This means that, to sustain the present economic rise, these countries need to secure stable sources of energy while developing alternative energy supplies as well. Equally important is a demand-side effort to curtail energy intensity. Better energy efficiency is also helpful in reducing air pollution and green house gas emission. I said earlier that Asian regional cooperation should proceed without rigid boundaries regarding membership.
As geography is relative, boundaries should be "open-ended." As far as financial markets are concerned, however, membership can be defined by the time zone. The majority of East Asian countries are located within the 3-hour time band from Sydney to Bangkok. Thus, it is of little surprise that the countries in this zone constitute the core of numerous regional groups.