Fifteen leaders have officially confirmed participation in the postponed Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the East Asia summits in January, organizers from the Philippine government said on Wednesday.

The Philippines was grateful that the participating countries understood the need to postpone the summits originally scheduled on Dec. 10 to 14 due to a typhoon, Secretary General Marciano Paynor of the Philippines' ASEAN National Organizing Committee told reporters.

Leaders from 10 ASEAN countries, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand would be in Cebu for the postponed summit meetings, according to Paynor, only India has yet to confirm the attendance.

Leaders will be meeting on Jan. 13 to 15, Paynor said.

The ASEAN summit involves 10 heads of states within the organization while the East Asia summit will be attended by the ASEAN leaders plus its dialogue partners China, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand and India, Paynor said.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Source: Xinhua