Page 29 - bon-dia-aruba-20201020

A29
world news Diamars 20 OctOber 2020

South Korea tests at hospitals, nursing homes

(AP) — South Korea on people, as the virus spreads in gion:
Monday began testing a variety of places, including
tens of thousands of em- hospitals, churches, schools — India has reported 579 fa-
ployees of hospitals and and workplaces. talities from COVID-19 in
nursing homes to prevent the past 24 hours, the low-
COVID-19 outbreaks at From Monday, they will est increase in three months,
live-in facilities. start a process to test 130,000 driving its death toll to
workers at hospitals, nursing 114,610. The Health Minis-
Fifteen of the 76 latest cases homes and senior centers in try on Monday also reported
reported by the Korea Dis- the greater capital area. Of- 55,722 more people infected,
ease Control and Prevention ficials will also test 30,000 raising India’s total to more
Agency were from the south- patients who have visited than 7.5 million. A govern-
ern port city of Busan, where and used these facilities, but ment-appointed committee
more than 70 infections have will leave out hospitalized of scientists said Sunday the
been linked to a hospital for patients, who already receive disease was likely to “run its
the elderly. tests when they are admitted. course” by February if people
used masks and adhered to
The disease caused by the Officials plan to complete distancing measures. ing in June. Output contract-
coronavirus can be more se- the tests within October and — China’s economic growth ed 6.8% in the first quarter.
rious in older people and could possibly expand the The number of new infec- accelerated to 4.9% over a
those with existing health screening to other regions if tions confirmed each day has year earlier in the latest quar- The ruling Communist Par-
conditions like high-blood needed. declined for a month. The ter as a shaky recovery from ty began easing anti-disease
pressure. committee said even if ac- the coronavirus pandemic controls and reopening fac-
South Korea has confirmed tive cases increased during gathered strength. China, tories, shops and offices in
Health workers have been 25,275 cases of coronavi- the upcoming festive season where virus outbreaks began March after declaring the
scrambling to track infec- rus infection, including 444 and cold weather, they were in December, became the virus under control but has
tions in the Seoul metropoli- deaths from COVID-19. unlikely to surpass India’s first major economy to re- kept monitoring and some
tan area, home to about half In other developments record daily high of 97,894 turn to growth with a 3.2% travel controls in place.
of the country’s 51 million around the Asia-Pacific re- cases. expansion in the quarter end-

Japan, Vietnam agree to boost defense ties, resume flights

(AP) — Japanese Prime protect sea lanes in disputed tain peace and stability in the Details of possible equip- donor, providing $23 billion
Minister Yoshihide Suga, areas of the South China Sea. region and in the world,” ment sales were not men- as of 2019 and accounting for
in his first overseas sum- “Vietnam is crucial to achiev- Phuc said. tioned, but Suga called the more than a quarter of Viet-
mit since taking office last ing our vision of ‘the Free and In a speech later Monday at agreement “a major step” for nam’s foreign loans.
month, agreed with his Open Indo-Pacific,’ and our Vietnam-Japan University, a bilateral defense coopera- The government has been
Vietnamese counterpart valuable partner,’” Suga told Suga said that Japan’s “Free tion, saying he expects fur- trying to entice Japanese
to step up defense and se- a news conference after his and Open Indo-Pacific” con- ther developments. companies to invest in Viet-
curity cooperation in the meeting with Phuc. “Japan, cept and “ASEAN Outlook nam and other Southeast
face of China's expanding as an Indo-Pacific nation, will on the Indo-Pacific," formu- Japan partially lifted its ban Asian countries to lessen Ja-
influence in the region. continue to contribute to the lated by the Association of on military equipment and pan's dependence on manu-
peace and stability in this re- Southeast Asian Nations in technology transfer in 2014 facturing and other business-
In talks in Hanoi on Monday, gion.” 2019, share values such as as part of former Prime Min- es in China.
Suga and Vietnamese Prime Suga said Vietnam, at the rule of law, openness, trans- ister Shinzo Abe’s efforts to On Monday, Japan and Viet-
Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc center of the region, was the parency and freedom. build Japan’s defense capa- nam agreed on the need to
set a basic agreement allow- most suitable destination for Suga expressed strong sup- bilities. cooperate on diversifying
ing Japan to export defense his first trip abroad as Japan’s port for their vision and said supply chains — a lesson
equipment and technology leader. together Japan and ASEAN Suga and Phuc signed other Japan learned from its dire
to Vietnam. Japan has been Neither of the two leaders can achieve a peaceful and agreements to cooperate in a shortages of surgical masks
pursuing such pacts in re- mentioned China by name in prosperous future. range of economic fields and and protective gowns earlier
cent years to bolster ties with their news conference. Phuc on anti-terrorism measures. this year due to heavy depen-
Southeast Asia and sustain its said the peace and stability of “Unfortunately in this re- The two sides also agreed dence on Chinese imports.
own defense industry. the South China Sea should gion, there is a move in to ease entry bans and allow In August, Vietnam agreed
be protected by the rule of the South China Sea that short-term business visits to buy six coast guard patrol
Suga said his four-day trip to law, not unilaterally by force goes against the rule of law and reopen flights between boats worth $345 million
Vietnam and later Indonesia or threats. and openness stated in this Vietnam and Japan. Such from Japan. The country is
was key to pursuing multi- "Vietnam appreciates that Ja- ASEAN Outlook, and Japan travel has been very tightly seeking to improve its mari-
lateral economic and secu- pan, one of the world's lead- strongly opposes any attempt restricted due to the pandem- time defenses amid China’s
rity cooperation to counter ing powers, is actively con- that escalates tensions in the ic, but both countries have continuing development and
China’s growing power and tributing its efforts to main- South China Sea,” Suga said managed to somewhat stabi- militarization of artificial is-
in his speech, hinting at Chi- lize COVID-19 outbreaks. lands in contested waters of
na's growing assertiveness in Suga also promised to pro- the South China Sea.
the area. vide support for Vietnamese
workers in Japan affected Progress in talks between
Japan already has defense by the pandemic's hit to the ASEAN and China over the
equipment transfer deals economy. Vietnamese ac- disputes appears to be at a
with the U.S., Britain and counts for more than half of standstill.
Malaysia, among other coun- the foreign workers Japan has
tries. Vietnam is a 12th part- accepted in recent years to Suga’s predecessor Abe also
ner, while Japan is still nego- make up for its declining and chose Vietnam as the first
tiating deals with Indonesia aging population. country he visited after tak-
and Thailand. In its first ac- Japan is one of Vietnam’s top ing office. Suga is the first
tual delivery of such exports, trading partners with two- foreign head of a state to visit
Japan in August exported a way trade of $28.6 billion Vietnam since the country
radar surveillance system to so far this year. Japan is also closed its borders to contain
the Philippines. Vietnam’s largest overseas aid COVID-19.