Where is the headquarters of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) located?

Introduction / Context:
Regional organisations play a major role in shaping modern international relations. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly known as ASEAN, is one of the most important regional groupings in Asia. Knowing the headquarters of ASEAN is a standard general knowledge requirement, especially for questions that connect geography, diplomacy, and regional cooperation. This question therefore checks whether the candidate can correctly identify the city where ASEAN main secretariat is based.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The organisation mentioned is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, abbreviated as ASEAN.
• Four options are provided: Jakarta, Beijing, New York, and Da Nang.
• Beijing and New York are well known global cities associated with other major organisations.
• The task is to select the correct city that hosts the ASEAN headquarters.

Concept / Approach:
ASEAN is a political and economic organisation of Southeast Asian states that promotes regional stability and economic integration. Its headquarters are housed in the ASEAN Secretariat. By basic international affairs knowledge, the ASEAN Secretariat is located in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, which is one of the founder members of ASEAN. The other options relate to important global or Asian cities but are associated with other roles.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the list of ASEAN member states, which includes Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, and others.Step 2: Remember that the ASEAN Secretariat is located in Indonesia, one of the largest and most central states in the grouping.Step 3: More specifically, note that the Secretariat is placed in Jakarta, the national capital of Indonesia.Step 4: Compare this information with the options given in the question.Step 5: Select Jakarta as the city that serves as the headquarters of ASEAN.

Verification / Alternative check:
As an additional check, one may recall that Beijing is the capital of China and is associated with many Chinese institutions, not a regional organisation of Southeast Asian countries. New York is known as the headquarters of the United Nations and several other international organisations. Da Nang is a major city in Vietnam but is not the seat of the ASEAN Secretariat. These associations help confirm that Jakarta is the only suitable choice for the ASEAN headquarters.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B, Beijing, is wrong because it is the capital of China, which is not an ASEAN member and does not host the ASEAN Secretariat.Option C, New York, is wrong because it is famous as the headquarters of the United Nations, not of ASEAN.Option D, Da Nang, is wrong because it is an important Vietnamese city but does not function as the ASEAN headquarters.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates wrongly assume that large global cities like New York or Beijing must host every major international body. Others confuse ASEAN with organisations like APEC or the United Nations, whose headquarters are located in different cities and countries. To avoid these mistakes, learners should systematically map regional groupings to their headquarters, such as ASEAN in Jakarta, European Union institutions in Brussels and other European cities, and SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu.

Final Answer:
Jakarta