Abe made the statement after attending the online Special ASEAN Plus Three Summit on Covid-19 Response chaired by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc of Vietnam, which holds the ASEAN Chairmanship 2020.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe addresses the opening ceremony of the online Special ASEAN Plus Three Summit on Covid-19 Response.

The Japanese PM highlighted the need to keep trade routes open, especially for medical supplies and important goods, despite the global pandemic, saying any measures taken by countries should be in line with the World Trade Organisation (WTO)’s regulations.

He also proposed the establishment of an ASEAN centre for infectious diseases, which would be financed by the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund.

Founded in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The Special ASEAN Plus Three Summit on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) via video conference took place on April 14, with the participation of leaders from 10 ASEAN member states and their counterparts from China, the Republic of Korea, and Japan.

Donation for Covid-19 fight exceeds 845 billion VND: VFF

Organisations, businesses and individuals nationwide and those abroad have so far donated over 845 billion VND (over 36 million USD) for the Covid-19 relief efforts, channeled to the Vietnam Fatherland Font (VFF) Central Committee, according to VFF President Tran Thanh Man.

Facebook joins hands in fight against Covid-19

Facebook is cooperating with the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRC) and more than 60 artists along with partners and businesses in the country in the #SocialForGoodVN livestream to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bac Giang native owner of English fanpage to combat Covid-19 wins scholarship of some billions VND

(BGO)- Female student Giap Bui Viet Anh in northern province of Bac Giang who created the fanpage “Covid-19 Update Information for Foreigners in Vietnam” providing information about Covid-19 pandemic in English to foreigners in Vietnam has won the scholarship worth 3.2 billion VND (136,578 USD) by VinUni University.

Vietnam chairs online ASEAN Special Summit on Covid-19

The online ASEAN Special Summit and ASEAN+3 Special Summit on Covid-19 response takes place in Hanoi on Tuesday, chaired by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Chairman of ASEAN and of ASEAN+3.

Global media impressed by Vietnam’s swift response to Covid-19

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.

Source: VNA