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Le Thi Thu Hang, spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo: VOV

Vietnam affirms its consistent stance on PCA ruling on Bien Dong Sea

The nation advocates for the settlement of disputes over sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the South China Sea, known locally as the Bien Dong Sea, through relevant diplomatic and legal processes.

Le Thi Thu Hang, spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made the statement on July 8 in reply to a reporter’s question regarding the country’s view on the fifth anniversary of the Permanent Court on Arbitration (PCA)'s final decision on the South China Sea issue, cited VOV.

The nation’s stance on the settlement of Bien Dong Sea-related disputes remains both clear and consistent. The country supports the non-use and non-threat of the use of force, whilst hoping to solve the issue via peaceful means and solutions in accordance with the UN Charter and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

As a UNCLOS signatory and a coastal nation to the Bien Dong Sea, the nation therefore requests that all relevant parties fully respect and fulfill their legal obligations under the Convention. This should be done whilst co-operating with others in order to make active and practical contributions to the maintenance of peace, stability, security, safety, freedom of navigation and aviation, and order in the Bien Dong Sea based on international law, the spokesperson said.

As part of the occasion, the country also reaffirmed its principled stance on the issue of sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes, along with territorial waters under Vietnamese sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction as defined in the UNCLOS.

Hanoi shuts down indoor restaurants, cafes, barbershops again

Hanoi closes down indoor restaurants, cafes and barbershops starting Tuesday amid a rising coronavirus threat, only three weeks after resuming these services.

A document by the municipal People's Committee published on the government portal Monday noon stated all non-essential businesses like indoor food and beverage facilities and barbershops must shut down after midnight on Tuesday for coronavirus prevention. Physical exercises, entertainment activities and other large gatherings at parks, gardens and other public locations would be suspended too, the document added.

Barbers work on a sidewalk of Hanoi. Photo: VnExpress

Takeaways are still allowed, it noted.

Mandatory coronavirus control measures would be applied on anyone who returned to Hanoi from Ho Chi Minh City and other coronavirus hotspots, including medical declarations and 14-day self-isolation. Anyone from these areas who wish to enter the capital must have papers to prove they tested negative for the coronavirus at most three days before entry.

During a previous coronavirus outbreak, the capital had requested indoor restaurants, cafes and barbershops to close starting May 25 to curb the spread of Covid-19. The order had only been lifted on June 22, according to VnExpress.

But since last week, Hanoi has recorded at least 60 new coronavirus infections from multiple clusters, ending its previous nine-day streak of no community transmission. Many of the cases returned from HCMC, now the nation's largest coronavirus hotspot with 14,435 local infections in the new wave.

Around 6,300 people have returned to Hanoi from HCMC starting June 23. Covid-19 screening among this group over two days has found 18 new infections.

HCM city puts into operation 1,000-bed Covid-19 resuscitation centre

Ho Chi Minh city's Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control has decided to put into operation a 1,000 resuscitation centre amid increasingly complicated developments of the pandemic in the southern hub.

Accordingly, the inpatient treatment area of the oncology hospital in Thu Duc city will change its function to serve as the resuscitation centre.

The inpatient treatment area of the oncology hospital in Thu Duc city. Photo: VNN

As of July 12, the city logged over 13,000 cases of Covid-19, with the number predicted to further increase. Although the number of asymptomatic and mild symptoms cases account for a high proportion of the city's count, the current treatment pressure is high.

According to the municipal Health Department, the city has to date prepared 28,500 beds for COVID-19 patients with no symptoms, which will be increased to 30,000 next week. Meanwhile, 6,500 beds have been arranged at Covid-19 treatment hospitals, including 1,000 beds for severe cases, reported VNA.

The city is now in need of about 7,000 medical personnel. In response, the Ministry of Health has mobilised close to 10,000 doctors, nurses, and technical staff to support HCM city - the country's currently largest pandemic hotspot.

Vietnam starts nationwide home quarantine program

Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam has agreed with the health ministry's proposal to begin a nationwide home quarantine program for those who’ve had contact with Covid-19 patients.

The program starts Monday, following the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus that has overloaded quarantine centers.

According to health ministry guidelines to HCMC issued late June, people who come into contact with Covid-19 patients can quarantine themselves at home for 28 days, strictly following safety protocols.

An official guides a man on protocols he should follow to quarantine himself at home in HCMC, February, 2021. Photo: VnExpress

Inside the house, there must be a room separate from the family's common spaces, or a separate floor should be used for quarantining if the house has multiple floors. There must be another room for medical staff to come and examine the quarantined person, take samples and monitor his/her condition, cited VnExpress.

The quarantine room must have its own toilet and bathroom, enough facilities for personal activities, a thermometer, trash cans with lids that have to be labeled 'potential Covid-19 waste.'

Family members must wear full protective suits when making contact with the quarantined person. The person must make a commitment to authorities that he/she will not leave the room or make exposed contact with family members, other people or pets.

The quarantined person must install daily medical declaration applications like Bluezone and update their status regularly. He/she must be tested at least five times during the quarantine period of 28 days.

Based on the feedback of the pilot program in HCMC, the ministry reviewed these guidelines again for application on a national scale.

Since April 27, when the fourth coronavirus wave began in Vietnam, 28,638 local infections have been recorded in 58 of the nation's 63 cities and provinces.

Vietnam Airlines resumes several international routes as of mid-July

Vietnam Airlines announced on July 12 that it will reopen international routes from the country to a number of destinations in Asia, Europe, and Australia between July and October.

The move will see Vietnam Airlines resume two air routes to Australia, including between Ho Chi Minh city and Sydney from July 15 to October 30, along with a route between Ho Chi Minh city and Melbourne from July 20 to October 30.

This is being done in order to meet the needs of passengers, especially workers, international students, and foreign experts who are coming to work in Vietnam.

Photo: VOV

Furthermore, the departure schedule of flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Sydney will be every Thursday and Sunday, while the return flights between Sydney and Ho Chi Minh city will occur every Tuesday and Saturday, cited VOV.

The flights on the Ho Chi Minh city-Melbourne route will happen every Tuesday, while return flights will fall on Thursdays.

With regard to flights to Europe, Vietnam Airlines is set to reopen international routes between Hanoi and both Frankfurt in Germany and London in the UK London.

In terms of flights to destinations in Asia, from July 17 to October 30 the airline will resume flights between Hanoi and Tokyo in Japan every Wednesday and Saturday.

Moreover, from August 1 to October 30, the airline will launch an additional route between Ho Chi Minh city and Bangkok in Thailand every Wednesday, with a route from Tokyo to Ho Chi Minh city running every Thursday.

All international flights during this period will be operated by Vietnam Airlines through Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 aircraft on long-haul routes to Europe and Australia.

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