Many factors contribute to the real emergence of a regional ''block'' in East Asia despite the absence of any formal agreement of that kind between the nations concerned. The further affirmation of a region accounting for one-third of world gross national product could have enormous implications for Europe, which has concentrated rather too much on its own destiny since the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Density of trade, and technological and financial flows all contribute to the increasing economic integration of East Asia. This obvious trend is only marginally reflected at the institutional level by the establishment of regional groupings such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) or the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) grouping. Additional intergovernmental cooperation remains handicapped by various political obstacles in Northeast Asia and Indochina in particular. Europe has kept a very low political profile since decolonization in the region, and its economic presence remains quite modest notwithstanding the spectacular expansion of the Asian-Pacific markets since the 1980s. However, there are many old and new arguments in favor of closer Euro-Asian cooperation to preserve regional and world peace and stability.
