Chinese Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan at a press conference in Beijing (Photo: AFP/VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – ASEAN member nations, China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea (ASEAN Plus Three) should strengthen cooperation in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and promoting economic development, Chinese Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan was quoted by Xinhua as saying on June 4.
Zhong made his statement at a video conference on COVID-19 control attended by ASEAN Plus Three trade and investment ministers. The meeting was chaired by Vietnam which is holding the chairmanship of ASEAN this year.
The Chinese minister also called on the countries to deepen regional economic integration and implement the outcomes of the special summit of ASEAN Plus Three held in April on striving to sign the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership this year.
Participating parties agreed that deepening anti-epidemic and economic cooperation is of great importance to promoting regional economic integration and joint efforts should be taken to fight the disease, stabilise regional industrial and supply chains and preserve a free, stable and fair trade and investment environment.
It was also agreed that the parties should keep markets open, safeguard multilateral trade system, and enhance trade and investment collaboration.
Following the event, a statement on mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on economy was issued./.
VNA
