ASEAN was established in Bangkok, on 8 August 1967 by five countries, Indonesia,

Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines. The object of the establishment is not to form military

alliances, but to prevent the spread of communism in Asia like Vietnam. From 1984 the Association

of South East Asian Nation began to add more members, and Brunei was the first additional

member who joined on 8 January 1984. Later on, Vietnam joined on 28 July 1995, Laos and

Myanmar on 23 July 1997 and lastly Cambodia on 30 April 1999. Nowadays there are ten members

of ASEAN and two observers namely, Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste (Leong, 2001). The

objective of ASEAN was to pursue their common interests. One of the examples other trades were

negotiation with European Union. Later on, on the 30th anniversary of ASEAN on 15 December

1997, ASEAN leader adopted the ASEAN vision 2020 in which ASEANs concert is the segment

roles to pursue the well-being society, stability, prosperity as well as keeping close relation to one

another for dynamic enhancement in the gap of ASEAN member counties. In 2003, the leader of

ASEAN determined to establish the three pillars namely ASEAN Security Community, ASEAN

Economic Community and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (Leong, 2001).

Firstly, ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) is one of the most major

advancement pillars which has been adopted as a common goal of the 14th ASEAN summit on

March 1st 2009 in Thailand. The first vision of APSC is further forward to build a community of

ASEAN countries. The APSCs Blueprint is aimed to reinforce the political stability in adherent to

the principle of democracy, harmonious environment, and effective governance through exactly

selected (Glosson, 2014). The cohesion of ASEAN acts as the exclusive holders of legitimate

instrument to protect and urge peace, security, cooperation, fundamental freedom, and migrant

workers right to pursue closer interaction as well as cooperation. Based from those factors, people

are oriented forward to promote all sectors of society, inattentive gender, race, religion, language, or

culture background, are encouraged to participate by the strategies of ASEAN integration and

community building. The full implementation of this vision is expected to endeavor of promoting

and supporting the mainstream gender, tolerance, and respect for variety equality as well as mutual
ASEAN Pillars 1
understanding to one another (Haines, 2014). Typically, APSCs characteristic is an ultimately

creation of a rule based community of shared values and norm in order to strengthen democracy,

enhance effective government and rule of law to pursue an objective of human rights which are to

be undertaken by member states of ASEAN; consequently, to success the consolidating, cohesive,

harmony, reinforcing resilient region, and strengthening ASEANs solidarity to contribute well-

being environments, which are the citizens envisaged such as high rate economics, socio-culture,

and environmental dimensions of development to discover none-conflict and international

diplomacy (Glosson, 2014). According to these factors, it fosters to pursue friendly society and

mutual beneficial relations with internal or external allies to ensure people and member states of

ASEAN live in peaceful filed and over the moon.

Furthermore, ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is the heart of ASEANs pillar

which shall successful in 2015 as the expectation of the ASEAN Concord II at Bali summit on

October 7th 2003. The most elaboration of AEC will be offered the achievement of higher levels

economical dynamic, sustainable prosperity, inclusive growth and integrated development

(Wauconda, 2013). Additionally, the characteristics of AEC are inter-related and mutually

enhancement of corporation for ensuring the proper coordination among relevant stake-holders.

Typically, AEC adopted four elements important for following. First and foremost is an ASEAN

common market and production base which is composed of five-core-element such as free flow of

services, goods, investment, capital, and skilled labor. Meanwhile, common market enables people,

money, service, business, and goods of freely in the regions to stimulate of trade. Based on the

reasons above, it will make much easier for peoples options to consider whether which one are the

best either the prices or quality. Furthermore, competitive economic region means to seek the main

objective of fair competition by operated competition policy in all ASEAN Member Countries and

established a network of authorities or agencies to serve as a forum for discussing and coordinating

competition policies. Beside, equitable economic development also plays significant roles to offer

the different levels of development among member countries, it envisages to guarantee the
ASEAN Pillars 2
deepening and broadening integration of ASEAN either technical or enhancement cooperation to

address the development profiles accompany accelerate the economic integration of the less

developed countries so that the benefits of all countries are shared and enjoyed to one another which

will lead ASEAN integration into global economic due to increasingly global environment both

interdependent markets and globalized industries (Wauconda, 2013) by enabling ASEAN

businesses to compete in international-trades in term of dynamic and stronger that remains attractive

for foreign investments and each ASEAN member countries living in high conditions.

More importantly, ASEAN Socio-culture community (ASCC) is one of the three pillars

of ASEAN which is important and crucial as the others. ASCC is planed of action in 13th ASEAN

summit held in Singapore 2007. ASEAN had built Socio-culture blueprint and prepared to establish

ASEAN Socio-culture community in 2020. ASCC is similar to the ASC and AEC that they all want

to develop ASEAN, but the different is ASCC characteristic are human development, culture

promotion, and justice (Haines, 2014). ASCC blueprint will play a big role of the third pillar for

2020 ASEAN community establishment. In ASCC blueprint, human development is the most

important part. As we all know that, people in ASEAN countries are not intelligent as European. In

ASCC blueprint said that all ASEAN state has to strength their education systems such as teachers

skill and equipment of studying. All ASEAN countries have to work and cooperated with each other

more than before. ASCC plans to provide and creates more scholarships for students in order to

improve human resources. In case of culture, as we can see that there are 10 different nations in

ASEAN and they have separate cultures. In ASCC blueprint state, each member of ASEAN would

promote and enlarge their culture to other countries (Wauconda, 2013). In order to promote culture,

all countries have to hold workshop and culture program.

In brief, as this essay has demonstrated, the topic ASEAN Pillars has variety of

viewpoints and interpretation subjects to the school of thought. Essentially, once the during cold

war, the concept of solidaritys Asians has been resurgent into unique institution which is called

ASEAN and has established many effective results especially in term of the ASEAN pillars such as
ASEAN Pillars 3
The APSC aims to pursue the political stability inclusive democracy and human right, reinforcing

ASEANs solidarity to the international diplomacy whereas the AEC seeks to the mutual

enhancement of cooperation through internal and external economic. Last but not least, the ASCC is

trying to improve the human development, justice and cultural. After many transformations,

ASEAN has been leading millions of people living in peaceful due to equality, enhancement and

prosperous life. It is therefore unsurprising that this essay concludes by acknowledging the ASEAN

Pillar is an effective function.

References

Glosson. (2014). Asean Political Security Community. Retrieved from

http://www.asean.org/communities/asean-political-security-community
ASEAN Pillars 4
Haines. (2014). Asean Political Security Community. Retrieved from

http://www.asean.org/communities/asean-political-security-community

Haines. (2014). Asean Socio-Cultural Community. Retrieved from

http://www.asean.org/communities/asean-socio-cultural-community

Leong, C. (2001). ASEAN's roles. Retrieved from http://www.aseanfoundation.org/

Leong, C. (2001). Association Southeast Asian Nations Asean. Retrieved from

http://www.nti.org/treaties-and-regimes/association-southeast-asian-nations-asean/

Villanueva, M. E. (2014). ASEAN Political Security Community. Retrieved from

http://www.academia.edu/7042110/Charting_into_New_Waters_Towards_ASEAN_Politica

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Wauconda. (2013). AEC's Characteristic. Retrieved from

http://www.asean.org/opportunities/scholarship

Wauconda. (2013). ASCC's characteristic. Retrieved from

http://www.aec.org/sustainability/benefits.cfm

Wauconda. (2013). ASEAN Economic Community. Retrieved from

http://www.aec.org/sustainability/role.cfm