HANOI, Aug 26 (NNN-XINHUA) – Economic ministers of the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), yesterday discussed the response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts.
At the 52nd ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting held online, they exchanged views on economic impacts of COVID-19, discussed and updated the pandemic situation, Vietnam News Agency reported.
The ministers discussed the region’s response to the pandemic, including its ability to roll out a comprehensive recovery plan, at the meeting, chaired by Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade, Tran Tuan Anh.
Amid the pandemic, there are a number of priorities for ASEAN to deal with, including disruption of supply chains, as well as, movements of goods, products, individuals and human resources affected by disease prevention and control measures, Anh said, here.
He called for measures from ASEAN countries to further enhance the resilience of the economy and the capacity to respond to new situations.
At the meeting, the ministers also discussed negotiation orientations towards the goal of completing the negotiation and signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) by the end of 2020.
Anh said, Vietnam worked actively with other ASEAN countries and their partners, to promote the handling of unsolved problems in RCEP.
The goal that Vietnam aims towards is, to “continue efforts to promote the signing process of RCEP in 2020 in Hanoi,” and to seek for and further enhance opportunities to connect with potential partners in trade-economy.
The ministers reviewed the implementation of the bloc’s economic initiatives in 2020, and approved documents, including the ASEAN digital integration index. ASEAN’s economic relations with a number of partners, including China, Japan and South Korea, were also tabled for discussion.
Established in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.– NNN-XINHUA
