A parade was held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Manila, capital of the Philippines, on August 8, 2017. /China News Service Photo

On Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent his congratulations to Rodrigo Duterte, President of the Philippines, the rotating chair of the bloc. /China News Service Photo

Comprising of 10 member states, ASEAN was founded in 1967 with the purpose of promoting economic growth and regional stability. /China News Service Photo

With a population of over 630 million, the total GDP of ASEAN stands at nearly $2.6 trillion per year, ranking sixth in the world. /China News Service Photo