ASEAN member states and China have vowed to fight the spread of Covid-19 in the special meeting on Covid-19. Minister of Foreign Affairs
ASEAN member states and China have vowed to fight the spread of Covid-19 by enhancing communication and collaboration.
The pledge was made by officials attending a special meeting of the Asean coordinating council, a special meeting on Covid-19, and the Fifth Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. All the meetings were held in Vientiane, Laos, on Wednesday and Thursday.
A press release issued on Sunday by the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said all the countries were confident China was capable of overcoming the outbreak.
The countries expressed solidarity towards the Chinese people and promised to support each other, according to the press release.
“The foreign ministers have agreed to strengthen and broaden cooperation between Asean and China to fight the spread of Covid-19 by swiftly sharing information and best practices, including check-ups and treatment. They also agreed to work together to control and stop the infectious disease,” the press release said.
Cambodian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn said the Kingdom has vowed to continue helping China halt the outbreak.
During the Fifth Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the officials expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved in implementing a five-year action plan for the Mekong-Lancang mechanism.
“The ministers agreed to urge dialogue among political parties to strengthen the economy and society. They also agreed to step up efforts to solve non-traditional security issues like terrorism, cybercrime, natural disasters, infectious diseases, as well as human, drug and weapon trafficking,” the press release said.
Kin Phea, the director of the Royal Academy of Cambodia’s International Relations Institute, said the meetings were successful and will help protect the economies and tourism sectors of countries in the region from Covid-19.
“The countries agreed to implement concrete measures and exchange information to stop the spread of the disease. Covid-19 is a priority now because it is a problem that threatens global stability, affecting the economies of many countries around the world,” he said.
The Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation also issued a press release on the 27th Asean-New Zealand Senior Officials’ Meeting.
It said the meeting allowed officials to evaluate past collaborations and set new goals ahead of a new summit between Asean and New Zealand on April 9 in Danang, Vietnam.
