Think: Why there's no "Asian Union"?

  "EU (European Union)" has been functioning for decades (although recently we witness some unexpected movements). There are other regional associations in other parts of the world, such as "African Union" and "Union of South American Nations". But how about Asia?

  Last time we talked about "community" which is 'a group of people living in a common area, sharing a common value'. "Union" has a similar concept, only that it has a stronger official binding forces behind. "Unions" are often  established with formal, explicit and strict rules. They are often highly institutionalized (formalized).

  In Asia, the current association that is most likely to function as union may be ASEAN, consisted of mainly South East Asian states. The initial purpose of establishment was Security concerns, for fear that Communist power taking over the area. Nowadays it has grown into more economical aspects, and frameworks such as ASEAN + 3, ASEAN + 6, RECP etc. start to include other Asian states, Pacific states and Oceania.

  However, these frameworks are often not equipped with strong, unified regulations.
When we consider the reason why there is nothing like "European Union", or namely
"Asian Union" in the region, we might want to look at Asia from a historical and cultural perspective.
European states have language and economic diversity like Asia has.
Europe has Christianity as a common value, East Asian states have Confucian identity.
Europe consists of big continent, peninsula and isles, in Asia there is big China, Korean peninsula and Japan as an island.

  The main difference may be that since ancient, Asian states have been accustomed to governance without explicit rules. European thinkers such as E. Kant, J. Locke, J.J. Rousseau, Montesquieu etc. have had a long debate regarding how good societies should work, and came up with the idea of governance by means of social contracts and legislations. European-style-structured nation states are formed around the world within the last 2 centuries, with rigid constitutions, all kinds of laws and regulations. Nowadays nation states in Asia also have strict laws, but in daily life they are more accustomed to tacit understandings, building relations and negotiations.

  There is nothing "good" or "bad" in cultures and customs. It is just the Asian nations have different solutions and interpretations toward modern concepts such as "Democracy" and "Peace".
Nevertheless, identity, network, and sustainability are the key to establish a regional union in Asia.
Sorry for lengthy discussion, since the importance of regional cooperation, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, can never be underestimated.