China, Japan and SKorea summit finds common ground

There's something going on in Asia that isn't get much attention in the West, but should be.

China, Japan and South Korea have held their first summit together in two years, finding common ground on North Korea and on mending their own fractured relations.

In an unusual joint statement, the three appeared to have shored up a relationship that was strained by complaints over the last Japanese government's attitude to the country's notorious World War II past.

But new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has made better relations a priority since taking office in September, and his talks with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun were hailed by all sides.

"The three leaders expressed satisfaction with the recent development of relations," the statement said Sunday, pledging a meeting of their senior foreign affairs officials in China later this year.

"As important countries in Asia, China, Japan and South Korea shoulder great responsibilities in maintaining peace, stability and prosperity in Asia."

Ah, but there's more. Other countries are involved in these talks.

ASEAN aims to have a landmark charter ready for signing at its next summit, as it seeks to become a pivotal player in Asian trade and diplomacy, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Sunday.

In an interview with Reuters at the annual summit of the Association of South East Asian Nations, he said the leaders' acceptance of a blueprint for the charter was a major step for a group founded in 1967 at the height of the Vietnam War.

"So that next year, at the 40th anniversary, we're not just having fireworks celebrations, but taking a significant step for ASEAN. A Charter ... written and signed ... that's what we're working toward," said Lee, who will chair the summit at which the mini-constitution is expected to be unveiled.

The charter would create a rules-based community for a group whose hallmark has been informal diplomacy and decision-making by consensus, which would allow ASEAN to compete better with other blocs, such as the EU, in a globalised economy.

The ASEAN countries include: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Also attending the ASEAN summit were these countries.

Leaders of the ten ASEAN Member Countries have confirmed their attendance at the upcoming ASEAN Summit - which is scheduled to be held on the island of Cebu, in the Republic of the Philippines on 10-15 January. The six dialogue partners of ASEAN - Australia, China [already mentioned], Japan[already mentioned], India, South Korea [already mentioned], and New Zealand are also expected to attend the event. A number of agreements are expected to be signed during the six-day Summit and its related meetings to further bolster regional cooperation.

Now that's one powerful group of countries to be banding together for mutual cooperation.

In fact China has been quietly, to most Westerners, forming alliances with most nations in their part of the world including Russia, Iran and Pakistan and through Russia or alone, even Brazil, Venezuela and South Africa.

Unfortunately, the Russian - whoever alliances appear to be more defensive as opposed to economic, but the two are practically the same thing.

UPDATE: Added Venezuela above.