The government of Vietnam has reassured the Philippines of its commitment to resume rice exports beginning May 1, in fulfillment of the earlier consensus reached by the region’s economies to keep their markets open and enhance regional cooperation in strengthening the sustainability of regional supply chains, especially in this time of a global crisis spawned by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

In his letter to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Vietnamese Industry and Trade Minister Tran Tuan Anh said this decision to carry out the earlier commitment by member-states of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was reached last April 18 after “considering thoroughly assessment findings on (Vietnam’s) domestic rice supply” and the recommendations of his Ministry.

“I hope the new decision by our Prime Minister (Nguyen Xuan Phuc) will contribute to the joint efforts by ASEAN Member States in maintaining adequate food supply to ASEAN Community to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthen ASEAN’s internal unity,” Minister Tran said in his letter to Secretary Dominguez last May 4.

An earlier letter received by Secretary Dominguez from Minister Tran last April 13 informed him of the Vietnamese Prime Minister’s approval of the Philippines’ rice export quota of 400,000 metric tons (MT) for the month of April.

In his May 4 letter, Minister Tran said that as chairman of the ASEAN this year, Vietnam “attaches great importance to realizing its commitments” in the ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Joint Statement on Strengthening ASEAN’s Economic Resilience in Response to the Outbreak of COVID-19 released last March 10, and to the Declaration of the Special ASEAN Summit on Coronavirus Disease 2019 by the ASEAN Leaders issued last April 14.

Minister Tran noted that these accords “require us to keep ASEAN’s market open for trade and investment, enhancing cooperation among ASEAN Member States in strengthening the resiliency and sustainability of regional supply chains, especially for food, medicines and other essential supplies.”

“In this spirit, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Viet Nam has seriously taken into account and reported to the Government of Viet Nam on the difficulties faced by various stakeholders as well as mounting concerns from importing countries being parts of the rice supply chains with import from Viet Nam, including particularly concerns from the Philippines,” Minister’s Tran said in his letter.

“On 18 April 2020, after considering thoroughly assessment findings on domestic rice supply and recommendations by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Viet Nam, H.E. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc decided to fully resume rice export from 1 May 2020,” Minister Tran added.

During the April 14 Special ASEAN Summit on Coronavirus Disease 2019 held online, President Duterte called on his fellow Southeast Asian leaders to ensure that the region is ready for future disease outbreaks by improving and expanding ASEAN’s mechanisms to cover public health emergencies,” and to keep trade open to “ensure the supply chain connectivity and the smooth flow of goods within our region.”

“We are particularly concerned with food security in this period of lockdowns. Our most urgent priority is ensuring sufficient supply of rice for our people. ASEAN must remain open for trade. Crisis or no crisis, as no country can stand alone,” said President Duterte during the Summit.

“Food security is key in maintaining socio-economic and political stability, especially at a time of great difficulty for our people. We can ignore this only at our own risk,” he added.

In their Declaration following the Special ASEAN Summit, the ASEAN leaders resolved to “remain committed to keeping ASEAN’s markets open for trade and investment, and enhance cooperation among ASEAN Member States and also with ASEAN’s external partners with a view to ensuring food security, such as the utilization of the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR), and strengthening the resiliency and sustainability of regional supply chains, especially for food, commodities, medicines, medical and essential supplies.”

The ASEAN leaders likewise resolved to “task our Economic Ministers and Senior Economic Officials to explore an arrangement to preserve supply chain connectivity, particularly amongst ASEAN Member States, that provides for trade to continue for the smooth flow of essential goods, including medical, food and essential supplies; ensures our critical infrastructure for trade and trading routes via air, land and sea ports remain open; and refrain from imposing unnecessary restrictions on the flow of medical, food and essential supplies, in accordance with the rights and obligations under the World Trade Organization (WTO) covered agreements, the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) and principles of international law.”

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