No nation is safe while others still have to grapple with COVID-19: PM

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Nobody is safe when there are still others contracted COVID-19 and no country is safe when other nations in the region and the world are still fighting against COVID-19, Vietnamese Prime MinisterPham Minh Chinh said at the 7thGMS Summit held virtually on September 9.

PM Chinh's attendance at the summit is made at the invitation of CambodianPrime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen.

In his remarks, the PM emphasised the strategic role of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) in the international integration process and economic growth of Asia. 

The GMS’s cooperation outcomes have effectively supportedthe building of the ASEAN Community and shaping the regional architecture with ASEANas the centrality, while promoting the ASEAN-China strategic partnership, PM Chinhsaid.

He stressed that it is the interest and responsibilityof each GMS country to coordinate with each other to solve common challenges in the region andsupport each other for mutual development.

Political trust and cooperation on the basis of theprinciples of equality, consensus, mutual benefit, efficiency, practicality andrespect for international law will continue to be indispensable conditions forthe success of the GMS, the PM said.

He suggested priorities in GMS cooperation in the timeahead, firstly the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic with a focus on supportingthe open, fair and transparent access to vaccines and treatment drugs.

The Vietnamese leader called on countries that are producingvaccines, including China, to further assist other nations, including Vietnam.

He proposed organising the annual GMS high-level forumwith development partners to review GMS cooperation and attract more resources aswell as consultancy from the partners.

The 7th GMS Summit was held virtually on September 9. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam will continue to effectively contribute to theimplementation of common goals and visions of the GMS, work together with neighbouringcountries to build a GMS region of openness, safety, peace, prosperity andsustainable development, he pledged.

At the summit, themed "GMS: Renewed Strength toFace the Challenges of the New Decade”, leaders of the GMS countries and representativesfrom international organisations reviewed the progress of GMS cooperation sincethe previous summit held in March 2018 in Vietnam, and map out cooperation directionsin the next decade, along with solutions to overcome the current difficult period.

The meeting adopted the GMS COVID-19 Response andRecovery Plan for 2021-2023 and the GMS Economic Cooperation ProgrammeStrategic Framework 2030.

Accordingly, the leaders put forth the 2030 vision on aGMS region of integration, prosperity, and sustainable, inclusive development.

At the end of the meeting, they adopted a joint statementand agreed to hold the 8th GMS Summit in China in 2024./.

VNA