Leaders from the Southeast Asian countries will meet their counterparts from East Asia during the upcoming 11th ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) plus three (China, Japan and South Korea) summit in Singapore today.

The following is an introduction to the ASEAN+3 as well as the ASEAN+1 framework, which stands for ASEAN's respective cooperation mechanism with China, Japan and South Korea.

The two frameworks were established in the late 1990s, when ASEAN countries decided to enhance cooperation with other major economies of Asia.

The two frameworks, initially focused on economic cooperation, have expanded in recent years to the fields of politics, security and culture.

Some 50 dialogue mechanisms at various levels have been established within the framework of ASEAN+3.

Fourteen of them are of ministerial level, covering diplomacy, economy, finance, agriculture, labor, tourism, environment, the fight against cross-border crime, health care, energy, telecommunications, social welfare and administration innovation.

Within the framework of ASEAN+1, great emphasis has been put on cooperation in the sectors of agriculture and the information and communication industry, human resources development, mutual investment and the development of the Mekong River Basin.

State leaders, ministers and other high-ranking officials from China, Japan, South Korea and the 10 ASEAN countries meet annually to discuss cooperation and major international and regional issues.

Aside from regular meetings with China, Japan and South Korea, ASEAN also carries out dialogue with other nations on an occasional basis.

ASEAN, established in 1967, has 10 member countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia.