Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Phạm Bình Minh chairs the 2020 ASEAN National Committee’s 6th session meeting in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Phạm Bình Minh on Tuesday chaired the 2020 ASEAN National Committee’s 6th session meeting in Hà Nội to review the country’s future tasks and orientations as the role of 2020 ASEAN Chairmanship winds down.

Addressing the meeting, Minh, who is also the committee’s chairman, said that despite complications caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has posed many difficulties and challenges for the country’s 2020 ASEAN Chairmanship role, all relevant ministries, sectors and sub-committees had made great efforts to promote the spirit of ASEAN theme this year as "cohesive and responsive” to fulfill tasks.

“The country has proactively proposed and implemented response measures to COVID-19 pandemic, flexibly changed the mode of activities, while actively maintaining and promoting co-operation initiatives within ASEAN as well as with partners, to perform well the role of coordinating and leading the bloc,” he said.

Minh noted that the focus of this meeting was to review the overall tasks and work that had been and were being implemented, especially the situation and progress of the contents and initiatives of the 2020 ASEAN Chairmanship and discuss the upcoming work, especially the preparation for the 37th ASEAN Summit and related high levels’ meetings scheduled to take place next month.

“This is the most important conference of the year and is of decisive significance for the overall success of the 2020 ASEAN Chairmanship,” he stressed.

Reporting at the meeting, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Secretary General of the 2020 ASEAN National Committee, Nguyễn Quốc Dũng, gave an overview of all the work implemented by the sub-committees and the Secretariat, especially the adjustment and supplementation within the framework of the 2020 ASEAN Chairmanship under the impact of the current situation.

At the meeting, the head of the sub-committee, representatives of relevant ministries, sectors and localities clearly stated the tasks to be completed in the future and affirmed efforts to implement the preparations for the 37th ASEAN Summit as well as the remaining tasks of the 2020 ASEAN Chairmanship year.

Concluding the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Minh urged the sub-committees, ministries and sectors continue to follow the directions, guidelines and assignments and complete the remaining tasks according to the proposed plans, striving to fulfill the country’s role as ASEAN Chair before handing over this responsibility to Brunei.

In preparation for the 37th ASEAN Summit and related high levels’ meeting in November, Minh told the sub-committees, the 2020 ASEAN Secretariat and relevant ministries and sectors to urgently carry out the work of preparation, development and programmes to ensure the requirements for the meetings. — VNS