Taiwan ought to strengthen its efforts to improve trade and investment relations with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as leaders of the ASEAN states have recently reconfirmed a proposal to build a free trade zone in the region by 2015, said Council of Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) officials Monday.

The 12th ASEAN Summit took place between January 13 and 15 in Cebu City, the Philippines.

During the event various bilateral leadership meetings between ASEAN and non-ASEAN countries were also conducted, as well as an East Asian summit attended by regional powers, including China.

In addition to efforts exerted at this event, and in the face of the upcoming formation of the regional economic bloc, Taiwan should try to develop and promote the formation of more strategic, cooperative economic ties with countries around the globe, the CEPD suggested.

Taiwan should also work harder to promote the forging of free trade agreements or other similar accords with economies like those of Japan and the United States in an effort to preserve a space in the international community, despite strong pressure from Beijing.

According to the CEPD, the draft of the ASEAN charter was passed on January 13 during the Cebu Summit, and is scheduled to be confirmed at the 13th Summit slated for November.

The planned charter is aimed at turning the regional organization into a legal entity like the European Union, the CEPD said, noting it was prepared for the ASEAN to turn into an "East Asian Common Market."