Vietnam News Today (November 7): Hanoi Launches First Safety Tour in New Normal

A Covid-19 test point in Hanoi. Photo: VnExpress

Vietnam records 7,487 Covid-19 local cases

Vietnam’s Covid-19 tally in the fourth wave starting late April rose to 947,733 after the Health Ministry confirmed 7,487 new cases Friday.

The three places with the highest numbers of new infections were Dong Nai with 953 cases and Binh Duong with 917, and Ho Chi Minh City with 912.

On Friday, the ministry announced another 70 Covid-19 deaths, including 33 in HCMC. The total Covid-19 death toll so far rose to 22,412, accounting for around 2.4 percent of all infections, cited VnExpress.

Another 1,941 patients recovered, raising the number of recoveries since the start of the pandemic to 837,347.

So far, over 59.4 million people have been vaccinated. Of which, 26.9 million have been fully vaccinated.

Vietnam, Morocco promote parliamentary cooperation

Vietnam wishes to further strengthen the friendship and cooperation with Morocco in various areas and through all channels, including parliamentary cooperation.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Morocco Dang Thi Thu Ha was speaking at receptions hosted by newly elected Senate President Naam Miyara and House of Representatives President Rachid Talbi Alami on Friday.

Ambassador Ha reviewed the relationship between the two countries over the past time, especially their mutual support at international and regional forums, affirming that parliamentary cooperation is one of the effective cooperation channels in the Vietnam-Morocco relationship.

She proposed that in the coming time the two sides work closely together to effectively implement the cooperation agreement between the two legislative bodies, and at the same time promote multilateral cooperation with ASEAN and the African Union.

Senate President Naam Miyara (R) receives Ambassador Dang Thi Thu Ha. Photo: VOV

At their separate meetings, both Moroccan leaders said they would soon consolidate the Morocco-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Group for a new term, and affirmed that they would always support the strengthening of cooperative relations with Vietnam, according to VOV.

House Speaker Alami emphasized that the relationship between the House of Representatives of Morocco and the National Assembly of Vietnam has developed strongly and practically in recent times, which can be considered as a model of the relationship between the two parliamentary bodies of Africa and Southeast Asia.

Such positive relationship was concretized by the cooperation agreement between the National Assembly of Vietnam and the House of Representatives of Morocco signed in 2017, their frequent delegation exchanges, and especially Morocco’s becoming an observer of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) at the 41st AIPA General Assembly chaired by Vietnam in 2020.

He also suggested that both sides strengthen the exchange of delegations at all levels and increase inter-parliamentary cooperation, at multilateral forums such as the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and Francophone's Parliamentary Assembly.

Hanoi launches first safety tour in new normal

A safety tour with a combination of automatic audio guides and traditional sightseeing has been launched on at the Vietnam National Museum of History.

The event was organized by the museum in collaboration with the Hanoitourist Corporation (Hanoitourist) to adapt to the current Covid-19 pandemic and adjust the museum's operations in the new normal.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Nguyen Thi Thu Hoan, deputy director of the museum, said the "French architecture in the heart of Hanoi" tour is a product that makes a difference for visitors to the capital due to a connection between the museum with related monuments in Hanoi as well as a connection in terms of architecture and history, reported VNA.

The Hanoi Opera House, one of the architectural landmarks of the capital city. Photo: VNA

This tour combines traditional sightseeing with the application of automatic narration technology through scanning a QR code to ensure the safety of visitors in the new normal, she said.

In particular, visitors can also admire and learn about three among many rare and precious treasures only at the Vietnam National Museum of History. They are "Ngoc Lu bronze drum" and the golden books and seals - the treasures symbolizing the supreme power of the kings of the Nguyen Dynasty, the last feudal dynasty of Vietnam, Hoan said.

The unique feature of the tour is the connection of three attractions, helping visitors to have an overview, identification and comparison to see the outstanding value of architectural works and styles, and interactions between Vietnamese culture with Western culture in the early 20th century.

It connects events and artifacts displayed in the Vietnam National Museum of History with the Hanoi Opera House and the historical relic of the Bac Bo Phu (now became the Government Guest House) from the perspective of architecture and historical events, thereby helping visitors understand more deeply as well as having new experiences in the tour.

To ensure safety, each tour group will have no more than 10 members and they have to keep a distance and do not contact with each other.

The "French architecture in the heart of Hanoi" tour will be held every Saturday and Sunday, starting on October 23.

Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro line begins commercial operation

The Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro line project in Hanoi was officially inaugurated and put into commercial operation on November 6 morning.

The line, which runs from Cat Linh in Ba Dinh district to Ha Dong district, is the first urban railway put into operation in the country, according to VNA.

The quality assessment results of the metro line were approved by the State Council for Acceptance of Construction Projects on October 29. It was the final step for the project to begin commercial operation.

The Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro line project in Hanoi is officially inaugurated and put into commercial operation on November 6 morning. Photo: VNA

With total investment of approximately US$886 million, funded by Chinese ODA, the elevated line is more than 13km long and has 12 stations and 13 trains. Each train, whose designed speed is 80 km per hour, has four carriages capable of carrying over 900 passengers.

The municipal People’s Committee has announced the price of the tickets for the metro, with the lowest one being VND7,000 (US$0.31) for a trip and VND30,000 (US$1.33) for a day pass. A monthly pass for a passenger is priced at VND200,000 (US$8.83).

The capital city is offering free travel for all passengers during the first 15 days after the line is put into operation.

Aviation authority seeks to increase flights ahead of year-end demand surge

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has proposed a tripling of the number of daily flights between Hanoi, HCMC and Da Nang to 19.

In a proposal it sent to the Ministry of Transport on Friday, the CAAV said the increase would cater to the higher travel demand during the year-end peak season.

Under the proposal, Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air would operate six flights a day each on each of the Hanoi-HCMC, Hanoi-Da Nang and Da Nang-HCMC routes.

An aircraft takes off from Noi Bai Airport, Hanoi, October 2021. Photo: VnExpress

Bamboo Airways and Pacific Airlines will operate three each and the newest carrier, Vietravel Airlines, will fly once.

The government allowed airlines to resume flying on all domestic routes on October 21 but with reduced frequency.

Between Hanoi, HCMC and Da Nang they currently operate a maximum of six flights a day either way, which will increase to seven from November 15 under a government road map.

A CAAV spokesperson said the limited number until November 30 would make it difficult for airlines to prepare for the upcoming peak travel season, especially during Lunar New Year, the country’s biggest holiday.

The CAAV also wants to increase the frequency on other routes to nine flights a day from no more than four now, and to normal levels from December, cited VnExpress.

Passengers from high-risk or locked-down areas and HCMC and Can Tho need to furnish a negative coronavirus test, but those from elsewhere only need to satisfy one of three conditions: a negative test at least 72 hours prior, a certificate showing they are fully vaccinated with the second shot taken between 14 days and 12 months prior or a certificate proving they recovered from Covid-19 not more than six months earlier.

With the pandemic basically under control and the government changing its strategy from zero cases to responding safely to the disease, some tourist destinations have eased restrictions and allowed vaccinated tourists entry since last month.

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