(VOVWORLD) - Asian economies that were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic are expected to recover this year with the help of COVID-19 vaccine rollouts, but there is still a risk from new mutations and differences in vaccination rates among nations, according to a joint statement.
 A worker at Top Glove Corporation on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on August 26, 2020. (Photo: AFP/VNA) |
At a Monday videoconference, the finance ministers and central bank governors of the ASEAN+3, which comprises ten ASEAN nations plus Japan, China, and the Republic of Korea, called for vigilance against an uneven economic recovery from the global health crisis, and pledged to "use all available policy tools to ensure an inclusive and sustainable recovery and maintain financial stability."
They underscored their commitment to an "open and rules-based multilateral trade and investment system," and welcomed the signing in November of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the world's largest free trade deal, by Australia, New Zealand, and the 13 Asian nations.
Next year's meeting will be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, according to the statement.