Consisting of China, Japan, and South Korea, the Special ASEAN Plus Three Summit on the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) convened on Tuesday via Videoconference, chaired by the Prime Minister of Viet Nam Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
In a joint statement, the ASEAN Plus Three (APT) members acknowledged the severity of the coronavirus outbreak and the challenges it presented including its impact on the people’s “well-being, livelihood and safety.”
Resolutions were made to strengthen early warning systems in the region for pandemics and epidemic diseases, and enhance regional cooperation to combat Covid-19, along with scientific cooperation in epidemiological research.
Other considerations include setting up an “APT reserve of medical supplies that enables rapid response to emergency needs” and commitment to working closely with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the international community in tackling the pandemic.
The APT has also committed to keeping markets open for trade and investment in order to enhance cooperation among APT members. This would ensure food security and that medical supplies and necessary commodities, such as the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR), reach people in this time of need.
They will also maintain the manufacturing and supply chains of these goods, and boost market confidence in the region with economic stimulus packages in order to keep micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and vulnerable groups afloat.
To this end, Thailand has pledged to donate 10,000 Covid-19 detection kits to each ASEAN country.
