Asean Secretary General Dr. Surin Pitsuwan said that Asean must be fully interconnected both physically and virtually to maintain the grouping's centrality and leading role beyond.
Dr. Surin told the representatives of East Asia Summit early this morning that the global economic dynamic has shifted to East Asia with the region's strong recoveries. Through its connectivity, Asean can accelerate economic integration within the grouping and the rest of East Asia, he added.
East Asian representatives are members of the Governing Board of Economic Research Institute for Asean and East Asia (Eria), which is a think tank of the Asean Secretariat.
Eria was established by the mandate of the East Asia Summit leaders in 2007 with funding from Japan in the beginning and subsequently with contributions from India, New Zealand and Australia.
The Eria governing board is expected to approve a research proposal submitted by Thailand to identify measures to facilitate cross-border trade and improved connectivity.
Pisanu Rienmahasan, Thai member of Eria governing board, said that Thailand is the hub of Asean connectivity. "It is imperative that we make a full use of all the research facilities," he added.
At the upcoming EAS meeting in Hanoi, Eria will present the Comprehensive Asia Development Plan for adoption. The blueprint, the first of its kind, aims at promoting economic development and integration in East Asia.