(VOVWORLD) - Preparatory meetings for the ASEAN-36 Summit began in Vietnam on Monday with the COVID-19 pandemic still disrupting life around the world. Vietnam, as this year’s ASEAN Chair, is doing its best to ensure that the summit is a success despite the difficult circumstances.
Cohesiveness and responsiveness promoted
The 36th ASEAN Summit will be held online on Friday due to the pandemic. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will preside over the opening, plenary, and special sessions on women’s empowerment in the digital age. He will also chair dialogues between ASEAN leaders and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), ASEAN youth representatives, and the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC).
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan will deliver a speech at the special session on women’s empowerment in the digital age, and NA Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong, head of the Vietnamese delegation to AIPA, will attend the dialogue between ASEAN leaders and AIPA.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh will chair the informal ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting, the 26th meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Council, and the 21st meeting of the ASEAN Political-Security Community Council.
Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh will chair the ministerial meeting of countries participating in negotiations for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung will chair the 23rd meeting of the ASEAN Cultural-Social Community Council.
Head of the Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam has prepared carefully for the Summit and other events in 2020.
"As COVID-19 continues to spread around the world, Vietnam has adjusted its external relations activities to adapt to the new situation. As ASEAN Chair, Vietnam has worked closely with other ASEAN members to make ASEAN meetings successful," said Hang.
ASEAN’s role promoted in a changing world
Since the beginning of this year, Vietnam has organized several ASEAN meetings online to ensure that plans and activities are implemented promptly and smoothly.
The 36th ASEAN Summit will review and recommend solutions to the problems hampering ASEAN’s plans and initiatives. Vietnam has proposed that the summit focus on establishing a COVID-19 Response Fund for ASEAN, an ASEAN Medical Supplies Reserve, and an ASEAN Standard Operation Procedure for Public Health Emergencies.
Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung said ASEAN’s top priority is to protect people’s lives.
"We’re focused on containing the spread of COVID-19; supporting people in ASEAN countries affected by the epidemic, including giving consular assistance to ASEAN citizens living, working and studying abroad; and mitigating the socio-economic impacts of the epidemic," said Dung.
Since early this year, Vietnam has worked with other ASEAN members to promote the theme for 2020: “Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN”. The COVID-19 pandemic and its unprecedented impacts have made the theme especially vital and Vietnam’s efforts as ASEAN Chair have reflected this. Through the solidarity of ASEAN’s members, the 36th ASEAN Summit will promote ASEAN’s plans and initiatives and strengthen ASEAN’s central role in the region.