ASEAN countries commit not to add tariff barriers 4
The online meeting of ASEAN and ASEAN +3 economic ministers to discuss response solutions and plans to connect the supply chain after Covid-19 took place today (June 4) in Hanoi.
At the press conference that took place afterward, Mr. Tran Tuan Anh – Minister of Industry and Trade said that Vietnam and Southeast Asian countries are at risk of supply chains being disrupted.
Covid-19 has frozen the tourism, travel, aviation and hotel service industries in the region.
Supply chains, services, and production throughout society are disrupted, accompanied by economic and financial recession, leading to a decline in supply and demand of global labor, employment, and social welfare.
ASEAN Economic Ministers met online to discuss solutions for economic recovery and regional supply chains.
But in addition to Covid-19, according to Mr. Tuan Anh, countries in the region and the global economy are also facing many factors that threaten general stability such as geopolitical competition, protectionism…
Responding to this situation, Ministers of ASEAN countries agreed on the Hanoi action plan, building a foundation to facilitate trade in ASEAN.
`ASEAN Economic Ministers commit not to issue additional non-tariff barriers or tariffs to facilitate the flow of goods and services,` Mr. Tuan Anh shared.
In addition, countries in the region also agreed to take advantage of technology and digital trade to support small and medium-sized enterprises to operate and restore production in the context of Covid-19.
On Vietnam’s side, Minister Tuan Anh added that the Government is also carefully considering reopening trade gradually with ASEAN and ASEAN +3 regional markets in the coming time.
As ASEAN Chair in 2020, Vietnam also proposed the establishment of the ASEAN Covid-19 Prevention Fund, a regional medical supplies reserve to respond to emergency situations in the event of supply shortages.
