There is no disputing that East Asia is a synonym for burgeoning economic growth.

The region is home to some of the world's fastest growing economies and Asian nations are currently devising plans for economic partnerships on a bilateral or multilateral basis.

The rapid rise of economic strength has put the vibrant region in the spotlight on the global stage, attracting hordes of powerful investors and commercial magnates looking to buy into the business boom.

But at the same time East Asia has a long way to go before it has freed itself from ever-present security challenges.

Behind the veneer of prosperity, there is a series of security threats lying dormant, which, with complicated roots and, if not properly handled or effectively controlled, could disrupt economic momentum.

Experts, scholars and think tanks throughout the region have not stopped trying to design an effective and lasting security framework for all of East Asia.

As the once-prevailing "hegemonic peace" and "equilibrium peace" theories have become outdated, the specialists are conscious that an ideal security arrangement would group all regional members and that lasting security can only be achieved through co-operation. They are also well aware of how difficult it is to bridge the gaps between members in the diversified region and to establish a security roadmap that other regions such as Europe have drawn up.

"Due to their huge differences in history, custom, political system, ideology and culture, East Asian nations have different understandings of national interests, and thus have different ideas about policy-making, national strategy and regional order arrangements," said Lin Xiaoguang, a researcher at the Centre of International Strategic Studies under the Central Party School.

This makes inter-state relations in the region diverse, complicated and sometimes unstable, and hinders members' efforts to control, ease and eliminate instability and uncertainties, he said at a forum on East Asian co-operation sponsored by the School of International Relations under the Renmin University of China at the weekend.

Countries outside Asia, such as the United States, have large national interests in the region and are thus deeply involved in power arrangement. The region has also been plagued by territorial disputes and resources struggles between different countries.

The quarrels between China and Japan, highly influential Asian powers, over the ownership of the Diaoyu Islands and the demarcation in the East China Sea, and the territorial rows between Japan and Russia and the Republic of Korea (ROK) have not shown any signs of alleviation, given the nations' uncompromising stances.

The nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula and the Taiwan question, which both involve influential regional powers and those from further afield, have always featured as two of the most uncertain elements affecting regional peace and stability.

The range of speeds of development in East Asia has brought about a shift in the distribution of power, giving rise to what is seen as a security dilemma by some nations that have attempted to maintain regional predominance for a long time.

"Although all the dormant crises have not developed into practical conflicts, they, like time bombs, may possibly evolve into open conflicts, confrontations or even wars, if not appropriately handled," said Liang Yunxiang, a professor at the School of International Studies of Peking University.

"So far, it has been difficult to effectively control these crises under the current security framework in East Asia."

As two central players in the East Asian security structure, there is the potential for co-operation between China and the United States in the event of a crisis, he said.

The United States has long considered East Asia a key area tied closely to its national interests despite its non-Asian character, and the nation has thus been extremely concerned about the political, economic and security situation. Washington has remained on high alert, looking out for any action taken by countries in the region that may lead to the exclusion of its influence.

The United States has enhanced its alliances with Asian allies such as Japan, the ROK and the Philippines.

"The strategy of the United States in East Asia since the end of the Cold War is to maintain its No 1 position in political and security dimensions and avoid the emergence of a new force that may possibly pose a challenge and threat to its predominance," said Meng Hongsheng, an associate professor at the Institute of International Strategic Studies under the Central Party School.

"At the same time, the United States wants to hitch a ride on East Asia's rapid economic growth train and pursue its own maximal economic benefits in the region," Meng said.

Professor Liang said internal elements have also contributed to East Asia's snail-like security co-operation process. The lack of an effective and binding security mechanism puts the region on the path to discord and conflict, however deep economic co-operation has been.

The only way for East Asian countries to overcome potential crises is to update the current security structure and set up a multilateral security framework.

To this end, all nations should abandon the Cold War mentality and not regard any other nation as an imaginary enemy as a pretext for developing its military forces.

"Continuous security dialogue on an equal footing serves as the only road to the establishment of a multilateral security mechanism," said Wang Xingyu, an associate professor at Renmin University's School of International Relations.

(China Daily September 29, 2005)