PM Phuc delivers opening speech at ASEAN Special Summit on COVID-19 Response
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Chairman of ASEAN 2020, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Special Summit on COVID-19 Response in Hanoi on April 14 morning.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Chairman of ASEAN 2020 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) –Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Chairman of ASEAN 2020, delivered a speech at theopening ceremony of the ASEAN Special Summit on COVID-19 Response inHanoi on April 14 morning.
Thevideoconference holds a special significance in the context that the pandemic is spreading throughout the region and the globe, he sai𝓀d.
The leader added that all ASEAN member countries are strugglingto prevent it from negatively affecting the lives of the people and the socio-economicdevelopment, especially the service sector which accounts for 30 percent of thebloc's GDP.
However, in this difficult time, the ASEANCommunity is demonstrating its soli🍷darity and mutual assistance, standing shoulderto shoulder to o꧅vercome hardships, manifested in the ASEAN Chairman's Statement on collective response to the COVID-19outbreak, the PM said.
ASEAN member states are strengthening their cooperation on health, defence, economy and tourism, while sharing andproviding essential supplies, medical equipment, and supporting citizens duringthe pandemic, he noted.
The association’s endevours have brought about encouraging results with disease control, and the number of infection casesamong the 650-million population is estimated at only about 15,000, which ismuch lower than the global rate.
Those initial results help ASEAN countriesto be mo🥂re self-confident, PM Phuc said, adding that they, however, should not be subjective. He also called on the 10 memberstates to promote solidarity and determination with the spirit of “cohesive andresponsive” to win the fight against the pandemic./.
Leaders of the ASEAN nations and the partner countries of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ASEAN+3) will discuss measures and initiatives during online special summits on April 14 aimed at further enhancing cooperation in the COVID-19 fight and ensuring that the region’s dynamic and sustainable development continues in the long term.
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.
The upcoming ASEAN and ASEAN + 3 Special Summits on COVID-19 Response symbolise regional solidarity, said Secretary-General of ASEAN Dato Lim Jock Hoi in an written Interview with the Vietnam News Agency on April 13.
The ASEAN+3 Special Summit on COVID-19 Response on April 14 will bring in great opportunities for regional cooperation in dealing with an “unprecedented" dual crisis, said Thai experts.
The resolution, covering seven articles, delineates clear criteria, principles, procedures, and responsibilities for resolving problems caused by legal regulations.
The newly adopted law stipulates that the people’s procuracy system comprises the Supreme People’s Procuracy; people’s procuracies at the provincial and municipal level; regional people’s procuracies; and military procuracies at all levels.
For 2025 and beyond, Vietnam and Mozambique have identified key cooperation priorities, including the continued implementation of existing frameworks and the expansion of ties into new areas such as renewable energy, construction, IT and digital transformation.
Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu stressed the need to enhance the performance of institutions established under the Convention, thereby reinforcing the role and vitality of UNCLOS, referred to as the “Constitution for the Oceans,” in maintaining maritime order, conserving and sustainably utilising marine resources, and contributing to global peace, stability, and sustainable development.
Regarding PM Chinh’s attendance at the WEF’s meeting in China for the third year in a row and Vietnam’s contributions to the forum, Ma said the Vietnamese leader has shared practical experiences and proposals on green economy aimed at facilitating trade and attracting foreign investment within the framework of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP); and offering fresh ideas for shaping strategies in economics, trade, and sustainable development.
In 2019, the Vietnamese association in PEI was established as a non-governmental organisation to support integration and development within the community. It has since organised a range of activities to maintain cultural identity, foster community cohesion, and strengthen ties with the homeland, while also contributing to the development of the host society.
Vietnam’s participation at the meeting underscores the country’s consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification, and proactive international integration in a broad, deep, and effective manner. It also conveys Vietnam’s ambition and determination to enter a new era - the era of the nation’s rise.
The amended law will take effect on July 1, 2025, except for provisions on civil servant evaluation in Section 3, Chapter IV, which will be implemented from January 1, 2026.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s participation at the 16th Annual Meeting of the New Champions of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Tianjin, China, reflects the Vietnamese Party and Government’s strong commitment to the Vietnam–China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, while injecting fresh momentum into bilateral economic and trade cooperation amid a volatile global economic landscape.
A key amendment was made to Clause 2, Article 16, which now stipulates that a child born to one parent who is a Vietnamese citizen and the other a foreign national shall be granted Vietnamese nationality, if both parents agree to choose Vietnamese nationality for the child during birth registration with competent Vietnamese authorities
PM Chinh's participation demonstrates Vietnam's strong appreciation and support for China. This, in turn, contributes to further promoting the positive development of the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership, aiming to build a Vietnam-China community with a shared future, which carries strategic significance.
At the WEF meeting in Tianjin, Vietnam continues to affirm its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation, as well as its proactive and active approach to comprehensive, extensive, and effective international integration
Vietnam always regards the RoK as an important and long-term strategic partner; and hopes that the two sides will work together to further deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in a more substantive, effective, and comprehensive manner in the coming time.
Within the framework of the Vietnam-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, people-to-people exchanges and local cooperation have been priorities.
The merger of Nam Dinh, Ha Nam, and Ninh Binh aims to shape a modern, vibrant development space with Ninh Binh at its heart, transforming the region into a hub of smart and green industry and services by 2030, while preserving its unique identity as a national heritage centre.
While praising the efforts of ministries, sectors, and localities in tackling smuggling, trade fraud, counterfeiting, and intellectual property violations, PM Chinh acknowledged that in some places and at certain times, there has been lax enforcement and unclear jurisdiction, leading to increasingly complex developments in these issues.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Chairman of ASEAN 2020 (Photo: VNA) 
