Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (centre) chairs the ASEAN+3 Summit on COVID-19 via video conference (Photo: VNA)

Addressing a press conference in Tokyo on Tuesday, Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu said organizing the ASEAN+3 Summit online was important with the COVID-19 pandemic spreading across the region. He said Japan took note of Vietnam’s proactive call to ASEAN members and international partners to confront the outbreak, and highly valued Vietnam’s sharing and coordination with other regional countries.

Ling Dequan, former chief representative of China’s Xinhua News Agency in Vietnam, told media that Vietnam, as ASEAN Chair for 2020, has played a significant role in initiating, organising, and facilitating the two online summits. Ling said the Chinese Government and the international community applaud Vietnam’s efforts.

ASEAN Secretary-General Dato Lim Jock Hoi called the summits a demonstration of ASEAN’s solidarity and leadership manifested in concrete regional cooperation with its three partners. He said Vietnam has demonstrated strong leadership in spearheading a collective regional response to COVID-19.