This is being reinforced by arrangements for surveillance for assessments of risks to the region and regional frameworks for crisis management and resolution, including arrangements for mutual assistance. Equally important in this process is the cooperation and collaboration among regulatory authorities for sustaining regional financial stability. Much of this work has focused on putting in place strong and effective institutional arrangements to preserve regional financial stability. In the decade following the Asian Financial Crisis, most of Asia has accelerated the pace of financial sector development and reforms. Several of the Asian economies have made significant strides in improving the soundness and efficiency of financial institutions and in developing domestic financial markets. At the regional level, key initiatives have included the development of the regional bond markets through the creation of various Asian Bond Funds and the ASEAN+3 Bond Market Initiatives, the regional arrangements for crisis management that includes liquidity support, and the collaborative efforts advanced under EMEAP to facilitate liquidity management for financial institutions operating in the region through CrossBorder Collateral Arrangements. Currently, while intra-regional cross-border portfolio investments within Asia is relatively small, it has already increased to 28 percent of total assets holdings in 2011 compared with 21 percent in 2001. Another important development that has contributed to greater regional financial integration is the increasing role of Islamic finance in the international financial system. In its early stages of development, Islamic finance was highly domestic-centric in its orientation.

Zeti Akhtar Aziz: Asian market integration and financial innovation Keynote address by Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz, Governor of the Central Bank of Malaysia, at the International Conference on “Asian market integration and financial innovation”, Tokyo, 10 February 2012. *  *  *  The world economy and international financial system is entering into a new phase of globalisation. Far from having an effect of slowing the pace of globalisation, the recent global financial crisis has intensified the process, resulting in a more connected and interdependent world. While – previously – globalisation manifested itself in the form of trade and investment between the emerging and developed world, emerging economies are now becoming more connected with each other within and across regions. This trend is being reinforced by similar changes in the pattern of financial flows. While previously, financial flows were predominantly between the developed and emerging world, greater financial integration among the emerging economies is facilitating the intensification of this connectivity. While unable to be in Tokyo, it is my pleasure to speak at this international conference on the topic of Asian Financial Integration. My remarks will touch on the main motivation for pursuing financial integration in Asia, despite the fact that its absence has not previously hindered economic integration in the region. Whilst Asia may draw lessons from the European experience, I will discuss the different approach that is being pursued in Asia.