The success of ASEAN rests on its open, inclusive and outward-looking nature. In this vein, ASEAN has established with ten parties: Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia, and the United States. Each ASEAN Member State is appointed to coordinate relations with a ; Singapore is the country coordinator for from July 2012 to July 2015. In addition to the Dialogue Partnerships, ASEAN-led platforms including , East Asia Summit, ASEAN Regional Forum and the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus, have helped to develop predictability in interactions amongst its members, thus enhancing confidence-building and contributing towards regional stability.

To respond to the growing challenges facing ASEAN in a timely and effective manner, and safeguard ASEAN centrality in an evolving , a High-Level Task Force (HLTF) has been set up to look into ways to improve ASEAN’s institutions and processes, as well as to review ASEAN’s . The HLTF is expected to submit its recommendations to the 15th meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Council in 2014. Two ASEAN Coordinating Council Working Groups have also been established to: (a) develop a Post-2015 Vision to succeed the ASEAN Community Blueprints by the 27th ASEAN Summit in 2015; and (b) study all relevant aspects related to Timor-Leste’s ASEAN membership application and their possible implications on ASEAN, which will lay the foundation for developing a set of criteria to evaluate applications for ASEAN membership.