TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) accompanied by First Lady Iriana attended the opening ceremony of the 35th Summit of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and Related Summits in Bangkok on Sunday.

Themed "Advancing Partnership for Sustainability", the 35th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits were organized until Nov 4, 2019.

Jokowi arrived in Bangkok for the ASEAN Summit on Saturday, Erlin Suastini, head of the Presidential Secretariat's Press, Media and Information Bureau, said in a statement on Sunday.

Following the opening ceremony, Jokowi was scheduled to attend the 22nd ASEAN-China Summit, to hold a bilateral meeting with the IMF Executive Director, and to attend the 16th ASEAN-India Summit.

He would also later hold a bilateral meeting with the Indian Prime Minister and attend the 10th ASEAN-UN Summit in the afternoon.

In the evening, the Indonesian President and the First Lady would attend a gala dinner for ASEAN Leaders.

General Prayut Chan-o-cha (Ret.), Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, presided over the Opening Ceremony of the 35^th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits.

In his opening statement, he emphasized the importance of an ASEAN Community that is peaceful, prosperous, people-centred, leaves no one behind, and promotes sustainability in all dimensions while enhancing cooperation with external partners.

"Our meetings over the next two days will be an important opportunity to demonstrate the partnership and friendship between ASEAN and the global community, a true coming together to take forward the outcomes of the last ASEAN Summit; and to craft a collective approach based on ASEAN centrality and its strength in being a friend to all and enemy to none in addressing regional and global challenges as well as promoting sustainability in all dimensions," the Thai Prime Minister said.

Sustainable security and sustainable economic development require strong support both from within the region and beyond, he added.

ASEAN consists of Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar.

ANTARA