A Hanoi woman has her health checked before Covid-19 vaccination, January 2022. Photo: VnExpress

Vietnam records 14,783 new Covid cases

The Health Ministry confirmed 14,783 new local Covid-19 cases Monday, down 8,370 cases from the previous day, pushing the ongoing wave's tally to nearly 1.9 million.

The three localities with the highest number of new cases were Hanoi with 2,830 cases, Khanh Hoa with 795 cases, and Binh Phuoc with 640 cases.

Of the day's tally, 9,396 cases were detected in the community.

The Health Ministry also confirmed 89,842 recoveries the same day, bringing the total number of recovered cases so far to 1,590,090.

The Covid-19 death toll in Vietnam rose to 34,534 with the confirmation of 212 deaths Monday.

The average number of new cases in the country for the past seven days has been 15,935 a day while the national death rate has been 216 a day on average, cited VnExpress.

Vietnam has recorded 31 Covid-19 cases infected with the Omicron variant so far, all imported cases.

Over 71.2 million people of Vietnams 96 million population have been vaccinated with two doses, and more than 11.8 million have received the third dose.

Vietnamese, Lao PMs witness signing of nine cooperation documents

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Lao counterpart Phankham Viphavanh have witnessed the signing and handing over of nine co-operation documents between the governments, ministries, agencies, and enterprises of the two countries.

The signing ceremony was held as part of the 44th session of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee on Bilateral Cooperation on January 10.

During the course of the meeting, the two sides discussed and concretized the conclusions of the two Politburos and the agreement on the co-operation plan between the two nations for 2022. They therefore agreed on the drastic implementation of the plan from the beginning of the year, with a view to bolstering co-operation across multiple fields such as politics, foreign affairs, security and defense, investment, and trade.

The contents and orientations exchanged at this meeting can be considered to be of great significance in concretising high-level co-operation agreements, thereby facilitating the two countries’ ministries, sectors, localities and businesses in the process of concretizing high-level co-operation agreements. This is in addition to carrying out co-operation activities towards the successful implementation of the 2022 Cooperation Plan.

Both sides went on to state their appreciation and show their elation at the results of comprehensive co-operation between the two countries ahead this year, particularly through the effective implementation of high-level agreements of ministries, sectors, and localities, according to VOV.

Co-operation in politics, foreign affairs, national defense and security, economics, culture, social affairs, and people-to-people exchanges have been further strengthened and expanded. This can be seen in education and training which has been promoted, with the number of Laotian students studying in Vietnam rising to 14,000.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Lao counterpart Phankham Viphavanh (left). Photo: VOV

Trade turnover also reached US$1.3 billion, exceeding the set target and representing an annual rise of 30.3%.

Vietnamese enterprises have made significant contributions to the Laotian budget, pouring in more than US$1 billion over the past five years. Indeed, the new mechanism for co-ordination and promotion of ties between the two sides, typically through the Vietnam - Laos Intergovernmental Committee, have continued to prove effective.

Regarding the direction of co-operation moving forward, the two sides consented to focus on competently realizing joint statements and agreements adopted by the two Politburos and at the 44th session of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee on Bilateral Cooperation.

The two sides therefore agreed to ramp up political, foreign, security, defense, investment, and trade relations, with two-way turnover in 2022 set to soar by 10% compared to 2021. They emphasized the need to expand co-operation in human resource training, investment in transport infrastructure projects, and co-operation in the management of sustainable use of water and natural resources.

Both nations will will make every effort to effectively organize the “Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Friendship and Solidarity Year 2022” which will mark the 60th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations and 45 years of the Vietnam-Laos Treaty of Amity and Cooperation.

The event gave the chance for the two countries to promise to encourage ministries, sectors, and localities to expand their relations and support each other. In the spirit of mutual trust, the both sides affirmed their readiness to offer mutual support and co-operate at international and regional forums. These contents have been concretized in documents that were signed during the 44th session of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee on Bilateral Cooperation.

The success of the meeting is set to offer fresh impetus to stepping up bilateral co-operation in a more practical and effective manner, making an important contribution to strengthening the traditional friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive co-operation between Vietnam and Laos.

Customs clearance resumed at border gates, crossings with China

The Ministry of Industry and Trade said that on January 10 morning, China’s Guangxi province officially resumed customs clearance at border gates and border crossings in its Dongxing city bordering Mong Cai city of Vietnam’s Quang Ninh province, including bridges Bac Luan 1 and Bac Luan 2, and pontoon bridge Km 3+4.

These pairs of border gates and border crossings are very important for imports and exports of both sides.

The Guangxi side said at first, priority will be given to handling goods, especially farm produce and frozen products, which are being stuck at the border gates.

Vietnam's Mong Cai International Border Gate. Photo: VNA

Previously, to review and strengthen Covid-19 prevention and control measures, Guangxi temporarily suspended customs clearance at border gates in Dongxing city from December 21, 2021, reported VNA.

Thanks to continuous efforts and goodwill discussions of both sides, since January 5, 2022, Guangxi has gradually reopened pairs of border gates and border crossings between the province and Vietnam.

In recent working sessions with the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Chinese side has repeatedly emphasized its high requirements for pandemic prevention and control and asked Vietnam to work together to ensure the safety of vehicles and goods.

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh has assigned ministries, sectors and localities to work with China to speed up customs clearance, striving to remove the congestion of trucks carrying goods for export at border gates before the Lunar New Year.

Limit combo charter flights to Tan Son Nhat, Noi Bai: aviation agency

Aviation officials have suggested reducing combo charter flights to Tan Son Nhat and Noi Bai to reduce Covid testing overload at the country's two largest airports.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) revealed that between Jan. 4 and 7 a total 47 international flights carried over 6,000 passengers to Vietnam.

Passengers wait to be tested for the novel coronavirus at Tan Son Nhat Airport in HCMC, June 2021. Photo: VnExpress

Of this, 15 flights with over 1,285 passengers landed at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City while 23 others carrying 2,950 passengers touched down at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, resulting in the overload of rapid Covid testing sites.

All passengers from Omicron-hit countries are now required to undergo rapid Covid testing upon arrival in Vietnam.

Therefore, CAAV wants combo charter flights to be diverted to smaller airports until the requirement for visitors from Omicron-hit regions to be tested before boarding and after exiting planes is lifted, cited VnExpress.

Vietnam had closed its borders and grounded all regular international flights in March 2020, only allowing in its nationals and foreign experts, investors and highly skilled workers arriving on special flights.

On Jan. 1 this year, Vietnam reopened regular flights connecting Hanoi, HCMC with Bangkok, Phnom Penh, San Francisco, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo, and Vientiane.

20,000 fans may get permission to attend game at My Dinh Stadium

The Vietnamese national football team can expect the support of 20,000 local fans in the upcoming tie against China in the final round of Asian qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which is scheduled to take place on February 2.

This comes after the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) initiated plans to allow up to 20,000 fans, 50% of the stadium capacity, to attend the match. Providing that the VFF’s scheme is adopted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the national team will gain an important boost from home supporters.

20,000 fans may be allowed to attend the upcoming game between Vietnam and China at My Dinh Stadium. Photo: VOV

In the two recent games played against Japan and Saudi Arabia, the My Dinh National Stadium was also allowed to open at 30% of capacity.

As scheduled, the national team is set to gather for a training camp in Hanoi on January 13. Ahead of this, head coach Park Hang-seo has called up 30 Vietnamese players to join the camp, reported VOV.

Currently, Vietnam have yet to pick up any points after six matches and are at the bottom of Group B of the final qualifying round, which they are competing in for the first time ever.

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