BANGKOK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th April, 2020) The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and three dialogue partner countries will hold a video conference next Tuesday to discuss the global coronavirus pandemic, Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung said in a statement on Thursday.
The event is hosted by Hanoi as Vietnam is ASEAN's chair in 2020.
"ASEAN+3 summit will be convened on April 14 to discuss the fight against COVID-19. The summit will be held in a video conference mode chaired by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc," the statement read.
Following the summit, a joint declaration will be adopted emphasizing the determination of the ASEAN member states and the three ASEAN dialogue partners to protect their nations from the aftermath of the pandemic, the document added.
ASEAN is a regional organization that was established in 1967 to boost the economy and promote regional peace and stability. ASEAN member states include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, plus China, Japan, and South Korea as its dialogue partners.
According to Johns Hopkins University, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases globally has surpassed 1.5 million. The death toll has risen to 91,783, but over 346,000 patients have recovered.
