Asean must mount united response to pandemic, says PM Lee

It should also not lose sight of longer-term goals which are key to ensuring that economies survive and recover

Published Tue, Apr 14, 2020 · 09:50 PM

Singapore

ASEAN has to mount a united response to the coronavirus pandemic as the region is deeply connected and interdependent, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday.

He suggested that countries can work together by sharing information, collaborating to keep trading routes and supply lines open, and building resilience to deal with future economic shocks.

At the same time, it should not lose sight of longer-term objectives, which are key to enabling economies to survive and recover once the storm is past, said Mr Lee, who spoke at a Special Asean Summit on Covid-19 via video conference.

"None of us in Asean can be truly safe unless the entire region is safe," he said, d…