Challenges lie ahead for building ASEAN Economic community

（ChinesePremierLiKeqiangposingwithASEANleadersafterthesigningceremony. ）

ChallengeslieaheadinbuildingtheAssociationofSoutheastAsianNations(ASEAN)CommunityandMalaysiasaiditwouldtakealeadingroleinthefinalpushforit.

ASEANissettoannouncetheestablishmentofASEANCommunitybytheendofthisyear,amilestoneforthe10-nationbloc.ASEANleaderswillmeetonthefirstofitsbiannualsummitsthisweekendtodiscussthecommunitybuildingandoutlinethepost-2015visionforfurtherintegrationanddevelopment.

"AschairmanofASEANfor2015,MalaysiabearstheresponsibilitytoensurethattheagendatoestablishtheASEANCommunitybytheendofthisyearwillbematerialized,"MalaysianForeignMinisterAnifahAmansaid.

MalaysiawouldfocusontheimplementationoftheremainingactionlinesascontainedinthethreeASEANCommunityBlueprints,aswellasdeveloptheASEANCommunity'sPost-2015Vision,AnifahtoldXinhuainarecentinterview.

Malaysiahasalsopushedtocreatea"People-CenteredASEAN",whichisreflectedinthethemeofitschairmanship"ourpeople,ourcommunity,ourvision".

AnifahsaidtheASEANCommunitywillbringaboutmeaningfulandpositivechangetothelivelihoodandwell-beingofits633millionpeoples,leadingtohigherstandardsoflivingandswiftersocialprogress.

"ThisiscrucialtoensurethatSoutheastAsiaremainsnotonlyeconomicallyvibrantandcompetitivebutalsothequalityoflifeofitspeoplesisenriched,"Hesaid.

Foundedin1967,ASEANnowgroupsBrunei,Cambodia,Indonesia,Laos,Malaysia,Myanmar,thePhilippines,Singapore,ThailandandVietnam.Inspiteofthedifferencesinpolitics,economicandsocialdevelopmentandreligionsamongitsmembers,ASEANhasachievedgreatsuccessinregionalintegration.

"Consensushasalwaysbeenthecornerstoneoftheso-called'ASEANWay',whichemphasizesmutualrespectandnon-interference,"saidOhEiSun,apoliticalanalystandformerpoliticalsecretarytotheMalaysianPrimeMinister.

IthasservedASEANwell,makingASEANaflexibleyetvibrantgroupthusfar,OhEiSunsaid.

Themostsignificantachievementofthecommunity-buildingprocessisthewillingnessofthe10countriesthatcommittoasinglevisionandfuturetogether,SaidTangSiewMun,seniorfellowattheInstituteofSoutheastAsianStudiesinSingapore.

Challengesahead

OfthreepillarsofASEANCommunity,namelytheASEANPolitical-Securitycommunity(APSC),theASEANEconomicCommunity(AEC)andtheASEANSocio-CulturalCommunity(ASCC),AEChasdrawnmostenthusiasm.Itaimsforasinglemarketandaproductionbase,acompetitiveeconomicregion,equitableeconomicdevelopmentandintegrationwiththeglobaleconomy.

However,ajointstatementissuedafteranASEANEconomicMinisters'MeetingheldfromFeb.28toMarch1,2015admittedthat"TheimplementationoftheAECmeasuresdoesnotmeanthatASEANwillbecomeasingleeconomicentitybyJan.1,2016."

AnalystssaiddespitethesignificanttariffcutamongASEANmembers,lotsofnon-tariffbarriersremain.MunirMajid,chairmanoftheASEANBusinessAdvisoryCouncil,toldXinhuaearlierthatmanyASEAN'ssmallandmediumenterprisesareconcernedoverthefiercecompetitioninasinglemarket.

Meanwhile,thehugedevelopmentgapamongASEANmembersposesagreatchallengetoAEC.

Butasanalystspointedout,theestablishmentofAECdoesnotmean"missionaccomplished".OhEiSunsaidthelessdevelopedASEANcountrieswillbethemainbeneficiariesofAEC.

OhsaidanotherchallengeishowASEANcancarefullymaintainitscentralityinregionalsecurityconsultations,asthegrouphassetupvariousmechanismsforregionalcooperationwithitsdialoguepartners,includingtheAsianRegionalForum(ARF)andtheEastAsiaSummit.

Furthermore,MalaysianForeignMinisterAnifahsaidpublicawarenessonASEANwouldalsoneedtobeincreased.

"Beyond2015,ASEANwillseedeeperandwiderregionalintegrationthatwouldenableASEANtocompetemoreeffectively,andensureitsleadershiproleintheevolvingregionalarchitecture,"headded.