Hanoi: Leaders from China, Japan and South Korea on Saturday held a virtual summit with their regional counterparts with discussions focusing on cooperation in the time of COVID-19.
Speaking at the ASEAN Plus Three meeting, South Korean President Moon Jae-in called member nations to upgrade cooperation in the area of public health and work towards the development of an equitable supply of vaccines and treatments.
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He also urged leaders to be prepared against any possible new infectious diseases in the future.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of Japan hoped the meeting would allow the leaders to reaffirm their commitment in their joint efforts against the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang was optimistic that the region is bouncing back to see positive growth this year.
Earlier this year, the ASEAN Plus Three leaders held a special summit on COVID-19 during which they mapped out a plan to jointly combat the virus that has been claiming thousands of lives and crippling the economy.
Japan and South Korea have committed 1 million dollars each to the ASEAN regional COVID-19 response fund, which can be used by member states to buy medical equipment and finance research on drugs and vaccine against the coronavirus.
AP
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