Kuala Lampur, Aug. 26 -- The East Asian Summit (EAS) that will convene in Kuala Lumpur this October is unlike any other regional gathering in recent memory.

While Asean has always prided itself on being the convener of great power dialogues, the sheer density of competing interests that will descend on Malaysia as the chair is unprecedented.

The complexities facing the group chair are enormous, for the EAS is not just another diplomatic forum but a stage where tariffs, territorial disputes, and competing civilizational visions converge.

The EAS brings together Asean's ten members and its dialogue partners, including the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Russia, Australia, and New Zealand.

But this year's summit has the ...