History Flashcards

Which event in 1997 severely tested ASEAN's unity and led to criticism of its 'non-interference' principle?

Answer: The Asian Financial Crisis

The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis devastated member economies and exposed weaknesses in ASEAN's economic coordination and its non-interference doctrine.

ASEAN's first summit meeting was held in Bali, Indonesia in what year?

Answer: 1976

The First ASEAN Summit was held in Bali in February 1976, nearly a decade after the organization's founding, producing the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation.

Which country was the last to join ASEAN before the group reached its current ten-member composition?

Answer: Cambodia

Cambodia joined ASEAN in 1999, completing the current ten-member bloc after its admission was delayed due to the 1997 political crisis involving Hun Sen.

What was the primary security concern that motivated the five founding members to establish ASEAN in 1967?

Answer: Communist insurgencies and Cold War tensions

ASEAN was founded partly to present a united front against communist insurgencies and to navigate Cold War tensions between superpowers in Southeast Asia.

The ASEAN Declaration of 1967 was signed in which city?

Answer: Bangkok

The ASEAN Declaration, also known as the Bangkok Declaration, was signed in Bangkok, Thailand on August 8, 1967.

Which ASEAN member state achieved independence from Portugal in 1975 and later joined ASEAN in 2002 as an observer, but is NOT yet a full member?

Answer: East Timor (Timor-Leste)

Timor-Leste gained independence in 2002 after a long struggle and was granted ASEAN observer status, with its full membership application still pending as of 2026.

The Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) signed at the 1976 Bali Summit established which key principle for ASEAN relations?

Answer: Non-interference in internal affairs

The TAC codified the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of member states, which became a cornerstone—and later a point of controversy—of ASEAN relations.