The Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting on Coronavirus Disease is held in Vientiane, Laos, Feb. 20, 2020. (Photo by Kaikeo Saiyasane/Xinhua)
Secondly, both sides should take a long-term perspective and establish long-acting cooperation mechanism. He proposed to establish a China-ASEAN public health emergency communication mechanism and a China-ASEAN anti-epidemic material reserve center to speed up the response against emergent health issues.
Thirdly, both sides should rationally deal with this epidemic and conquer panic. The professional advice from WHO experts should be respected, and the normal exchanges and cooperation among trade and commerce personnel between the two sides should be restored comprehensively at an ealier date.
Fourthly, both sides should turn the crisis into opportunity and foster new cooperation growth points. ASEAN and China should push the economy to transform into an Internet and digital economy, enhance cooperation in areas such as digital commerce and mobile payment, and improve cities' management level to better cope with major urgent public incidents.
Foreign ministers of ASEAN countries all highly appreciate China's firm measures to fight the novel coronavirus epidemic, and its highly responsible and transparent manner. They fully affirmed China's important contribution to safeguarding regional and global public health security, and believed the Chinese side is abound to defeat the epidemic at the earliest date.
ASEAN countries are willing to strengthen cooperation and solidarity with China, exchange experiences and jointly promote the ability on health security in the region, they said.
The meeting also adopted a statement on the coronavirus disease 2019.
At the joint press conference after the meeting, Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith said at the special meeting, ASEAN foreign ministers, and the Chinese state councilor and foreign minister had jointly and comprehensively reviewed the joint efforts and commitments and charted future direction to further prevent and respond to the outbreak of COVID-19.
"We have also shared with each other the best practices, lessons learnt and effective methods in surveillance, detecting and researches," he added
