Can energy stakes unite East Asian countries?

The pressing need for energy security may be the issue that finally gives the 16-member East Asia Summit (EAS) a raison d'etre.

At last month's EAS held in Cebu, in the Philippines, leaders from 16 East Asian nations (the 10 ASEAN countries along with China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand) issued an energy security declaration.

This was the first meeting since the EAS founding meeting in Kuala Lumpur in December 2005.