(VOVworld) – The East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the 10 ASEAN countries plus 8 partner countries has concluded in Laos. In 10 years EAS has become an important mechanism within the ASEAN cooperative framework and a forum for regional leaders to discuss important political and economic issues. The mechanism has contributed to regional peace, stability, and prosperity.
With its important geopolitical position, the Asia-Pacific region has seen strategic competition among countries. EAS provides an open, transparent, and comprehensive forum to discuss political and economic strategies for peace, stability, and prosperity in East Asia.
Successfully engaging powerful countries
The East Asia Summit (EAS) was held for the first time in December, 2005, in Malaysia, attended by 16 countries (the 10 ASEAN countries plus China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, and New Zealand). Since then EAS has been held annually. 2010 marked a turning point when the 5th EAS, held in Hanoi, admitted the US and Russia, bringing the total number of members to 18.
EAS has successfully engaged many big countries in promoting dialogue, cooperation, and building trust with respect to common regulations and standards. EAS has played an important role in shaping a favorable political framework for cooperation between ASEAN and its partners. EAS has included many important cooperative issues on its agenda. Besides developing and sharing a standard code of conduct among countries and dealing with security challenges, EAS has strengthened its comprehensive economic partnership and cooperation on the environment, climate change, health, energy, education, finance, natural disaster management, ASEAN connectivity, food security, and marine security.
Practical progress
Since its establishment in 2005, EAS has obtained its goals of resolving disputes among regional countries, reinforcing cooperation and dialogue for common interests, enhancing trust, and transparency, and predicting developments. EAS has made progress in 6 prioritized areas: energy, education, finance, global health, natural disaster and environmental management, and supporting ASEAN connectivity. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) began negotiations in 2012 to establish a modern, comprehensive, high quality economic cooperation for mutual benefit and generating conditions for trade and investment expansion regionally and internationally. RCEP had completed 10 rounds of negotiations and is advancing to the final stage. Once it is signed, RCEP will create an economic bloc of 3.4 billion people and trade revenue of 10.6 trillion USD, accounting for 30% of global trade.
Promoting EAS’s role and contribution in regional peace and security
Over the past 11 years EAS has played an important role in supporting ASEAN and each member to resolve regional and national issues. Its ultimate function is to prevent conflicts and ensure security. It provides a multilateral dialogue mechanism for countries to reach a common voice and resolve disputes peacefully. EAS has discussed issues in Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and marine security and safety in the East Sea.