On October 20, the Second China-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management was held via video link, co-chaired by Zhou Xuewen, Vice Minister of Emergency Management and Nadhapit Snidvongs, Thai Vice Minister of Interior. It was attended by the heads of disaster management departments of ASEAN member states and ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General Ekkaphab Phanthavong. The participating parties reached consensus on the further implementation of the ASEAN-China Work Plan on Disaster Management 2021-2025 and issued a press release regarding the establishment of the ASEAN-China Centre for Emergency Management Cooperation, reaffirming the commitment of both sides to building the Centre together.
Zhou Xuewen pointed out that President Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of safety and prevention first and urgency of improving capacity for disaster risk reduction and for dealing with public emergencies. China adheres to the people-centered development philosophy, and insists on putting the people and their lives above all else while promoting the modernization of emergency management systems and capacities. China makes every effort to prevent and defuse major risks, and ensure people's lives and property and sustainable economic and social development. China is willing to work with ASEAN to implement the five-year Work Plan, and launch the ASEAN-China Centre for Emergency Management Cooperation as soon as possible, so as to provide the "Asian experience" for improving global disaster governance, and make more contributions to promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind and the international community on development.
Snidvongs said that the combination of climate change and the pandemic has brought greater disaster risks to ASEAN nations, and thanked China for helping ASEAN improve its disaster preparedness and response capacity and firmly supporting its development. ASEAN looked forward to strengthening disaster management cooperation with China, to effectively respond to disaster risks and promote sustainable development of ASEAN and its member states.
Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the China International Development Cooperation Agency, the Mission of China to ASEAN and relevant departments of the Ministry of Emergency Management attended the meeting.
By Wang Guangyuan, Department of International Cooperation and Rescue, Ministry of Emergency Management, China
