BEIJING - China said Wednesday it was ready to discuss the concept of an EU-style East Asian community with other countries, ahead of a key regional summit in Thailand at the weekend.

"China is positive and open towards the establishment of an East Asian community and we are ready to discuss with relevant parties how to establish an East Asian community," assistant foreign minister Hu Zhengyue told reporters.

"We believe that to establish an East Asian community is the future direction of promoting East Asian cooperation -- it is the trend," he said.

Japan's new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama told Chinese President Hu Jintao last month that he intended to push a vision of an East Asian community to unify the region, possibly under a single currency.

The Chinese assistant foreign minister added the topic might be discussed at the upcoming summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), due to kick off in Thailand on Friday.

The summit of the 10-member ASEAN bloc will be following by a meeting with leaders from partner nations Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea, which will be attended by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

Wen will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Finance Minister Xie Xuren and Commerce Minister Chen Deming.

Chen and his counterparts from Japan and South Korea are also due to meet on the sidelines of the Thailand meeting to discuss a potential trilateral free trade agreement, said Zhang Kening, an official in Chen's ministry.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.