15th ASEAN Summit on “Enhancing Connectivity, Empowering Peoples” is due in Cha-Am Hua Hin (Thailand) October 23-25. ASEAN ten member-states and regional partners (China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand) participated in the event.

“Asian nations discussed plans at a major summit Saturday to ‘lead the world’ by boosting economic and political cooperation and possibly forming an EU-style community,” France Press informs.

According to it, “The prime ministers of regional giants China and India also looked to foster unity on the sidelines of the summit in Thailand after months of trading barbs over long-standing territorial issues. Japan's new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said a proposed East Asian community involving all 16 countries should aspire to take a leading role as the region makes an early rebound from the global economic crisis.”

Free trade zone, cross-border issues, economic development and integration was in focus. ASEAN leaders intend to establish “their own political and economic community by 2015,” AFP reads.