Tokyo, Nov 16: Asian countries should move towards creating their version of the European Union, with fast-growing China serving as an export market for poor countries along the Mekong river, according to a senior Asian Development Bank (ADB) Director. "Having a common market, having the European Union (EU)-type of arrangements ... it's not something that will happen right away but certainly something we should work towards," the ADB's Mekong Department Director General, Rajat Nag, told reporters.
"Countries have to think in the context of the sub-region and the region" for collective economic growth, he said.
Japan's biggest-selling daily, the Yomiuri Shimbun Daily, has reported that Tokyo will propose the creation of an east Asian community or an Asian version of the European Union at the commemorative summit meeting here between Japan and Asean on December 11-12.
Bureau Report