HUA HIN, Thailand—Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has pitched his ambitious plan for a new Asia-Pacific political and economic bloc to regional leaders, but his idea is facing competition from a new Japanese proposal.
Mr Rudd, accompanied by his special envoy for the proposal, veteran diplomat Dick Woolcott, presented leaders with his vision for an Asia-Pacific Community (APC) on the sidelines of Sunday's East Asia Summit in Thailand.
Mr Rudd believes the APC would consolidate the region's global influence and increase co-operation on a broad range of political, economic, environmental and security issues.
Mr Rudd's plan was met with a lukewarm response when he first first raised it in June last year but has since won some support throughout the region.
But Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has used the summit to push a rival plan for an East Asian Community that would have a narrower membership, excluding countries like the United States, but include a common regional currency.
Mr Rudd said he welcomed the "conversation" about a new regional grouping.
"What I detect across the region is an openness to a discussion about how we evolve our regional architecture into the future," Mr Rudd told reporters before he presented his plans to leaders.
"I have not set an urgent timeline on this, I have in fact suggested a timeline of 2020, so that everyone has an opportunity to canvass a range of options for the future.
"Everyone's going to have a different view on what shape it should be, over what period of time, I'm perfectly relaxed about that."
Mr Rudd declined to reveal whether he would support the idea of a Euro-style common currency.
"I think it's important to take things one step at a time."
Australia will host a low-key conference in December to further discuss the APC plan.
Mr Rudd also spruiked his plan during bilateral meetings with China, New Zealand, Thailand, South Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines.
The summit itself focused on increasing economic and financial cooperation, addressing climate change and improving natural disaster management.
Before the summit, Mr Rudd announced Australia would establish a new civilian corps to help with regional disasters.
The government will create a registry of about 500 civilian specialists - including people with medical, engineering and construction experience - who could be rapidly deployed to disaster zones, he said.
Mr Rudd also welcomed leaders' agreement that the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement would come into force on January 1, 2010.
The East Asia Summit brings together leaders from the 10 ASEAN nations plus Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, South Korea and India.
