Vietnam's State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh have asked the European Union to donate and transfer more COVID-19 vaccine doses to help the Southeast Asian country fight the serious pandemic.

In a letter sent to President of the European Council Charles Michel on Wednesday, President Phuc thanked the EU for its previous support for Vietnam, including the donation of 2.4 million vaccine doses via the COVAX Facility.

Vietnam is facing hefty challenges in securing enough vaccines for its population of nearly 100 million people as well as medical equipment for COVID-19 prevention and control, the leader stated.

He called for the EU’s maximum assistance for Vietnam through donating and sharing vaccines, transferring production technology, providing medical equipment for COVID-19 treatment, and sharing experience in COVID-19 response.

On the same day, PM Chinh also sent a letter to President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

The premier spoke highly of the growth pace in the Vietnam-EU relations in the context of COVID-19.

He suggested the EU consider providing Vietnam with more vaccine shots and calling on the COVAX Facility to prioritize the allocation of vaccines to Vietnam and ASEAN member countries given the complicated developments of the pandemic.

Vietnam has so far received about 20 million COVID-19 vaccine doses through purchases, the COVAX Facility, and donations from other countries.

The nation sets a target of immunizing two-thirds of its population against COVID-19 by the first quarter of next year.

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