A health worker prepares a Covid-19 vaccine shot in HCMC's District 1, October 27, 2021. Photo: VnExpress

Vietnam records 13,677 new local Covid cases

Vietnam recorded 13,677 new local Covid-19 cases on Thursday, bringing the infection tally in the fourth wave to 1,260,122.

The three localities with the highest numbers of infection were Ho Chi Minh City with 1,738 cases, Can Tho with 985 cases and Tay Ninh with 768 cases.

210 new deaths were added to the national database on Thursday, with 80 cases in HCMC, 23 in Dong Nai, 16 in Can Tho, 14 in An Giang, 12 in Kien Giang, 11 in Long An, eight each in Tay Ninh, Binh Duong and Tien Giang, six in Bac Lieu, five in Dong Thap, four in Soc Trang, three in Binh Thuan, two each in Khanh Hoa, Gia Lai and Tra Vinh, and one each in Hanoi, Ha Giang, Lam Dong, Binh Phuoc, Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Ben Tre.

The total number of deaths so far is 25,658, accounting for around 2 percent of all infections, cited VnExpress.

13,258 Covid-19 patients were announced recovered on Thursday, bringing the number of recovered cases so far to 1,005,310.

Vietnam has vaccinated over 72.4 million people with at least one Covid-19 vaccine shot. Around 52.7 million people have been fully vaccinated.

Greetings on 61st anniversary of Vietnam-Cuba diplomatic ties

Leaders of Vietnam on December 2 extended their greetings to their Cuban counterparts on the occasion of the 61st anniversary of the diplomatic ties between the two countries.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong and President Nguyen Xuan Phuc sent their greetings to First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and President of Cuba Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel.

Leaders of Vietnam on December 2 extend their greetings to their Cuban counterparts on the occasion of the 61st anniversary of the diplomatic ties between the two countries. Photo: dangcongsan.vn

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh cabled his greetings to his Cuban counterpart Manuel Marrero Cruz, while Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue congratulated President of the National Assembly of the People’s Power of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernández, according to VNA.

The same day, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son sent a congratulatory message to his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla.

Vietnam and Cuba established diplomatic relations on December 2, 1960.

Hanoi launches first electric bus line

Hanoi launches its first electric bus line on Thursday, which would be integrated with other bus lines at the capital.

One line runs through downtown routes and connects the city's east and west sides with 15 stops: My Dinh, Nguyen Hoang, Pham Hung, Khuat Duy Tien, Tran Duy Hung, Nguyen Chi Thanh, Huynh Thuc Khang, Thai Ha, Chua Boc, Pham Ngoc Thach, Dai Co Viet, Tran Khat Chan, Vinh Tuy Bridge, Aeon Mall Long Bien, Co Linh and the Ocean Park urban area.

An electric bus stops at a bus stop in Hanoi, December 2, 2021. Photo: VnExpress

Another line will run starting December 10 with stops at the My Dinh Bus Station, Pham Hung, Khuat Duy Tien, Nguyen Trai, Truong Chinh, Dai La, Minh Khai, Vinh Tuy Bridge, Aeon Mall Long Bien, Co Linh and the Ocean Park urban area.

A third line will commence 10 days after, with stops at Long Bien, Yen Phu, Thanh Nien, Thuy Khue, Dao Tan, Cau Giay, Xuan Thuy, Pham Hung, Thang Long Highway and the Smart City urban area, reported VnExpress.

There will be 48 electric buses on the lines, stopping every 15-20 minutes between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. Ticket prices range between VND7,000-9,000 (31-40 U.S. cents), and a monthly ticket ranges between VND55,000-200,000. Elderly people, the disabled and children under six, among other groups, would be allowed to travel for free.

Hanoi currently has 140 bus lines with over 208,000 vehicles. The capital aims to let 5-20 percent of its buses to eventually use clean fuel, such as electricity.

Vinbus, which operates the electric bus lines, plans to open six more lines in the future.

Vietnam, China hold talks on maritime issues

Vietnam and China held the 15th round of negotiations of the working group on the sea area beyond the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin and the 12th round of talks of the working group for consultation on cooperation for mutual development at sea, both in the form of videoconference, on December 1.

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Trinh Duc Hai, Vice Chairman of the National Boundary Commission under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while the Chinese side was headed by Yang Renhuo, a representative for border and maritime issues at the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A Vietnamese Coast Guard vessel monitors fishing vessels in the waters adjacent to the Gulf of Tonkin demarcation line. Photo: VNA

In a friendly and sincere atmosphere, the two sides exchanged opinions on the two working groups’ activities. They had in-depth discussions on the delimitation of the sea area beyond the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin and cooperation for mutual development at sea in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which both Vietnam and China are parties, cited VNA.

They highlighted the importance of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and friendly neighborliness between Vietnam and China, properly handling sea-related issues in line with the common perceptions of the countries' Party and State leaders and the "agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues between Vietnam and China" in 2011, maintaining peace and stability in the Bien Dong Sea, and respecting international law.

The two sides agreed to hold new rounds of negotiations next year.

PM orders finalizing second vaccination shot for people aged 18 and older

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has underlined the necessity of completing the second round of vaccinations for those aged 18 and over, with a focus on injecting children aged 12 and older so that they can return to school as normal.

During a regular cabinet meeting held on December 2, PM Chinh also proposed making a specific plan aimed at conducting a third round of injections in the future. He also stated that it remains imperative to review the preservation, inspection, and problems regarding incidents which happen following inoculation, VOV reported.

The PM therefore asked ministries, agencies, and localities to thoroughly grasp the situation relating to the pandemic, continue raising public awareness of pandemic prevention and control measures, whilst focusing on public investment capital disbursement. This should be done whilst fine-tuning mechanisms to submit to the National Assembly (NA)’s upcoming meeting, as well as continuing with administrative reforms and social welfare guarantees.

With regard to the socio-economic development plan for 2022, he requested that its goals must be achievable and ensure harmony between economic development, local culture, the environment, as well as among industry, agriculture, and services. All of this should fall in line with the Party Central Committee and NA resolutions, including three strategic breakthroughs.

At the cabinet meeting. Photo: VOV

With the pandemic being brought under control nationwide and the national economy in the process of recovering, various departments and agencies have been assigned to follow dispatches relating to the response and recovery from serious rains and floods.

Participants therefore affirmed the Government and PM’s timely and sound directions to changing the nation’s overall anti-pandemic strategy. They said it is necessary to continue with synchronous, timely, and effective tasks and measures set out in the Government’s Resolution dated August 21, as we move into December and into 2022.

According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the country’s socio-economy position has shown positive signals in November, boasting macro-economic stability and low inflation.

With regard to specific tasks, the Government chief has asked relevant ministries and agencies to urgently complete a master strategy relating to Covid-19 prevention and control, along with a scheme for socio-economic recovery and development for submission to the NA at the year-end session.

With regard to the socio-economic development plan ahead in 2022, PM Chinh emphasized that all set targets must be close to reality and ensure harmony between economic development, culture, the environment, along with between industry, agriculture, and services.

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