Which one is correct?
"in east asia" or "in the east asia"?

Some examples from the web:

• We are located in an important position in East Asia.
• I spent much of my career in East Asia working for an international relief agency.
• Thirdly, the Foreign Affairs Committee would stress that lifting the arms embargo could seriously undermine regional stability in East Asia.
• In East Asia, we have had successful economic growth stories such as Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore.
• By contrast, the degree of economic integration in East Asia is also very impressive.
• Concerns about the impact of the SARS virus also clouded the outlook for economic growth in East Asia.
• For each of these successful authoritarian governments in East Asia, there's a matched failure.
• 80 % of cases of bird flu occurred in East Asia (China, Laos, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia).
• It seems that assembly factories enabling the circumvention of measures can be set up in East Asia within a few weeks.
• Recovery continued in East Asia and Latin America, while growth in the United States was very strong.
• As regards Mr Albertini's report, I would like to stress the importance of stability and security in East Asia.
• Therefore, any possible future decision on lifting the embargo should not alter the security situation in East Asia.
• Japan is a major player in East Asia, a region of growing importance economically, where regional cooperation is improving fast but also where security concerns are growing.
• Taiwan enjoys an exceptionally high standard of human rights in east Asia and can serve as an example to China of what societies can achieve when they take the bold decision to become truly free.
• I am very happy about this debate, because the situation in Asia and also in East Asia is indeed a major strategic issue.
• In this regard, it is very interesting to see the European example of overcoming war hostilities and cold war separation become a object of strong interest and study in East Asia.
• Although I support this position, it is too restricted because it completely overlooks the eroding military balance in the state of Taiwan as well as the general regional stability in East Asia.
• Because of the exchange rate regime in East Asia vis-à-vis the US dollar, the euro has already made a considerable contribution to the adjustment of exchange rates, although there are no indications that global imbalances have been corrected.
• The Council's 'Guidelines on the EU's Foreign and Security Policy in East Asia', issued in 2007, commit the EU to promoting cross-straits dialogue, practical cooperation and confidence building.
• At the same time we support the rapporteur's own amendment, Amendment No 5, which deplores the US withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and deplores the development of national missile defence, which we believe will trigger a new arms race in East Asia.

Some examples from the web:

• This paragraph reflects the EU policy towards Cross-Straits relations, in line with the EU objectives set out in the East Asia Policy Guidelines of 2007 and subsequent EU declarations on the matter.
• and in Vietnam, fighting in the South East Asia.
• Just think of the tsunami in South-East Asia.
• The watchword in South-East Asia is that there must be restraint.
• They are here to participate in the European Parliament North-East Asia Forum meeting which takes place on 4 and 5 December 2003.
• Today we are already seeing the effects of the crisis in South-East Asia on European jobs.
• The EU should also focus much more on the source in South-East Asia.
• I hope that the EU and Korea will continue to expand their cooperative partnership in the huge East Asia market with Korea as a bridgehead for the EU, as it advances into countries like Japan and China.
• Welcomes President Kim Dae Jung's role and efforts in the search for peace and stability in the North East Asia region;
• Salutes President Kim Dae Jung's role and efforts in the search for peace and stability in the North East Asia region;
• The final selection of the additional countries in the South-East Asia region to receive support will be made on the basis of the needs evaluation phase, which will comprise evaluation of existing information in headquarters supplemented by assessment missions where required.
• This fight has just been shown in the far east. Asia.
• However, in the case of South-east Asia, East Asian countries such as China and Japan constitute the main market for exports of tropical timber.
• In other words, we do not want a repeat of the disaster in South-East Asia.
• Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I want to start by saying that I agree with all the expressions of sympathy in response to the calamity in South-East Asia.
• We must plan a programme of long-term infrastructure and economic reconstruction in the countries of South-East Asia and Africa affected by the tsunami tragedy.
• Madam President, there is nothing wrong with cancelling debts, certainly if it involves countries in desperate need, as is at present the case in South East Asia.
• European Parliament resolution on the tsunami in South East Asia
• Finally, the resolution "points out that the principal source of infection still remains in the countries of South-East Asia."
• These snails do enormous damage to rice crops, as is mentioned in the literature on South-East Asia, South America, and other affected areas, where they have managed to devour whole paddy-fields.