On March 23, 2014, the East Asian Observatory (EAO) Preparatory Committee Meeting was held in Beijing, focusing on the establishment of the EAO.

In the meeting, the Directorates from four institutions in the East Asian core Observatories Association (EACOA), including National Astronomical Observatories of Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC), National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) and Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics (ASIAA), discussed details about organizing the Preparatory Office for the EAO, specifically, its mission, function, operational model, funding, staff, site survey, future plans, etc. EACOA decided to set up the Executive Committee of the EAO Preparatory Office consisting of one member from each institution, in which Prof. Xue Suijian, Deputy Director-General of NAOC, represents NAOC.

EACOA was set up in 2005, aiming at promoting close astronomical cooperation among four East Asian Observatories. It launched the EACOA Fellowship Program in 2011 which annually accepts applications from EACOA Fellowship candidates worldwide. The establishment of EAO was initiated in 2013 with the purpose of further enhancing astronomical research and collaboration in the East Asian region.