In the light of the recent trends in ASEAN-China trade and ASEAN-India trade, intra-ASEAN trade
needs to grow at least in step with ASEAN-China trade to reinforce ASEAN’s centrality and its role
as the driving force in regional integration. This calls for greater connectivity among ASEAN Member
States. Enhanced ASEAN connectivity and the road to an ASEAN Community can help engender greater
dynamism into intra-ASEAN linkages at the same time that the ASEAN region becomes more deeply
engaged with the rest of the world. Enhanced ASEAN Connectivity will strengthen ASEAN’s role at the
centre of East Asian economic integration and the emergence of an East Asian economic community.
ASEAN welcomes the commitments of its Dialogue Partners and other external partners to implement
the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity