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At the reception, General Vinh thanked the Indian diplomat for promoting the relationship between the two countries in general and two militaries in particular. Vinh affirmed that Vietnam has always considered India a sincere and reliable friend and supports the country’s “Act East Policy.”

For his part, the Indian ambassador thanked and highly appreciated General Vinh’s contributions to strengthening India-Vietnam defense cooperation.

The two sides reviewed that over the past time, despite impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two countries have exerted efforts to carry out defense cooperation contents and obtain important results.

Together with maintaining existing cooperation mechanisms, meetings and delegation exchanges, the two sides effectively cooperated in training, accelerated the implementation of aid projects and fostered cooperation between arms, services and defense industry sectors of the two countries. They have also supported each other in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Translated by Tran Hoai

The event was joined by defense ministers of ASEAN members and ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi. The Vietnamese delegation was led by Defense Minister Senior Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang.

Speaking at the event, Brunei’s Minister of Defense II Pehin Datu Lailaraja Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Md Yussof stressed that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way ASEAN members cooperate, but at the same time, spurred them to take necessary measures to ensure resilience and readiness prior to challenges. He believed that the defense cooperation among ASEAN countries will be strongly enhanced in the time to come for the sake of mutual benefits, peace and stability in the region.

Delegates to the meeting were also briefed on the results of the ASEAN Defense Senior Officials’ Meeting (ADSOM) in March 2021, while ratifying related documents proposed by the ADSOM. Also, they discussed the annual organization of the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+). According to Vietnamese Defense Minister Sr. Lt. Gen. Phan Van Giang, the ADMM+ mechanism has provided a great opportunity for ASEAN defense ministers to exchange views on strategic and defense-security issues since it was launched in 2010. Notably, thanks to the mechanism, the practical cooperation between the militaries of ASEAN members and eight partner countries has been significantly developed. As a result, the ADMM+ was held biennially from 2013-2017 and annually as from 2017. The annual organization of this mechanism has met the needs of all ADMM+ members to share points of view regularly, especially amid the complicated developments of regional and global situations. In addition, it has helped boost substantive cooperation, contributing to peace, stability, and development in the region and the world. The Vietnamese defense minister also agreed with the proposal to annually organize the ADMM+.

At the event, delegates also consented to hold informal meetings between ASEAN defense ministers and their counterparts from partner countries in 2021, and approved preparations for the eighth ADMM+, which will be held virtually on June 16.

In addition, they ratified the Bandar Seri Begawan Declaration of the 15th founding anniversary of ADMM towards a future ASEAN of peace and prosperity.

The ASEAN defense ministers pledged to continue accelerating collaboration to cope with the pandemic in the time to come, following the instructions of the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF) and the Joint Statement of the ASEAN Defense Ministers on Defense Cooperation against Disease Outbreaks.

Furthermore, they emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea (South China Sea) and resolving disputes by peaceful means and in line with international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS 1982).

They also voiced their support for the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the negotiations between ASEAN and China to reach a practical, effective and efficient Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea (COC) in line with international law.

Translated by Trung Thanh

The municipal People’s Committee has just submitted a report to the Prime Minister on the purchase and use of a Covid-19 vaccine as the Covid-19 epidemic in the large city has developed unpredictably with increasing infection cases plus new virus strains first reported in the UK and India.

The city has mobilized many staff members and employees of different sectors including medical workers, local authorities, agencies, departments, dwellers in the fight against the epidemic.

Currently, Ho Chi Minh City has over 7.2 million people aged 18 and over. Approximately 1.6 million workers and employees are working at enterprises and corporations in industrial parks; however, HCMC has been only allocated around 140,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine so far. 10,179 people in priority groups have been fully vaccinated while 64,366 people received one Covid-19 jab only.

To achieve the goal of herd immunity with over 70 percent of the population being vaccinated against Covid-19 as soon as possible, the city must necessarily purchase Covid-19 vaccines.

Following the Prime Minister’s direction “Fighting the epidemic like fighting the enemy”, the city People’s Committee proposed the Prime Minister to allow businesses citywide to find vaccine sources in the world or hire competent enterprises to buy vaccines for vaccination.

According to the city’s proposal, businesses should be allowed to hire medical facilities to administer the vaccine to employees upon the agreement between businesses and health care institutions.

The decision has been made after Japan comprehensively considered the infection situation in Vietnam, the shortage of vaccines and Japan-Vietnam relationship, Motegi said in a news conference in Tokyo.

Vietnam has been facing a resurgence of infections since late April, with its health authorities reporting a hybrid coronavirus variant that combines characteristics of strains first detected in Britain and India.

The shipment of the vaccine produced in Japan under AstraZeneca Plc.’s license is due to arrive in Vietnam on June 16, he added.

Motegi further noted that Japan is considering additional vaccine donations to Vietnam and Taiwan (China) after taking into account supplies to other countries, the global infection and barriers to vaccine provisions among other factors.

Japan also plans similar shipments to other Southeast Asian nations, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand, in June and July, according to Motegi.

The shipment to Vietnam, Taiwan and other Asian neighbours are being made outside of COVAX Facility to speed up delivery, he said, since if everything goes through COVAX, the procedures in getting approval may take time.

On June 2, Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide has pledged 30 million doses for needy countries.