ASEAN 2020: Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc chairs online Special ASEAN+3 Summit

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc chairs online Special ASEAN+3 Summit (Photo: NDO/Tran Hai)

Attending the event were leaders of ASEAN member states, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Japanese PM Abe Shinzo, ROK President Moon Jae-in and General Director of the World Health Organisation Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

In his opening speech, PM Phuc said regional and global states are facing unprecedented challenges caused by COVID-19 which has spread to over 200 countries and territories, seriously damaging socio-economic life in many nations, including in ASEAN+3.

In the spirit of “Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN”, the ASEAN Community is working closely with its partners and the international community to contain the pandemic, he said, adding that timely and drastic efforts by governments of ASEAN countries and China, Japan and the ROK to curb the epidemic spread have achieved initial but encouraging results.

The PM affirmed that ASEAN+3 countries enjoy a tradition of close cooperation, effectively coping with economic challenges, disasters and epidemics, including SARS in 2003.

In face of the seriousness of COVID-19 at present, he highlighted the need to uphold this tradition and enhance solidarity to jointly overcome these difficult times.

He expressed his belief that the summit will reach important outcomes, affirming the highest determination to effectively cope with and promptly drive back the epidemic, restore socio-economic stability, and protect the peaceful lives of the people, in all of which China, Japan and the ROK play important roles.

Participants are expected to outline specific measures to further boost collaboration in the fight against the pandemic while ensuring dynamic and sustainable regional development in the long run.

As the ASEAN Chair, Vietnam issued the Chair’s Statement on ASEAN’s response to COVID-19, which alerted the risk of the pandemic and affirmed the determination to foster regional and global joint efforts in the fight. Vietnam and the bloc also held a number of meetings with partners such as China, the European Union, the US and international organisations to discuss the issue.

Since the outset of the pandemic, Vietnam and ASEAN have both made a swift response which has no doubt proven the capacity of policy and action coordination among member states.