Hong explains, ASEAN nations need Japan and Korea to supply them with capital. Japan, meanwhile, is the principle creditor nation in Asia, and it naturally wants to use its financial might to counter the influence of mainland China in Asia. And mainland China is focused on the backwardness of its own financial system and is eager to join in cooperative regional bodies, so as to speed its own progress.
台灣經濟研究院副研究員洪財隆分析，東協各國在亞洲金融風暴後需要日、韓資金挹注，而日本身為亞洲主要債權國，自然希望藉著在金融方面的影響力來牽制中國在亞洲的勢力擴張；中國則著眼於其本身金融體制落後，而樂於加入區域合作機制，以加快進程。