HANOI: The two-day 36th Asean Summit scheduled for April 8 in Vietnam has been postponed until the end of June over fears about the Covid-19 pandemic.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has written to leaders of Asean countries and New Zealand proposing the Asean Summit, the Asean-New Zealand Summit and other meetings in Danang City be postponed.
In his letter, Nguyen said although Vietnam had basically completed organisational work for the events, the postponement was necessary due to the Covid-19 pandemic spreading in the region and the world.
Vietnam is the chair for Asean this year.
According to the Vietnam News agency, the Vietnamese government leader thanked the countries for working together with Vietnam to promote the building of a cohesive and responsive Asean community.
The postponement decision comes after Vietnam had announced on March 17 that it would introduce mandatory quarantine for all visitors from the United States, Europe and Asean countries and suspend the issue of new visas for all foreign nationals.
It also closed its borders with Cambodia.
Nguyen said that with resolve and joint efforts, solidarity and mutual compassion, the Asean community would stand firm in the face of challenges, ensure a peaceful life for its people and prosperous development of its member countries.
Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung handed over the letters to the ambassadors of Asean countries and New Zealand at a meeting in Hanoi on Thursday.
Vietnam has also asked Asean’s 10 member states to continue to coordinate closely so as to mitigate the pandemic’s negative effects on the socioeconomic situations in member countries.