Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Talks With US, China On Covid-19 Vaccine, Discusses South China Sea Issues With US

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and US have agreed to focus efforts on the manufacturing and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine once it is readily available, said Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein. Hishammuddin, in a tweet, said the matter was discussed between him and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a phone call Thursday. The two also discussed the South China Sea issues where Hishammuddin highlighted that the issues must be resolved peacefully based on international law, including the United Nations Convention on The Law of The Sea (UNCLOS) 1982. "Just spoke on the phone with U.S. Secretary of State @SecPompeo - both agreed to focus efforts on the manufacturing & distribution of the #COVID19 vaccine, once it is readily available. Also discussed regarding the #SouthChinaSea which must remain a sea of peace and trade," he tweeted late Thursday. Meanwhile, the US Department of State's Principal Deputy Spokesperson Cale Brown, in a statement on its website, said Pompeo and Hishammuddin also discussed the strong US-Malaysia Comprehensive Partnership. “Both have also discussed the continued economic and health-related cooperation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic," the statement said. Meanwhile, in an earlier tweet, Hishammuddin said Malaysia and China also agreed to actively carry out vaccine cooperation as well as establish "fast lane" and "green lane" at an early date. The matter was discussed in a phone call between the Foreign Minister and his China counterpart Wang Yi on Wednesday, where they also agree to explore ways to jointly ensure supply chain security of the COVID-19 vaccine to send a positive signal of unity and cooperation between Malaysia and China. -- BERNAMA