Hanoi (VNA) – Philippine President Rodrigo Dutertecalled for global cooperation in the COVID-19 fight at the the Future of Asia Conference held virtually onMay 21, underlining the need for equal access to COVID-19 vaccines.
He held that without fostering global collaboration in thework, the de-globalisation process will lead to the loss of trade opportunities to developing countries.
Duterte affirmed that the country will not take sides in theongoing "big power competition" and urged large countries not topursue dominance to the detriment of smaller ones, referring to the US andChina.
"Great powers must resist the temptation to pursue interests at theexpense of smaller countries, in plain defiance of international law,"Duterte said, adding that "the pandemic has shown us that zero-sumapproaches are self-defeating and ultimately futile. What hurts one ends uphurting everyone else."
The Future of Asia is an international gathering wherepolitical, economic and academic leaders from the Asia-Pacific region offertheir opinions frankly and freely on regional issues and the role of Asia inthe world. Held by Nikkei every year since 1995 (excepting for 2020 due to the COVID -19 pandemic), it is considered one ofthe most important global conferences in Asia.
This year, the event has been held online with the participation of many Asianleaders, including Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith, Cambodian PM CampuchiaSamdech Techo Hun Sen, Malaysian PM Muhyiddin Yassin, Thai PM Prayut Chan-ocha,Singapore Deputy PM and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies Heng Swee Keat, and VietnamesePM Pham Minh Chinh.
During the two-day conference, participants shared opinionson how Asia enters a new era amid current great instability./.
He held that without fostering global collaboration in thework, the de-globalisation process will lead to the loss of trade opportunities to developing countries.
Duterte affirmed that the country will not take sides in theongoing "big power competition" and urged large countries not topursue dominance to the detriment of smaller ones, referring to the US andChina.
"Great powers must resist the temptation to pursue interests at theexpense of smaller countries, in plain defiance of international law,"Duterte said, adding that "the pandemic has shown us that zero-sumapproaches are self-defeating and ultimately futile. What hurts one ends uphurting everyone else."
The Future of Asia is an international gathering wherepolitical, economic and academic leaders from the Asia-Pacific region offertheir opinions frankly and freely on regional issues and the role of Asia inthe world. Held by Nikkei every year since 1995 (excepting for 2020 due to the COVID -19 pandemic), it is considered one ofthe most important global conferences in Asia.
This year, the event has been held online with the participation of many Asianleaders, including Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith, Cambodian PM CampuchiaSamdech Techo Hun Sen, Malaysian PM Muhyiddin Yassin, Thai PM Prayut Chan-ocha,Singapore Deputy PM and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies Heng Swee Keat, and VietnamesePM Pham Minh Chinh.
During the two-day conference, participants shared opinionson how Asia enters a new era amid current great instability./.
VNA
