US Ambassador to Việt Nam Daniel J Kritenbrink (left) receives the symbolic token representing gifts of face masks from Vietnamese Government and people, from Vietnamese deputy foreign minister Bùi Thanh Sơn and Chairman of Government Office Mai Tiến Dũng. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Vietnamese Government on Thursday donated hundreds of thousands of made-in-Việt Nam antibacterial face masks to the US, Japan and Russia to aid their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vietnamese deputy foreign minister Bùi Thanh Sơn joined Chairman of Government Office Mai Tiến Dũng in presenting a symbolic token representing a gift of 200,000 cloth masks to the US government and American people, in addition to another donation of 50,000 masks from Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc.

Speaking during the handover ceremony, Sơn stressed the importance of regional and international co-operation, especially in dealing with non-traditional threats.

Việt Nam and the US have enjoyed effective co-operation in combating COVID-19, including mutual support in terms of medical supplies and information exchange or citizen protection, Sơn said.

The Vietnamese diplomat said Việt Nam would continue to work closely with the US to stamp out the pandemic and minimise its negative impacts.

On behalf of US President Donald Trump and the American people, US Ambassador to Việt Nam Daniel Kritenbrink conveyed gratitude to the Vietnamese Government and people, saying the move was a tremendous show of solidarity and support from.

He has also lauded Việt Nam’s successful efforts to contain the disease and pledged that the US would enhance collaboration with their Vietnamese counterparts in dealing with the pandemic and in ensuring public health and safety.

On its Facebook page, the US Embassy in Hà Nội said: “These masks will be used where they are most needed in the United States to fight COVID19,” accompanied by the hashtag #TrustedPartnersStandTogether.

Vietnamese deputy foreign minister Bùi Thanh Sơn and Chairman of Government Office Mai Tiến Dũng handover the gifts of medical supplies to Japanese Deputy Ambassador to Việt Nam Asazuma Shinichi. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

Sơn and Chairman Dũng also presented Vietnamese-made medical supplies (including face masks) worth US$100,000 to the Japanese government and people, in addition to 50,000 surgical masks for Japan’s Cabinet Office.

Sơn said that Việt Nam and Japan had used co-operation within bilateral and multilateral frameworks to deal with the pandemic, including the successful holding of the ASEAN Plus Three Summit on Coronavirus Disease 2019 on April 14.

The Vietnamese diplomat said that this gift of medical supplies “came from the heart of the Vietnamese Government and people,” conveying messages of solidarity with the struggles of Japan in the fight against the pandemic.

He expressed his belief that under the leadership of Prime Minister Abe Shinzo and the Japanese people’s determination, the country would soon prevail over the outbreak.

For his part, Japanese Deputy Ambassador to Việt Nam Asazuma Shinichi said Japan is "deeply grateful" to the Vietnamese Government and people for their support.

The Japanese diplomat has also lauded the achievements of Việt Nam in containing the outbreak and producing medical supplies, adding that he considered Việt Nam a “model” that other countries should learn from.

Shinichi stressed that based on the Việt Nam-Japan extensive strategic partnership, Japan would continue to work closely with Việt Nam in fighting and managing diseases.

Chairman of Government Office Mai Tiến Dũng (right) presents gifts from Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc to Russian ambassador Konstantin Vnukov. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

Also today, on behalf of Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, Chairman Dũng presented to Russian ambassador Konstantin Vnukov a gift of 50,000 antibacterial masks. This came after a donation of 150,000 masks from Việt Nam on April 13 to the Russian government and people.

Chairman Dũng during the handover ceremony reiterated that in every path of Việt Nam’s development in modern times, the country has cherished its friendship with Russia.

The gift represents PM Phúc’s sentiments and a show of support for Russia to aid their fight against the pandemic, and a meaningful gesture as the two countries celebrate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties this year, he said. — VNS