by Surasak Tumcharoen
BANGKOK, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha assured the public on Sunday that all ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) leaders have lent full support for Thailand's ASEAN chairmanship's theme of Advancing Partnership for Sustainability raised during the 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok over the weekend.
In Sunday's press conference at a Bangkok hotel following the ASEAN Summit, the Thai prime minister said the ASEAN leaders have met with the representatives of various regional stakeholders, including the ASEAN InterParliamentary Assembly, ASEAN Youth and ASEAN Business Advisory Council and agreed to the sustained effort for the "ASEAN family to move forward together to create a people-centered community that leaves no one behind and looks to the future."
Prayut assured that the ASEAN leaders have supported initiatives of Thailand as this year's ASEAN chair to enhance sustainability for the ASEAN community in all dimensions. This will enable ASEAN to respond to changes and challenges such as the fourth industrial revolution, climate change, and competition between countries outside the region, he said.
"Progress has been made in a number of areas. We have focused on enhancing sustainable security, promoting seamless ASEAN connectivity and pursuing sustainable development in order to increase ASEAN’s strategic value-added and bring about regional stability and prosperity," the Thai leader announced. Thus, “ASEAN Leaders’ Vision Statement on Partnership for Sustainability” has been made to that extent.
He confirmed that the 10 ASEAN member states have agreed to focus on the issue of marine debris, which has a widespread impact on the well-being, health and hygiene of people, marine animals and natural resources.
For that reason, the summit has adopted the Bangkok Declaration on Combating Marine Debris in ASEAN Region.
Besides, the ASEAN community has agreed to support innovation and ideas, building capacity in research and the application of scientific knowledge as well as encouraging the involvement of all ASEAN stakeholders, Prayut said during the press conference.
To efficiently and promptly cope with emergencies and natural disasters, he said, the ASEAN leaders have launched the Satellite Warehouse under the Disaster Emergency Logistics System for ASEAN (DELSA) and ASEAN Center of Military Medicine (ACMM), both being located in Thailand.
A Network of ASEAN Associations, which is an initiative of Thailand, will be established as part of the continued effort to promote the people-centered and inclusive ASEAN community.
Meanwhile, ASEAN has developed “ASEAN Outlook on the Indo Pacific,” given the point that this community needed to play a role in bridging the Pacific and Indian Oceans under the universally recognized principles of mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual interests.
For that matter, ASEAN also supports the principles contained in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC). He said ASEAN believes that cooperation under the Indo-Pacific concept should be based on inclusiveness and ASEAN centrality and carried out at regional and sub-regional levels.
Prayut confirmed that the ASEAN Summit has also reiterated the importance of strengthening the regional economy and supported the conclusion of this year's Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership negotiations which will help the community manage changes and uncertainties, especially in the wake of a trade war between ASEAN’s important trading partners.
Besides, he said, the ASEAN leaders have agreed to the promotion of the ASEAN awareness-raising and the promotion of an ASEAN identity among the peoples of the region and adopted the “ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on the ASEAN Cultural Year 2019” with activities set to be conducted throughout the year to celebrate it.
