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Fortune

Lionel Lim

What is ASEAN and why are Asian countries like Japan and South Korea not part of it?

ASEAN United States Japan South Korea China Pete Hegseth SouthEast Asia Tammy Duckworth Philippines GDP

Pete Hegseth speaks during a Senate Armed Services confirmation hearing (Credit: Chen Mengtong—China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)

A 57-year-old political bloc got a rare mention in the halls of the U.S. Senate on Wednesday.

During the confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for Secretary of Defense, Sen. Tammy Duckworth asked the nominee for factual details about the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including its membership and the U.S.'s relationship with member countries.

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