On October 26, 2025, Timor Leste officially joined and became the 11th ASEAN member state, at the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Speaking at the ceremony, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim affirmed that the admission of Timor Leste brings new meaning to the bloc's vision, representing the long-term goal of building a peaceful, stable, inclusive and prosperous regional community. The Malaysian prime minister said the position "completes the ASEAN family, reaffirms our common destiny and deep sense of regional solidarity," stressing that "Timor Leste's development and strategic autonomy will receive solid and long-term support."

On the Timor-Leste side, Timor-Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao affirmed that joining ASEAN is a "historic milestone", realizing the country's integration aspirations, and stressed that the country will continue to be a "loyal and firm friend of ASEAN", committed to contributing to peace, stability and friendship throughout the region. "We may have weaknesses, but we are committed to improving and doing better year by year," he said.

Timor Leste - as a young country, after 14 years of active advocacy, Timor-Leste has become the 11th member of ASEAN, enhancing the country's position in the region.

Timor-Leste's journey to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) began when the country became an independent country in 2002 after separating from Indonesia.

Timor-Leste's leadership at the time declared joining ASEAN a "strategic decision". Timor-Leste has been applying for membership since 2011. By 2022, ASEAN granted observer status to Timor Leste, allowing it to attend all ASEAN meetings, including the ASEAN Summit and related forums. On 26 October 2025, Timor-Lester was officially admitted, becoming the 11th member of the bloc.

Timor-Leste, which covers an area of about 15,000 square kilometers, is bounded by the Timor Sea to the southeast, the Wetar Strait to the north, the Ombai Strait to the northwest, and the West Timor region of Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province to the southwest. Timor-Leste has a population of about 1.4 million people, the capital of which is Dili, the country's largest city.

According to the World Bank, in 2012, Timor-Leste had a population of 1.2 million people and a GDP of only $1.29 billion – equivalent to about 15% of the size of ASEAN's smallest economy at the time, Laos. By 2024, Timor-Leste's GDP is estimated at nearly $1.9 billion, showing positive progress although still modest.

Ambassador Ton Thi Ngoc Huong, Head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to ASEAN, assessed that Timor-Leste has shown strong determination to improve its legal status, strengthen institutional capacity and actively participate in the bloc's activities, showing its willingness to undertake the obligations of an official member.

The admission of Timor-Leste not only expands ASEAN's geopolitical and economic space, but also demonstrates the spirit of solidarity, sharing and inclusion in the regional development process.

Source: Compiled by the Multilateral Trade Policy Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade of Viet Nam