General Information

Since its official establishment in 2001, FEALAC or the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation has become the only biregional cooperation mechanism between East Asia and Latin America. Its membership shared by 33 countries in East Asia and Latin America, namely: Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Dominican Republic.

Based on the principles of respect for each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity; non-interference in each other's internal affairs; equality, mutual benefit, and the common goal of development; respect and understanding for each other's unique culture and way of life; and decision-making by consensus, FEALAC cooperation is aimed at:

• Increasing mutual understanding, trust, political dialogue, and friendly cooperation among member states;
• Tapping the potential of multidisciplinary cooperation, inter alia, in economics, trade, investment, finance, science and technology, environment protection, culture, sport, and people-to-people exchange; and
• Expanding common ground on important international political and economic issues with a view to working together in different international for a in order to safeguard common interests.

In its cooperation, FEALAC members selected two regional coordinators, each from East Asia and Latin America. Endorsements of the two regional coordinators are made by FEALAC Foreign Ministers during their biannual meeting. Currently, Japan is FEALAC Coordinator for East Asia; meanwhile, Argentina is FEALAC Coordinator for Latin America.

The meeting structure of FEALAC consists of a biannual Foreign Ministers' Meeting, and Senior Officials' Meeting and Working Group Meetings held annually.