Vietnam News Today (Dec. 21): Vietnam rises to become seventh largest trading partner to the US; Party leader attends national military-political conference 2022; EVFTA presents opportunities and challenges for exporters in 2023; Christmas décor, gift market vibrant in Hanoi.

Several countries have halted the use of Oxford's AstraZenece vaccine, due to cases of blood clots that was suspected to be caused by the vaccine, further complicating a vaccination effort that was already lagging across the region.