Economic Background The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a loosely aligned bloc that seeks to channel the often-divergent trade interests of its 10 member states. This is challenging: After all, the concept of a "Southeast Asia" stretching between India and China failed to gain widespread acceptance until World War II, and the r egion is still defined by its deep geographic and economic divisions . In terms of trade policy, ASEAN's history has been relatively short. Though the association was founded in 1967 with the Bangkok Declaration, it did not begin to prioritize a trade agenda until the late 1990s when it shed the baggage of the Cold War and its four final members joined (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam).