The Asean summit in Bali this month and the associated summit - involving the leaders of China, Japan and South Korea (Asean+3) - show the rapid emergence of an East Asian grouping and an East Asian identity.
The 10 countries of Asean decided among themselves to create an Asean common market, finally determining the direction in which Asean wants to move. This was a necessary prelude to any closer economic integration between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the three countries of Northeast Asia. After that announcement, Asean and China, Japan and South Korea reaffirmed their commitment to greater co-operation and partnership.
For some years now, China, Japan and South Korea have been meeting annually in the Asean+3 forum. Asean deserves credit for bringing the '+3' countries together, forging closer economic ties between Southeast and Northeast Asia, and bringing about a greater sense of East Asian solidarity.
At the World Economic Forum's East Asia Economic Summit in Singapore last week, Ong Keng Yong, secretary-general of Asean, said the three governments had expressed the hope that future meetings would no longer be called Asean+3 summits, but simply East Asian summits. Asean, he said, feels that such a change should come about gradually and not at the expense of the Asean+3 mechanism, 'which has served us well so far'.
Of course, there is more to this than just the name. Calling the meeting Asean+3 puts the emphasis on Asean, making the other three countries - each an economic heavyweight - seem like appendages. Once the meetings are known as East Asian summits, involving 13 countries, Asean may find itself relegated to junior partner status. But Asean is not just expanding its relationship with Northeast Asia. It is also doing so with India. Mr Ong said Asean+3 may become Asean+3+1 or - if the term East Asian summit is used - it might become East Asia+1.
Already, some regional leaders are talking about a future free-trade area including all of East Asia. But, as Mr Ong pointed out, it will not happen overnight. These things cannot be forced and the wise approach is to let nature take its course.
But as for what the future holds, Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong waxed eloquent in a keynote address on the subject 'East Asia in 2025'.
