ASEAN blueprint may have obstacles but it's a necessary step

ASEAN's economy, which was worth around US$1 trillion in 2006, is seen as having potential to grow. On Tuesday, the grouping adopted the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint, paving the way for further expansion. The blueprint will turn the 10 nations into one single market by 2015, positioning ASEAN attractively in the face of global competition. In the face of rising competition, the leaders have chosen to cut their initial timeline by five years. They are now giving themselves until 2015 to integrate their markets into a single one. CNA