PM chairs online Special ASEAN+3 Summit 08:52      Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc chaired the online Special ASEAN+3 Summit with China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (RoK) on April 14 on the COVID-19 response, following the success of the Special ASEAN Summit on the same issue. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the event (Photo: VNA) Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc chaired the online Special ASEAN+3 Summit with China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (RoK) on April 14 on the COVID-19 response, following the success of the Special ASEAN Summit on the same issue. Attending the event were leaders of ASEAN member states, RoK President Moon Jae-in, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Japanese PM Shinzo Abe and General Director of the World Health Organisation Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. In his opening speech, PM Phuc said regional and global countries are facing unprecedented challenges caused by the COVID-19 which has spread to over 200 countries and territories, seriously hurting socio-economic life in many nations, including ASEAN+3. In the spirit of “Cohesive and Responsive”, the ASEAN Community is working closely with partners and 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 the tradition of close cooperation, effectively coping with economic challenges, disasters and epidemics, including SARS in 2003. In face of the seriousness of COVID-19 now, he highlighted the need to uphold the 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 ensure peaceful lives of the people, in 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 for a long run. As the ASEAN Chair, Vietnam issued the Chair’s Statement on ASEAN response to COVID-19, which alerted the risk of the pandemic and affirmed the determination to foster regional and global joint work 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 concern. Since the outset of the pandemic, Vietnam and ASEAN made swift response and proved the capacity of policy and action coordination among member states./. VNA