Building an East Asian Community: Origins, Structure, and Limits

Is an East Asian Community possible? In November 2001 the leaders of the ASEAN countries were presented with the report of the East Asian Vision Group (EAVG). The report laid down a road map for future regional integration efforts across East Asia. Beginning with an overview of East Asian regionalization to date, this article adopts the three most developed areas of the EAVG report and examines their potential for deepening regional community-building endeavors. The article argues that there is an identifiable and sustainable trend within the region toward the development of an East Asian Community—based on the ASEAN norms of consensus and noninterference—but that these norms are changing to allow restrictions on member states. The article concludes with a look at the limitations in creating an East Asian Community and an evaluation of the ability of the thirteen countries to transcend these limits.