Asean and Asean plus three

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East Asia is experiencing significant structural changes as economic and political ties deepen following the end of the bipolar world order. This shift has compelled states in the region to redefine their relationships. Concurrently, the West has shown increasing interest in engaging with the emerging economies of East Asia, leading to a "new regionalism" that sparked discussions on Asian identities and regional integration. This thesis investigates how the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the ASEAN Plus Three forum (APT), which includes China, Japan, and South Korea, embody specific collective identities in Southeast Asia and East Asia. By examining the discursive, behavioral, and motivational patterns of these organizations, the study evaluates the sustainability of their collective interactions and whether they form distinct 'ingroups.' Four studies focus on collective norms, willingness to share sovereignty, solidarity, and attitudes towards external states, revealing that ASEAN is rooted in a developed collective identity, though its political impact is often hindered by external changes. Conversely, the analysis of APT does not provide clear evidence of a developing pan-East Asian identity formation process.