Foreign ministers from Southeast Asian countries will meet in Malaysia from this weekend to discuss the region's future. The 10 nations hope to establish a single market. One key step toward achieving that goal will be the launch later this year of the ASEAN Economic Community, or AEC. With a freer flow of capital, goods, and services, the AEC is expected to bring growth to a region where more than 600 million people live.

The ministers will hold another key meeting -- the ASEAN Regional Forum -- together with important players such as Japan, the US, China, and North Korea. The significance of these meetings is increasing because they bring together representatives of 2 global powers -- the US and China. Our anchor Sho Beppu reports from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's capital.