At the Special ASEAN Summit on COVID-19 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) 🐲– The online ASEAN Special Summit and ASEAN+3 Special Summit onCOVID-19 response are taking place today in Hanoi.
In his capacity as ASEAN 2020 Chair, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will chair the meetings. Leadersof the 10-nation bloc and their partners from the three ASEAN partners, namely China, the Republicof Korea, and Japan, will discuss specific measures and initiatives to furtherstrengthen cooperation in the fight against the pandemic to ensure dynamic andsustainable development in the region in the long run.
They are expected to adopt a joint statement of the ASEAN Summit and another of theASEAN+3 Special Summit on COVID-19 response, in which they will affirm their strong commitment to and determination in preventing and eliminating the risk ofthe pandemic which is threatening people's lives, and in stabilising the socio-economic situation ineach member state.
⛎ In his recent article on ASEAN’s cooperation to combat the pandemic, DeputyPrime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said based on exchanges and experiences to date, ASEAN and itspartners should focus on a number of measures in responding to and repellingCOVID-19.
Primarily is mustering common resources, particularly theregion’s medical equipment stock to meet emergency needs; establish acooperation fund for countering the pandemic while utilising existingresources and assistance from partners, including the United Nations (UN) andthe World Health Organization (WHO). Secondly, raising the effectiveness of coordinatingpolicies and actions on the basis of a common framework, focusing on buildingan ASEAN common approach in pandemic-related situations and, in the immediate future,organising online drills on pandemic response between countries. Thirdly, understanding that battling the pandemic must gohand in hand with battling economic recession and social instabilities, inwhich the people are placed at the heart. No country should be left alone andno one should be left behind in this battle. Fourthly, developing a COVID-19 exit strategy in each country and forge regionalcoordination for an early suppression of the pandemic and bringing countries’socio-economic activities back to their normal and stable state. And
Fifthly, upholding and adhering to the common values on freetrade, investment facilitation, avoiding the disruption of supply chains;quickly normalising trade activities and cross-border transport once the pandemicis put under control, so that all engines are utilised for inclusive andsustainable socio-economic recovery and development in the region./.
Leaders of the ASEAN nations and the partner countries of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ASEAN+3) will discuss measures and initiatives during online special summits on April 14 aimed at further enhancing cooperation in the COVID-19 fight and ensuring that the region’s dynamic and sustainable development continues in the long term.
Global and regional media continued hailing Vietnam’s fight against COVID-19, saying that rapid and active response by the authorities and public cooperation play an important role.
The upcoming ASEAN and ASEAN + 3 Special Summits on COVID-19 Response symbolise regional solidarity, said Secretary-General of ASEAN Dato Lim Jock Hoi in an written Interview with the Vietnam News Agency on April 13.
The ASEAN+3 Special Summit on COVID-19 Response on April 14 will bring in great opportunities for regional cooperation in dealing with an “unprecedented" dual crisis, said Thai experts.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
At the Special ASEAN Summit on COVID-19 (Photo: VNA) 
