The Symposium on "Economic Integration in East Asia" was held on July 12, 2013, in Hanoi, Vietnam. It was hosted by Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), co-organized by ERIA and Federation of Japanese Chambers of Commerce and Industry in ASEAN, and supported by Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam.

The purpose of the Symposium is to seek ways to take advantage of regional economic integration for further industrial growth and deeper mutual economic relationship between ASEAN and Japan corresponding to the fast development of regional economic integration worldwide. Around 200 participants from government, academia and private sector were there.

H.E. Mr. Le Luong Minh, Secretary General of ASEAN made a keynote speech on "Significance of Economic Integration in East Asia for ASEAN". He highlighted about the importance and potentiality of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and said that we ought to think and consider making the vision from now on as to what ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) would be in the decade beyond 2015.

Prof. Hidetoshi Nishimura, Executive Director of ERIA made a concluding remark, saying that " Strong partnerships with the private sector are called for even more as ASEAN embarks on even deeper regional economic integration beyond 2015 because the challenges for ASEAN are greater both within the ASEAN Economic Community and the wider East Asia region under RCEP".