Vietnam News Today (Feb. 19): Vietnam’s 'Vaccine Passport' Recognized by 14 Countries, Territory

Photo: VOV

Covid-19: Daily count skyrockets to more than 42,000 in Vietnam

The Ministry of Health confirmed 42,439 coronavirus infections detected across all 63 cities and provinces across the country February 18, an increase of more than 6,000 cases compared to the previous day.

Of the total, 31,028 cases were diagnosed in the community, 12 tested positive upon returning from overseas, and the remainder were detected in the lockdown or quarantine areas.

Like previous days, February 18 saw most of the cases reported in the north. Official data from the Ministry of Health show Hanoi capital topped localities in infection number, registering 4,549 new cases. The city has decided to postpone its face-to-face learning plan for first to sixth graders.

Other northern localities that recorded between 1,000 and 2,000 cases each include Vinh Phuc, Quang Ninh, Phu Tho, Nam Dinh, Thai Nguyen, Hoa Binh, Bac Ninh, Ninh Binh, Hai Phong, Bac Giang, Lao Cai, Hai Duong, and Lang Son.

The Ministry of Health also announced an additional 6,215 recoveries and 80 deaths during the past 24 hours.

As of 06pm on February 18, Vietnam has detected 2,685,463 Covid-19 cases since the start of the outbreak, ranking 32nd out of 225 countries and territories worldwide.

Of the infected patients, 2,261,180 have been discharged from hospital after making a full recovery from the disease, and 39,358 patients have died of the virus, cited VOV.

The number of Omicron infections has increased to 2,000 in 17 localities, including 97 cases confirmed in Ho Chi Minh City, 27 in Quang Nam, 20 in Quang Ninh, 14 in Hanoi, and 11 in Khanh Hoa.

More than 190 million vaccine doses have been administered nationwide, with over 75 million people getting their second shot and over 33 million people receiving their additional shot/booster jab.

Vietnam, EC strengthen cooperation in climate change response

Executive Vice President of the European Commission (EC) Frans Timmermans on February 18 expressed his wish to step up cooperation with Vietnam in climate change response to implement outcomes of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, the UK.

During his talks with Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh in Hanoi, Timmermans affirmed that the European Union (EU) attaches importance to the partnership and comprehensive cooperation with Vietnam.

He hailed Vietnam’s commitments and efforts in materializing results of the COP26, saying the Southeast Asian nation has advantages and potential for clean and renewable energy development.

The EU supports and will work to promote cooperation with Vietnam through private investments, the EU’s resources and international financial resources, he pledged.

Timmermans also spoke highly of Vietnam’s efforts in handling illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU), and said that the EU will soon send experts to the country to look into the work and give conclusions for the matter.

The two sides noted with pleasure the active developments of the Vietnam-EU relations despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

The EU is an important economic and development partner and the biggest non-refundable aid provider of Vietnam. It is also the country’s third largest importer and sixth largest investor.

Two-way trade reached US$57 billion 18 months after the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) was put in place.

The two agreed to enhance collaboration in politics, diplomacy, trade, investment, development, agriculture, environment, energy, national defense and security, among others.

Thanh suggested the EU and its member countries create favorable conditions for Vietnamese goods to enter the market, and called on the EC to back efforts to push ahead with the ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) to boost the bilateral economic ties.

He proposed the EU to soon remove the “yellow card” warning in IUU fishing and help Vietnam improve its fishery management capacity, provide technical assistance and carry out solutions to fight illegal fishing.

At the talks between Executive Vice President of the European Commission (EC) Frans Timmermans and Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh. Photo: VNA

For cooperation in energy and environment, the Deputy PM reiterated Vietnam’s strong commitment to climate change adaptation, with attention to the low-carbon economy.

He called on the EU to support and cooperate with Vietnam in the fulfillment of commitments made at the COP26, especially the target of net zero emissions by 2050, and the building of the domestic carbon market.

Thanh suggested cooperation in implementing projects in energy, transport, forest preservation and technological transfer, and called on the EU to help Vietnam access financial and technological sources to realize the commitments and initiatives on emission reduction and climate change response, according to VNA.

Both sides agreed to strengthen collaboration in climate change adaptation, turning Vietnam into a model of effective cooperation with the EU in this regard.

Executive Vice President Timmermans is paying a visit to Vietnam from February 17-19 at the invitation of Deputy PM Thanh.

During the trip, Timmermans will pay a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and hold working sessions with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Vietnam’s 'vaccine passport' recognized by 14 countries, territory

Fourteen countries and territory had recognized the Covid-19 vaccination certificate, also called “vaccine passport”, of Vietnam as of February 16, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).

They consist of Japan, the US, the UK, Australia, India, Belarus, Cambodia, the Philippines, Palestine, the Maldives, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Egypt, and Turkey.

The COVID-19 vaccination certificate of Vietnam has been recognized by 14 countries and territory. Photo: VNA

Some others are also actively considering and discussing technical issues and will soon issue their confirmations.

The MoFA said it is working with overseas representative agencies of Vietnam to actively discuss with and persuade other countries to officially recognize Vietnam’s “vaccine passport” in order to facilitate people’s travel, reported VNA.

Meanwhile, Vietnam has recognized the “vaccine passports” of 79 countries and territories that have been made known to the MoFA by the foreign ministries of the respective countries or their representative missions in Vietnam.

EU pledges support for Vietnam’s prioritized development areas

The EU supports and promotes co-operation with Vietnam in prioritized areas through private investment capital, as well as from the EU and other international financial sources.

Frans Timmermans, the vice president of the European Commission, who is currently in Hanoi for a working visit, made these assurances during talks with Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh in Hanoi on February 18.

He said the EU attaches great importance to the comprehensive partnership and co-operation with Vietnam, and strongly desires to strengthen co-operation in the field of climate in order to realize the outcomes of the recent 26th UN Conference on Climate Change (COP26).

Timmermans went on to express his great appreciation for Vietnamese commitments at COP26, noting that the country boasts great advantages and potential for developing clean and renewable energy.

He acknowledged the country’s efforts in complying with EU regulations on illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, announcing that the bloc would soon send a delegation of experts to the country in order to examine and come to conclusions on this matter.

For his part, Deputy PM Thanh proposed that the EU and its member states create favorable conditions in which Vietnamese goods can enter its lucrative market. He requested that the European Commission move to support the ratification process of the Vietnam - EU Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) in order to create a driving force which can boost economic co-operation between the two sides.

Deputy PM Le Van Thanh welcomes EC Vice President Frans Timmermans in Hanoi on February 18. Photo: VOV

He also suggested that the EU swiftly remove the IUU yellow card, and at the same time support the country in strengthening its fisheries management capacity, providing technical assistance, and implementing solutions to illegal fishing, so as to ensure the livelihoods of local fishermen as well as seafood supplies to the EU market.

The Deputy PM reiterated Vietnam’s strong commitments to climate change adaptation, with a particular focus on transitioning to a low-carbon economy through formulating a roadmap aimed at drastically reducing dependence on coal and methane and strongly developing climate change adaptation and energy transition infrastructure, in line with COP26 commitments, cited VOV.

He proposed that the EU support and co-operate with Vietnam in implementing the COP26 commitments, especially in realizing the goal of achieving "zero" net emissions by 2050, establishing a domestic carbon market, and in implementing projects in the fields of energy conversion, clean transport, and afforestation to adapt to climate change.

Both host and guest expressed their pleasure at the positive developments recorded in the blossoming mutual partnership over recent times, despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The EU is currently an important economic and development partner of Vietnam. It is the country’s largest non-refundable aid donor, its third largest export market, its fifth largest import market, and its sixth largest investor.

Two-way trade turnover has recorded positive results, fetching US$57 billion after 18 months of implementing their free trade agreement (EVFTA).

The two sides agreed to continue promoting the practical and effective implementation of bilateral co-operation in the fields of politics - diplomacy, trade and investment, development co-operation, agriculture, the environment, energy, and security - national defense.

During his stay in Hanoi, Timmermans is scheduled to pay a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and hold working sessions with the leadership of a number of Vietnamese ministries and agencies.

Vietnam relaxes entry restrictions for tourists before full reopening

The tourism ministry has eased restrictions for tourists arriving in Vietnam under an ongoing vaccine passport trial program before full tourism reopening in mid-March.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued new guidelines Thursday in welcoming back foreign arrivals, effective from now until March 15, which allowed foreign tourists and overseas Vietnamese to arrive in Vietnam on regular commercial flights, instead of only charter flights.

After three days of joining a tour package that they have to register beforehand, if the tourists show a negative PCR test result, they are free to visit other localities that have also been approved to welcome back foreign tourists under the vaccine passport program, VnExpress reported.

Tourists take cyclo rides around Hoi An under a vaccine passport program, November 2021. Photo: VnExpress

Currently, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Quang Nam, Quang Ninh, and Binh Dinh provinces, along with Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang City are the only localities foreign tourists can visit.

In addition, they only need to furnish medical or travel insurance including coverage for Covid-19 treatment worth at least US$20,000, instead of US$50,000 as previously required.

The government started allowing foreign tourists entry under the program last November. So far, nearly 9,000 foreign arrivals have been welcomed, half of them overseas Vietnamese coming to see their relatives.

Foreign arrivals are required to be fully vaccinated or have recovered from Covid as well as produce a negative PCR test result done in 72 hours before departure. They are only allowed to come on tour packages.

From March 15, Vietnam would reopen inbound and outbound tourism under new normal conditions, with foreign tourists allowed to travel freely to Vietnam without booking tour packages.

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