It was emphasized at the beginning that the APT would serve as
the “main vehicle” for East Asia community building and the EAS
is a “forum for dialogue” on strategic, poli6cal and economic
issues; China suggested that for community building in East Asia, it
could be achieved in a two-phase process with APT as the first
phase and the EAS as the second phase
• The US & Russia joined the EAS in 2011, making it an 18-member
grouping