ASEAN says to further regional economic integration beyond 2015

NAYPYITAW,Nov.12(Xinhua)-SoutheastAsiannationswillcontinuetopursueeconomicintegration"withurgencyandresolution"aftertheyachievethegoalofestablishinganAssociationofSoutheastAsianNations(ASEAN)Communitybytheendof2015,accordingtoastatementreleasedhereafteranASEANsummitonWednesday.

"WewelcomedtheprogressmadeintheimplementationoftheRoadmapforanASEANCommunity2009-2015andreiteratedourcommitmenttoexpeditetheremainingactionlinesby2015,"theleaderssaidinthechairman'sstatement.

TheASEANCommunityisenvisagedtobearegioncoveringsome600millionpeoplewithacombinedGDPoftwotrillionU.S.dollars.

AnASEANcoordinatingcouncilhasbeentaskedtodevelopanASEANCommunity'spost-2015visionbythe27thASEANSummitinMalaysianextyear.ThestatementsaidthecentralelementsoftheASEANCommunity'spost-2015visionhasbeendeveloped,addingthattheywillformthebasisforacomprehensiveroadmapforcommunitybuilding.

"We...willfurtherpromoteASEANasaregionofpeace,stability,economicdynamism,socialcohesion,aswellasanactiveplayerinboththeregionalandglobalcommunitythatmakesmeaningfulcontributionstoaddressingtheglobalissues,"itsaid.

Somescholarshavesaidconnectivity,consensusandASEANcentralitymightbeamongthecorechallengestheASEANleaderswouldhavetotakeintoaccountindevelopingthepost-2015ASEANvision,withnon-traditionalsecuritychallengesasanotherkeydriverforcooperation.

TheASEANCommunitycomprisesthreepillars--theASEANEconomicCommunity(AEC),theASEANPolitical-SecurityCommunityandtheASEANSocio-CulturalCommunity.

ASEANhasidentifiedkeydeliverablesfortheAECBlueprintinseveralstages.ThestatementsaidthelatestassessmentshowsASEANhasimplemented82.1percentofthe229prioritizedAECdeliverablesidentifiedfor2013.Inaddition,ithasalsoimplemented52ofthekeydeliverablesfor2014-2015asofmid-August.

TheleadersnotedtheprogressASEANhasmadeintradeliberalizationandfacilitation,servicestrade,investment,andmobilityofskilledlabor.Progresswasalsomadeinareasofcooperationincludingsmallandmediumenterprises,aviation,tourism,foodandenergy.

TheleaderssaidthatASEANis"atthetailendoftheimplementationoftheAECBlueprint,"andthattheprioritiesin2015willbetofast-tracktheimplementationoftheprioritizedAECdeliverables,communicatetheAECtostakeholdersandfinalizetheAEC'spost-2015agendafordeeperregionaleconomicintegration.

"Wearecommittedtofirmlyaddressingtheremainingchallengesandcontinuingtopursueeconomicintegrationwithurgencyandresolution,"theysaid.

InAugust,ASEANeconomicministershighlightedregionaleconomicintegrationasoneofthefactorsthathelpedmitigatetheimpactoftheslowdownindemandfromdevelopedeconomies.Scholarshavesaidthatthisisexpectedtoremainakeyfactortobeconsideredindevelopinganeconomicblueprintforthecomingyears.

Thechairman'sstatementoutlinedeffortsinthepolitical-securitycommunitybuilding,social-culturalcommunitybuildingandenhancingconnectivity.

TheleadersalsodiscussedtheSouthChinaSeaissue,sayinginthestatementthatthey"reaffirmedthecollectivecommitmentsofASEANmemberstatesandChinatopeace,stabilityandmaritimesecurityandforthefullandeffectiveimplementationoftheDeclarationonConductofPartiesintheSouthChinaSeainitsentirety,"and"notedtheprogressonnegotiationsontheCodeofConductintheSouthChinaSea(COC)."