Hanoi (VNA) - DeputyMinister of Foreign Affairs and General Secretary of the National ASEAN 2020 Committee Nguyen Quoc Dung has emphasized Vietnam’s leading role in the fightagainst the COVID-19 in Southeast Asia, and its efforts to enhance the bloc’s proactivenessin addressing regional challenges.

Talking to the press on June 23, Dung said as ASEAN 2020 Chair, Vietnam has timelyadjusted the focus of cooperation within the group to match the ongoing COVID-19situation.

Right from the beginning of February, before the World Health Organizationdeclared the global COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam had worked with other ASEANcountries to issue an ASEAN Chair Statement on response to the COVID-19 epidemic,which was approved by ASEAN leaders on February 14.

ASEAN formed a coordination mechanism for preventing the disease, and assigned ForeignMinisters of the member countries to implement.

A deputy ministerial-level working group on responding to emergency medicalsituations was established, Dung said, adding that specific measures proposedby the group were approved by ASEAN leaders on April 14, which created unityamong the bloc to effectively cope with the COVID-19 crisis.

The Deputy FM also underscored the significance of ASEAN’s cohesion andproactive adaptation to addressing challenges in the context of the COVID-19pandemic, saying the factor behind ASEAN cohesion in the fight against thepandemic is the need for cooperation, especially in protecting citizens,sharing disease prevention experience and supporting each other in medical suppliesand equipment.

Regarding the proactive adaptation of the bloc, Dung pointed to an example thateven when no end to the COVID-19 pandemic is in sight, ASEAN leaders haveassigned ministers and senior officials to build plans to recover socio-economicdevelopment in each country and minimize negative impacts of the pandemic.

The diplomat noted that in the first half of Vietnam’s chairmanship of ASEAN,most efforts were focused on COVID-19 response, therefore much remains to bedone regarding initiatives set forth at the beginning of the year. He said inthe second half of 2020, ASEAN will have a double task of fighting the COVID-19pandemic and restoring socio-economic activities while implementing tasks onbuilding the ASEAN Community and promoting collaboration with partnercountries.

In such context, Deputy MinisterDung said the 36th ASEAN Summit, slated for June 26 in the form ofvideo conference, will concentrate on the most important task of counteringCOVID-19 and restoring activities in all fields, along with implementingVietnam’s initiatives. He listed several works such as completing the mid-termreview, building plans toward a post-2025 ASEAN Vision, and carrying outcommunication campaigns to enhance ASEAN image.

Dung added that Vietnam hasproposed the hanging of ASEAN flags in public places, using the ASEAN anthemand setting up ASEAN lanes at airports. ASEAN member countries are makingadjustments to their regulations in order to implement this proposal./.