BEIJING - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday proposed opening a "fast-track lane" for essential personnel on urgent visits in the fields of commerce, logistics, production and technological services among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, China, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

Li made the remarks in Beijing while attending a special summit of ASEAN, China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ASEAN Plus Three or APT) on COVID-19 via video link.

The fast-track lane should be opened with all the necessary control measures in place, said Li, noting that this will be conducive to maintaining the necessary flow of people and goods and stabilizing the industrial and supply chains.

Li pointed out that the APT countries need to leverage their strengths in economic complementarity and strong business ties to further ease tariffs, eliminate barriers, boost the flow of trade and investment, and keep markets open to each other, in an effort to restore growth in East Asia as quickly as possible.