Vietnam attends ASEAN Committee meeting in US

The meeting, chaired by Cambodian ambassador to the US Chum Sounry, reviewed the results of the recent special ASEAN and ASEAN+3 summits, and the ASEAN-US Foreign Ministers’ meeting on COVID-19.

The diplomats valued Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship role in organizing those meetings in the context of the novel coronavirus developing in a complicated manner. They also appreciated Vietnam’s initiatives to increase cooperation within the regional grouping, as well as between ASEAN and its partners, including the US, in coping with the COVID-19 epidemic.

In face of the economic impact of the epidemic, the diplomats stressed the need to maintain the connectivity of the supply chain for food, medicine and medical equipment. They agreed ASEAN should promote its continued cooperation efforts in research and development of COVID-19 vaccines and medicines, as well as in post-coronavirus economic recovery, contributing to deepening the ASEAN-US strategic partnership.

At the meeting, Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc kept the diplomats up to date with Vietnam’s efforts in bringing the disease under control and reopening the economy. He also shared information about ‘Made-in-Vietnam’ COVID-19 test kits which have been certified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for global use.

Participants spoke highly of Vietnam’s provision of medical supplies to other ASEAN countries affected by COVID-19 and expressed belief that Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand will share the results of SARS-CoV-2 virus vaccine research.

The Philippine Ambassador thanked Vietnam for rice export resumption and hoped that Vietnam would maintain the export to contribute to food security.