Passengers at Changi International Airport of Singapore.

As Vietnam is scheduled to reopen its borders for international tourism from March 15, Singapore has decided to launch the vaccinated travel lane (VTL) with Vietnam, restoring two-way quarantine-free travel.

This is among the outcomes of President Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s State visit to Singapore from February 24 to 26, expected to help further boost post-pandemic recovery of the two countries.

In an announcement on March 4, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTP) applications for travellers from Vietnam will open at 10am (Singapore time) on March 13.

Short-term visitors and work permit holders eligible to travel on the VTL must apply for a VTP to enter Singapore under the VTL. Fully vaccinated Singapore citizens, permanent residents, all other long-term pass holders and In-Principle Approval (IPA) holders, and children aged 12 years and below in the calendar year do not need to apply for a VTP to enter Singapore under the VTL.

Foreign Ministry submits visa waiver proposal to PM

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent the Prime Minister a proposal to reinstate a visa waiver for international tourists to help the Covid-battered tourism industry recover.

The visa waiver reinstatement will be in line with the Law on Foreigners’ Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence in Vietnam 2014, as well as international treaties of which Vietnam is a signatory.

Vietnam will reinstate the visa waiver for those coming from 13 countries, comprising Japan, South Korea, Russia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Belarus.

Regarding vaccine passports, as of March 2, Vietnam had reached agreements on the mutual vaccine passport recognition with Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, India, Belarus, Cambodia, the Philippines, Palestine, Maldives, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Turkey and Singapore.

Most Vietnamese citizens in Ukraine evacuated from battle zone: spokesperson

The Party and State of Vietnam give the highest priority to citizen protection measures so as to ensure safety of lives, assets, and legitimate and rightful interests of Vietnamese citizens and legal entities, as well as staff members of Vietnamese representative offices in Ukraine, said spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang.

She made the remark during the ministry's regular press conference held virtually on March 3, in response to reporters’ question about the situation of the Vietnamese community in Ukraine and citizen protection work.

As of March 3 afternoon (Vietnam time), most Vietnamese citizens in Kyiv, Odessa and hundreds of people in Kharkov had been evacuated from the battle zone and helped to travel to neighbouring countries.

More than 400 people had arrived in Moldova and were set to move on to Romania; while 600 had reached Poland, 70 others to Romania; about 30 to Slovakia and 50 to Hungary. Vietnamese ambassadors and staff at the embassies had met the citizens and provided them with necessary support, Hang continued.

Representative offices have spared no efforts in assisting the evacuated people with necessary procedures and working with local authorities and Vietnamese organisations to arrange temporary shelters for them.

Vietnam welcomes Ukraine-Russia dialogue: Spokeswoman

Vietnam welcomes the ongoing dialogue between Ukraine and Russia, and hopes that the sides will soon find long-term peaceful solutions to differences in line with international law and taking account of legitimate rights and interests of the concerned parties, spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang has said.

Responding to reporters' queries on the situation in Ukraine at a regular press conference held online by the ministry on March 3, Hang said Vietnam shares ASEAN’s views in the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Statement on the Situation in Ukraine issued on February 26, as well as in the speech by the Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN at an emergency session of the UN General Assembly on March 1.

Vietnam calls for the observance of international law and the UN Charter, and the settlement of disputes via peaceful measures in accordance with basic principles of international law and the UN Charter, especially the principles on respecting independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries, not intervening in each other’s internal affairs, and not using or threatening to use force in international relations, she said.

Vietnamese PM to attend special ASEAN-US summit

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and ASEAN leaders have been invited by the US President to attend a special ASEAN-US summit to be held in Washington DC in the coming time, spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang has announced.

Hang revealed the information during a regular press conference held online by the ministry on March 3.

“ASEAN countries have agreed with the US’s proposal on the holding of the event. The sides are exchanging opinions on related issues, including the agenda and date for the summit. The Vietnamese PM is scheduled to attend the event and have bilateral activities in the US,” the spokeswoman said.

Spokesperson informs press on policy on visa, vaccine passport

Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang informed the press on Vietnam’s policy on visa and mutual recognition of vaccine passport during a regular press conference of the ministry held online on March 3.

Foreigners, overseas Vietnamese and their family members holding eligible documents will be allowed to enter the country in accordance with the Law on Foreigners’ Entry into, Exit from, Transit through, and Residence in Vietnam, Hang said.

Regarding the recognition of vaccine passports, Hang said as of March 2, Vietnam had reached agreement with 15 countries and territories, namely Japan, the US, the UK, Australia, India, Belarus, Cambodia, the Philippines, Palestine, the Maldives, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Turkey and Singapore.

Departure place of first flight repatriating Vietnamese from Ukraine may be changed

The first flight to carry Vietnamese citizens home from Ukraine may take off from Bucharest instead of Warsaw, Dinh Viet Son, Deputy Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), said on March 4 morning.

The CAAV may announce the adjustment on March 4, Son stated, citing the Foreign Ministry’s information on March 3 evening as saying that not many Vietnamese people had travelled to Poland from Ukraine, and few of them have the desire to return to Vietnam.

Earlier, the aviation sector planned to operate the first flight repatriating Vietnamese people in Ukraine from Warsaw on March 5 morning, which will be conducted by Vietnam Airlines.

Meanwhile, the second flight will go from Bucharest and is planned to be conducted by Bamboo Airways.

Data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs show that there are about 7,000 Vietnamese people in Ukraine, mostly in the three major cities of Kyiv (800), Kharkiv (3,000), and Odessa (3,000).

Airline seeks procedure support to bring Vietnamese in Ukraine home

Vietnam Airlines has proposed ministries and agencies to soon give instructions on the conduct of flights repatriating Vietnamese citizens in Ukraine.

It plans to organise the first repatriation flight from Ukraine via Poland, based on the wish of Vietnamese in Ukraine.

The flight is scheduled to depart from Hanoi on March 5 morning, arrive in Poland in the afternoon and return to Vietnam later the same day. About 270 passengers are expected to arrive home on March 6 morning.

Vietnam Airlines called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to soon guide the launch of flight or others supplement flights, and support the carrier in asking for permission to take off and land via the diplomatic channel.

It also suggested the Ministry of Transport to soon license the flight, seek approval of relevant countries, and instruct the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) to assist Vietnam Airlines in negotiations for emerging issues.

PM chairs Government meeting on law building

Law building should keep up with the reality and deal with emerging issues, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said at a Cabinet meeting on law building in Hanoi on March 4.

The Government meeting on law building, the third of its kind since the beginning of this year, looked into proposals and reports regarding feedback on five bills and one draft resolution of the National Assembly.

The bills under consideration are the draft law amending and supplementing some articles of the Law on Radio Frequencies, the draft law on domestic violence prevention and control (revised), the draft law on forces participating in the protection of grassroots security and order, the draft law on road traffic safety and order, the draft law on road traffic, and the draft resolution on piloting the model of labour organisation, career counseling, and vocational training for prisoners outside prisons.

Vietnam receives additional 34 ultra-low freezers from US to store COVID-19 vaccines

The US has delivered an additional 34 ultra-low temperature freezers to Vietnam to help the Southeast Asian country expand life-saving COVID-19 vaccine storage capacity.

The freezers were handed over to the Vietnamese Ministry of Health by US Ambassador Marc Knapper in Ho Chi Minh City on March 4.

They are among 111 ultra-low temperature freezers the US Department of Defence is providing to Vietnam with a total value of approximately 1 million USD. They will be sent to HCM City and several southern provinces.

COVID-19 related child hospitalisations on the rise

The Ministry of Health has reported the number of COVID-19 infections under 12 years of age hospitalised nationwide has risen considerably from 14.1% of all hospitalisations before February to 24.3% at present.

Of the total, 4% are at risk of turning critical after five to eight days of showing symptoms.

Dr Nguyen Thanh Le of Hanoi-based Hospital for Tropical Disease, said most of the infected patients admitted to the hospital have severe symptoms and need medical intervention.

Most children with COVID-19 were hospitalized with symptoms such as high temperatures, lethargy, anorexia, and convulsions, while some children suffered respiratory failure, he said.

Doctors have advised parents to closely monitor their children if they are infected with the virus in order to seek medical help as swiftly as possible.

Children suffering from underlying medical conditions such as obesity, bronchial asthma, and low birth weight, along with those taking immunosuppressive drugs, malignancies, and others fall severely ill if they contract COVID-10, they warned.

Prime Minister holds phone talks with COVAX Managing Director

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh suggested the COVAX Facility continue its supply of COVID-19 vaccines to Vietnam, especially vaccines against new variants, during his phone talks with Managing Director of the COVAX Facility Aurélia Nguyen on March 3.

The PM said since their in-person meeting in Paris last November, Vietnam has gained positive outcomes in raising its COVID-19 vaccination coverage, becoming one of the countries taking the lead globally in this regard.

Vietnam has received about 213 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines so far, of which more than 194 million have been administered.

Up to 98 percent of Vietnamese people above 18 have got two shots of vaccine and the country is striving to complete the injection of the third jab to the group within this month, he said, adding that 94 percent of children aged from 12-17 have also received two doses.

Construction on Sa Pa airport begins

A ground-breaking ceremony for Sa Pa Airport was held in Cam Con commune, Bao Yen district, the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai, on March 3.

This is one of the major projects celebrating the 75th anniversary of the provincial Party Committee (March 5, 1947-2022).

Approved by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in late October, Sa Pa airport has a total investment of nearly 7 trillion VND (306.54 million USD), of which 2.7 trillion VND comes from the State budget.

The first phase of the 370-ha airport is scheduled to be completed before 2025, serving 1.5 million passengers each year.

7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for children to arrive in Vietnam this month: health official

The Ministry of Health has reached agreement with Pfizer to set out an estimate and a bidding plan, with the aim to bring 7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for children to Vietnam within this month, and the remaining 14.9 million in the fourth quarter, Deputy Minister Do Xuan Tuyen said on March 3.

Speaking at the Government’s regular press conference, Tuyen said the Government has issued a resolution on the purchase of the vaccine doses, which will be administered to 11.8 million children aged from five to 11.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has also allowed the ministry to buy the vaccines under a special mechanism in line with Article 26 of the Bidding Law, he added.

The ministry has closely coordinated with the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education and the Ministry of Education and Training to collect public opinions, especially parents with children of the age group, on this matter.

Accordingly, 95-96 percent of surveyed people approved the vaccination for children of the age group, the Deputy Minister informed.

Localities urged to strictly inspect preparations for welcoming back tourists

Provinces and centrally-run cities nationwide have been requested to outline plans and organise inspections to examine the preparation of facilities and services to welcome tourists back in the coming time.

According to a document sent by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s inspection agency to localities, chief inspectors of departments of tourism were ordered to actively advise and propose to leaders of departments on organising delegations to inspect preparations to welcome visitors at tourist sites and service business establishments in their areas.

The inspection and examination will focus on the building and implementation of plans to prevent and control the COVID-19 pandemic; the settlement of events when tourists are tested positive for COVID-19; the quality of facilities and services; and human resources serving tourism.

Local authorities were asked to pay attention to ensuring security and safety for tourists, especially at localities and businesses providing adventure tourism activities, and river and sea tourism services.

Regarding COVID-19 prevention and control at tourism business establishments, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also requires localities and tourist accommodation establishments to strictly implement registration at http://www. ://safe.tourism.com.vn; and encourage tourists to use mobile app “Du lich Viet Nam an toan” (Travel Vietnam safely) to look up safe travel information, make medical declarations, and evaluate destinations.

Expiry date of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine extended

The Drug Administration of Vietnam (DAV) under the Ministry of Health has agreed to extend the shelf life of Spikevax (Moderna) COVID-19 vaccine batches imported into the country from March 2.

According to a notice issued by the DAV on March 2, the expiry date of the vaccine has been extended from seven to nine months (from the manufacturing date) at the storage condition of -25 to -15 degrees Celsius, applicable to vaccine manufacturing establishments authorised by the Ministry of Health for emergency use.

The decision was made based on the conclusion of the ministry’s Advisory Council for the Registration of Circulation of Drugs and Medicinal Ingredients, the MoH said on March 3, affirming that the adjustment will not affect the quality, safety and efficiency of the vaccine.

VN to compete at Dubai Cup for U23s

Việt Nam will take part in the U23 Dubai Cup 2022 in the United Arab Emirates later this month.

They are one of nine teams invited to play along with the hosts in the friendly ten-day tournament which begins on March 20.

Việt Nam will face Iraq in the first game on March 23, and then China three days later.

Other teams taking part are Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Croatia, Japan, Qatar and Thailand.

Matches will be held at the Sevens, Dubai Police and Dubai stadiums.

HBSO returns with spring colors to Opera House

After a year-long break caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the HCM City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO) will perform “Colors of the Spring” on March 5 at the Opera House.

The March 5 concert will feature arias from Giuseppe Verdi’s operas, including Spuntato ecco il di d'esultanza (Welcome to the Day of Triumph) from Don Carlo, and Introduction and Barcarolle from I Due Foscari (The Two Foscari).

The programme will also include arias from famous operas by Giacomo Puccini, Franz Lehar, and Leo Delibes, and the song Pomp and Circumstance March No 1, also known as Land of Hope and Glory, by Edward Elgar.

The performance will feature the HBSO Choir as also sopranos Phạm Duyên Huyền, Nguyễn Thu Hường and Phạm Khánh Ngọc, the last mentioned being runner-up at the SLO-ASEAN Vocal Competition in Singapore in 2016.

Baritone Đào Mác and Võ Nguyễn Thành Tâm, and tenors Phạm Trang and Phan Hữu Trung Kiệt will also perform.

The programme will present orchestral compositions like Orpheus – Quadrille by Johann Strauss and Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka by Johann Strauss II, which will be performed by the HBSO orchestra.

Vietnam committed to promoting UN’s common agenda: Diplomat

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, head of the Permanent Delegation of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN) has reaffirmed the country’s commitment to work with other countries to promote the proposals outlined in the UN Secretary General's report “Our Common Agenda” (OCA).

Addressing a consultation held by UN General Assembly on March 3 under the theme “protecting our planet and being prepared for the future”, Giang applauded the report which he said includes many breakthrough initiatives and future orientations that are very important for Vietnam, developing countries and the world as a whole.

The Vietnamese diplomat said that the combination of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change, along with new ways of doing things, including the new initiatives of the UN Secretary General, will contribute to promoting the realisation of important priorities and plans of the international community.

According to the ambassador, initiatives such as the appointment of special envoys for future generations and future laboratories, or an emergency response mechanism to global crises, can help mobilise resources for existing mechanisms if implemented properly.

Various activities to be held at Culture Village throughout March

A series of activities towards the Youth Month, with the theme "Blue I love", will be held during March at the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism in Dong Mo Tourism Area, Son Tay Town, Hanoi, promising to bring interesting experiences.

The group of activities and events includes learning about national culture, art programmes, organising cooking contests for ethnic dishes such as lam rice and grilled meat, a gong contest, traditional folk games, and displaying books, documents and photos on the homeland's sea and islands.

The programme has attracted the participation of more than 100 people of 16 ethnic groups from 12 provinces and cities across the country, including Tay, Nung, Dao, Mong, Thai, Muong, O Du, Kho Mu, Ta Oi, Co Tu, Ba Na, Xo Dang, Gia Rai, RagLai, Ede, and Khmer.

HCMC Transport Dept says to open Thu Thiem 2 Bridge to traffic on April 30

The HCMC Department of Transport is working with the investor to speed up work on the Thu Thiem 2 Bridge project to put it into operation on April 30, according to the municipal department.

Speaking at a press briefing on March 3, Bui Hoa An, deputy head of the municipal department, said the opening of the bridge was timed to coincide with the Reunification Day (April 30) and International Labor Day (May 1) holidays this year.

Besides, the department will give a facelift to Ton Duc Thang Street leading to the bridge prior to the opening of the bridge to meet the traffic demand, the local media reported.

The VND3.1-trillion Thu Thiem 2 Bridge has six lanes and a total length of over 1.4 kilometers.

Vietnam Book Day to promote reading culture

The 2022 Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day will be held from mid-March until the end of April, with the major activities ranging from April -15.

The 2022 Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day, themed “Helping culture prevail and developing reading culture”, aims to affirm the position, role and importance of books in improving the knowledge, skills, thoughts and personality of the people as well as encouraging and boosting the reading movement in the community.

The event will also honour organisations and individuals that have made great contributions to the development of books and reading culture.

Under the plan, the 2022 Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day will be held in many different forms in line with all practical conditions and the new normal rules for COVID-19 prevention and control.

Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park to receive seven Indochinese tigers

The leader of Pu Mat National Park in Nghe An Province informed that after receiving a document from the Center for Rescue, Conservation and Creature Development in the Phong Nha - Ke
Bang National Park in Quang Binh Province, agreeing to receive and take care of seven Indochinese tigers, Pu Mat National Park had been completing the necessary procedures to handover them soon.

It is expected that on March 20, all these seven Indochinese tigers will be relocated to Quang Binh Province. Authorities will transfer them in cages to a specialized rescue nursing area in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park without using a tranquilizer to ensure their health.

These are seven Indochinese tigers discovered by Nghe An Province Police in an investigation on illegal wildlife trade from Ha Tinh Province to Nghe An Province in August 2021.

Phong Luu Khau Vai Market Festival back after two-year COVID hiatus

The Phong Luu Khau Vai Market Festival will return in late April, following a two-year postponement due to COVID-19 concerns, according to the Ha Giang Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Themed ‘Market of Love Songs’, the festival is set to take place from April 25 to 27 (the 25th to 27th day of the third lunar month) in Khau Vai Commune, Meo Vac District.

The event seeks to promote tourism along with the traditional cultural values of ethnic groups in Ha Giang Province, thus facilitating the province’s recovery efforts after COVID-19 pandemic.

The festival will officially open on the evening of April 26, during which the local authorities will receive a certificate recognising the social customs and beliefs of the Phong Luu Khau Vai Market as a national intangible cultural heritage.

The three-day event will feature a beauty pageant, incense offering at the Ong and Ba temples, and a peace praying ceremony.

Digital transformation promotes Hanoi’s relic sites to visitors

The Hanoi Municipal Youth Union has officially launched a project to apply digital transformation in the promotion of famous relic sites in the capital city via website https://thangthanhnien.meta365.ai.

Accordingly, the youth union members recorded the panorama of five historical and cultural relic sites and red addresses in Son Tay Town including Son Tay Ancient Citadel, Duong Lam Ancient Village’s gate, the tomb and temple of King Ngo Quyen, Van Mieu Son Tay (the Temple of Literature in Son Tay), and Mong Phu Communal House in Duong Lam Commune.

Their images were put into virtual space using virtual reality and 360 multi-dimensional image application technologies.

Notably, artificial intelligence technology (AI) was applied to introduce the relic sites in both Vietnamese and English. Integrated with social networking platforms such as Facebook, YouTube and Zalo, QR codes have been attached at relic sites to ensure their popularity and convenience among visitors.

RoK helps build green, smart urban resilience controlling centre in Da Nang

The People’s Committee of Da Nang city, in collaboration with the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), held a ceremony on March 4 to kick-start the Integrated Centre for Controlling Green and Smart Urban Resilience (ENSURE Centre) in the central city.

This is a non-refundable ODA project added by the Government of the Republic of Korea (RoK) to the Vietnamese side with a total investment of 259 billion VND (11.3 million USD), and expected to be completed in 2025.

It aims to strengthen the resilience to natural disasters, contribute to the city's socio-economic development, create a favourable environment for enterprises to conduct production and business activities and attract investment, and ensure safety for residents and visitors.

In addition, the project will apply information technology to early recognise and warn of natural disasters, forecast their developments, improve the capacity of the central city’s disaster forecast and response, and promote green urban restoration.

Source: VOV/VNA/VNS/SGGP/VGP/SGT

VIETNAM NEWS HEADLINES MARCH 3

Cabinet discusses economic recovery, COVID-19 response