We, the Heads of State and Government of Brunei
Darussalam, the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Republic of
Indonesia, the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic,
Malaysia, the Union of Myanmar, the Republic of the
Philippines, the Republic of Singapore, the Kingdom of
Thailand, the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and the
Peoples Republic of China met in Bangkok, Thailand, on
29 April 2003 for a Special ASEAN-China Leaders Meeting on
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome(SARS):
Deeply
concerned with the mounting threat to life and health of the
people in Asia and the world at large due to SARS, we
express our deepest condolences and sympathy to those who
are suffering from the diseases or are threatened by the
pandemic;
Noting that SARS has already had a
serious adverse impact on the economy and society of
countries in the region, including international exchanges
and cooperation among our countries and this
region.
Recognising the need for collective
efforts in the region and the rest of the world to
effectively tackle the challenges posed by the deadly virus,
we agreed to promote the exchange of information and sharing
of experience in respect of SARS control and
prevention.
Emphasising that the importance of
strong leadership, political commitment, multi-sectoral
collaboration and partnership at the national and regional
levels to fight epidemic;
Noting with deep
respect the dfforts of all medical professionals and
researchers, quarantine officials and public awareness
campaigners in all countries and regions, who are working
courageously at the forefront of the battle against
SARS;
Noting further that in addressing such
non-traditional threats at SARS against the backdrop of
globalization, cooperation must draw upon and pool together
the best of human wisdom and capabilities in addressing the
disaster, and that ASEAN Member Countries and China can play
an important and positive role in strengthening such
cooperation.
We hereby agree that ASEAN and
China will develop and strengthen cooperation on SARS
control and take coordinated measures to reduce and
eliminate its multifaceted impact on our region, taking into
account the practical measures adopted by the ASEAN +3
Ministers of Health Special Meeting held on 26 April 2003 in
Kuala Lumpur.
We appreciate the valuable
opportunity to brief each other on the measures each country
has taken to prevent, monitor, study and treat SARS. China
associated itself with the Joint Declaration of the Special
ASEAN Leaders Meeting on SARS and expressed its readiness to
cooperate with ASEAN to fight the SARS
problem.
To this end, we directed our health
and other relevant ministers to undertake the
following:
Exchange information
on the latest developments of SARS, including its control
and treatment, and its related study and research, through
linking Chinas SARS information network and the ASEAN
SARS Containment Information Network, based on unified
rules, standards and methods;
Appoint a
focal/contact point in every country for the routine
exchange of information as part of a hotline
network to facilitate communication in an
emergency;
Carry out cooperative
research and training programmes focusing on SARS spread
patterns, SARS pathology and the care and treatment of
severe SARS cases;
Jontly sponsor
organised a high-level international symposium on SARS
control and treatment in China as soon as
possible;
Sponsor a special symposium to
assess the political, security, economic and other possible
impact of SARS on this regional and come up with regional
counter-measures to address the impacts; and
Work to take rigorous measures for
immigration and customs control to prevent the out-spread of
SARS, including for example, pre-departure and arrival
screening and better flight management. A meeting will be
held soon by officials form immigration and health
authorities for the above purposes.
The
Cinese side has decided to pledge RMB 10 million yuan to
launch a special fund in support of China-ASEAN bilateral
cooperation programmes on SARS control and prevention and
the eradication of its multifarious impacts.
We
will strive to offset the negative impacts of SARS on our
respective economies and personnel exchanges, adopt
effective measures to stimulate economic development, expend
trade, encourage investment, and strengthen tourism
cooperation to maintain the mometum of economic growth. At
the same time, we will continue to consolidate and deepen
ASEAN-China economic cooperation.
We, the
leaders of ASEAN Member Countries and the Peoples
Republic of China, hereby undertake to work in the spirit of
mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and coordination and
to further deepen ASEAN-China partnership of good-bilateral
relations so that our bilateral exchange and cooperation may
grow in great depth and width.
(from www.fmprc.gov.cn)