ASEAN vows to focus on continuity, complementarity and creativity

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha (L) hands over the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the closing ceremony of the 35th ASEAN Summit and the related summits in Bangkok, Thailand, Nov. 4, 2019. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak)

BANGKOK, Nov. 4 -- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) concluded its 35th summit here on Monday, vowing to put its priorities on continuity, complementarity and creativity in the cause of the bloc's development.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the goal of ASEAN is to move forward with dynamism to capture the benefits and opportunities of the fourth industrial revolution to promote partnership and connectivity within the region and with the international community and to bring about sustainability in all dimensions.

To ensure sustainability in ASEAN, the prime minister said, there must be three Cs, namely continuity, complementarity and creativity.

Summing up the achievements in the past year, Prayut said ASEAN had worked for its people to enjoy greater sustainable security, to facilitate trade and to promote sustainability in the region through consolidating cooperation within ASEAN and between ASEAN and external partners for the benefit of the people, among others.

Also at the closing ceremony, the Thai prime minister ceremoniously handed over the gavel, the symbol of the ASEAN chairmanship, to Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc whose country will assume the rotating chair of ASEAN for 2020.

"Cohesive and responsive ASEAN" is selected as the theme for the bloc in the year of 2020.

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

The 35th ASEAN summit was held here from Saturday to Monday with the theme "Advancing Partnership for sustainability."