give special attention to the strategic planning of future cooperation as well as follow up on progress of the implementation of existing agreements.

6. 4th East Asia Summit (with China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand)

The meeting will discuss the direction of future regional cooperation and capacity building measures to prepare for the many global challenges that affect the region.

Highlights for the ASEAN summit and related summits include the inauguration of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, the adoption of a declaration on climate change to reaffirm ASEAN position in the negotiation under the UN Frameworks Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as well as the adoption of a declaration on education cooperation to achieve an ASEAN Community.

A number of concrete outcomes are expected after the Summits, including the 120 billion Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation, to be launched by early next year, and the development of the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve with the aim of early operationalisation under a permanent office.