Vietnam yet to conduct commercial flights repatriating citizens

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang made the statement at the ministry’s regular press conference on December 3 in reply to a reporter' question about changes in plans to bring home Vietnamese citizens after Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc ordered stopping commercial flights repatriating Vietnamese nationals overseas.

"Relevant agencies will only conduct flights to repatriate those who are in extreme difficulties and circumstances", said Hang. 

Vietnamese citizens wait to handle boarding procedures for a repatriation flight at a foreign airport (Photo: VNA)

With the aim of leaving no one behind, Vietnamese agencies have worked together with domestic and foreign airlines to operate flights to bring Vietnamese citizens home safe and sound in line with local quarantine capacity. More than 240 flights have been conducted so far to repatriate over 66,000 Vietnamese from some 50 countries and territories, she said.

Regarding entry into Vietnam, the official said in order to carry out the dual goal of containing the pandemic and promote economic recovery, the Government has opened doors to foreign diplomats, experts, and investors. 

Indeed, competent agencies have offer optimal conditions for foreign diplomats, experts, skilled workers, and their relatives to come to Vietnam by arranging flights and ensuring quarantine regulations.

With regard to Vietnam’s view on studying and distributing a COVID-19 vaccine, the spokesperson said the nation is closely following developments and welcomes the research outcomes of other nations

“We hope that after they are accepted, the vaccines will be popularized, thus facilitating the containment of the pandemic, especially in developing nation,” she said. 

Besides efforts in COVID-19 prevention and control, the Vietnamese Government has instructed relevant agencies to focus resources on domestic vaccine research and production, while boosting coordination with prestigious foreign producers and suppliers in order to have the vaccine as soon as possible, Hang stated.