HÀ NỘI — Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyễn Quốc Dũng, on behalf of Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, symbolically handed over US$50,000 as gift to the Ambassador of Myanmar to Việt Nam Kyaw Soe Win to support the country’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking at a ceremony in Hà Nội on Friday, Dũng said Việt Nam and Myanmar were not only both members of ASEAN but also close cooperative partners.

Việt Nam’s decision to provide the funds to Myanmar in the context of it also being hit hard by the pandemic demonstrated the close relationship and mutual support between the two countries as well as the solidarity of ASEAN members.

He expressed his hope that the aid would help Myanmar overcome this difficult time.

The Deputy FM stressed that with its role as Chair of ASEAN in 2020 and as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2020-21, Việt Nam would maintain close coordination with Myanmar and other countries inside and outside of the region to together conquer the global pandemic.

He asked the Myanmar Government to continue creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in the country to stabilise their lives and gain access to necessary healthcare services.

Ambassador Kyaw Soe Win said the Vietnamese Government’s support provided great encouragement to Myanmar at this time.

He spoke of Việt Nam’s achievements in disease prevention and control and added that its active support for and cooperation with other countries expressed its sense of responsibility as Chair of ASEAN in 2020 and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-21.

The Vietnamese Government has already donated medical supplies and test kits worth VNĐ7 billion each to Laos and Cambodia. — VNS