I. ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob pays an official visit to Viet Nam (from 20 to 21 March 2022)

At the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob will pay an official visit to Viet Nam from 20 to 21 March 2022. This is his first visit to Viet Nam since assuming office as Prime Minister of Malaysia.

During the visit, the Prime Minister of Malaysia is expected to hold talks with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, pay a courtesy call on General-Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and meet with President of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue. At the meetings, leaders of both sides will exchange views on the directions to strengthen the Viet Nam - Malaysia Strategic Partnership as both countries are celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2023, and discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest.

Immediately prior to this visit, from 19 to 20 March, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia Dato’ Sri Saifuddin Abdullah will pay a working visit to Viet Nam and hold talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son.

2. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud pays an official visit to Viet Nam (from 16 to 17 March 2022)

At the invitation of Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud is paying an official visit to Viet Nam today, on 17 March 2022.

As part of the visit, the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia will pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. He will also hold talks with Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son to discuss measures to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in politics - diplomacy, trade, investment, and labor in the time to come, and collaboration between the two countries at multilateral forums.

3. Secretary-General of La Francophonie is paying a visit to Viet Nam (from 21 to 26 March 2022)

At the invitation of Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Madam Louise Mushikiwabo, Secretary-General of Organisation internationale de la Francophonie will pay an official visit to Viet Nam. She will lead the economic and trade promotion delegation on a visit to Viet Nam from 21 to 26 March 2022. The visit aims to exchange views on measures to strengthen the ties between Viet Nam and the OIF, and promote trade and economic cooperation between francophone businesses and Vietnamese partners.

As part of the visit, Secretary-General Louise Mushikiwabo is expected to pay a courtesy call on President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, hold talks with Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, and co-chair the Viet Nam - Francophonie High-level Economic Forum with the Foreign Minister, during which leaders of the Government of Viet Nam will deliver important remarks. She will also participate in the Francophonie Business Forum in Ho Chi Minh City, meet with leaders of Ministries and agencies, and participate in other important activities.

This is a foreign delegation with the highest number of businesses, with over 70 enterprises visiting Viet Nam at a time when the country is transitioning to safe and flexible adaptation, effectively containing COVID-19 while fostering socio-economic recovery.

II. Q&A

1. Viet Nam News Agency: What is Viet Nam’s comment on the United States presenting the “International Women of Courage 2022” award to Pham Thi Doan Trang?
I would like to reaffirm that Viet Nam’s consistent position is to always safeguard and promote basic rights of the people, including women’s rights. Viet Nam’s recent efforts and achievements in continuously ensuring and improving human rights have earned the recognition and appreciation of the international community.

Viet Nam believes that the US Department of State’s decision to present this award to Pham Thi Doan Trang, who has been tried in court and currently serving her term in prison for violating the Vietnamese law, as unobjective, unsuitable and not conducive to the strengthening of bilateral relations.

2. Central News Agency: Can the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explain in further detail Viet Nam’s plan to reopen to foreign visitors, including regulations on eligible entrants and quarantine? Is it true that entrants will be exempted from quarantine and are not required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19?

To implement the Government’s policy of welcoming foreign visitors to Viet Nam, and taking into account the pandemic’s development in Viet Nam and the world, on 15 March 2022, the Ministry of Health issued Official Dispatch no. 1265/BYT-DP on new entry regulations for international visitors coming to Viet Nam.

According to these instructions by the Ministry of Health, those entering Viet Nam by air need to provide a negative COVID-19 test result 72 hours prior to entry for RT-PCR tests, or within 24 hours for antigen rapid tests.

Travelers entering by road, rail or sea may test before departure, similar to those travelling by air, for trips with short travel time. For long trips, it is necessary to test COVID-19 at border gates upon entry. If the test result is negative, they are allowed to leave their place of residence while adhering to pandemic prevention measures in line with relevant regulations.

Entrants must fill out a health declaration before beginning their immigration process. They must self-monitor their health and use the health declaration app (PC-COVID) during their stay in Viet Nam in accordance with relevant regulations.

3. Central News Agency: According to the comments from a number of Chinese Taipei nationals, while the Government of Viet Nam has reopened international tourism, the Viet Nam Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei has not begun to receive visitor visa applications. Many people from Chinese Taipei who wish to travel to Viet Nam have expressed their disappointment with this. When will the Ministry of Foreign Affairs instruct Viet Nam’s overseas representative missions to receive visitor visa applications?

The Government of Viet Nam has issued the policy of reopening tourism activities in the new normal. To implement this policy, recently, Ministries and agencies have been working closely in studying and developing instructions on immigration procedures to welcome international tourists to Viet Nam in accordance with their respective functions and mandates.

On 15 March 2022, based on a proposal by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Government has agreed to resume pre-COVID-19 immigration policies for foreigners and Vietnamese nationals residing abroad. On the same day, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued the proposal to reopen tourism activities in the new normal for tourists travelling to, from, and within Viet Nam by air, road, rail and sea. The Ministry of Health also issued new COVID-19 regulations for travelers entering Viet Nam.

In accordance with Article 16.1 of the Law on Foreigners’ Entry into, Exit from, Transit through and Residence in Viet Nam, foreigners traveling to Viet Nam for tourism purposes would need to work with agencies, organizations or individuals in Viet Nam for sponsorship, and for background check with the Viet Nam Immigration Department. Thus, foreigners entering Viet Nam for tourism purposes can get in touch with international travel agencies in Viet Nam, so that these agencies can represent them to handle relevant procedures with the Viet Nam Immigration Department. Foreigners can later receive their visa at overseas Vietnamese representative missions, or agencies authorized for visa granting, such as the Viet Nam Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also directed Vietnamese representative missions abroad and agencies authorized to grant visa to cooperate with relevant domestic agencies and organizations to handle visa requests of foreigners who wish to enter Viet Nam for tourism purposes, or to study the market for business and investment opportunities.

4. VnExpress: What is the current visa exemption policy for visitors traveling to Viet Nam from other Southeast Asian countries? More specifically, can Singaporean and Thai nationals travel to Viet Nam, or do the Embassies of these countries still need to wait for a dispatch from Viet Nam? Has the electronic visa system been restored?

 On 15 March 2022, the Government of Viet Nam agreed to resume pre-pandemic immigration policies for foreigners and Vietnamese nationals residing abroad.

Accordingly, Viet Nam now resumes policies and procedures pertaining to visa granting and exemption (including electronic visa) in line with the Law on Foreigners’ Entry into, Exit from, Transit through and Residence in Viet Nam, amended and supplemented in 2019 and relevant documents. Viet Nam also resumes its visa exemption policy for foreigners in accordance with international treaties to which Viet Nam is a party, or on a reciprocal basis with a number of countries (including visa exemption agreements with other Southeast Asian nations). In addition, Viet Nam’s unilateral visa exemption is once again implemented for citizens from 13 countries, including the Federal Republic of Germany, the French Republic, the Italian Republic, the Kingdom of Spain, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Russian Federation, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Kingdom of Sweden, the Kingdom of Norway, the Republic of Finland and the Republic of Belarus) with a maximum duration of stay of 15 days, applicable until 14 March 2025.

Entrants need to abide by public health instructions by Vietnamese competent authorities.

5. AFP: When will registrations open for the upcoming SEA Games?

As I have announced in the previous press conference, journalists from ASEAN countries may register with the National Olympics Committee of their respective countries. Foreign correspondents in Viet Nam may register directly with the Department of Information and Press of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Tentatively, a few days from now, starting from 20 March, the 31st SEA Games Organizing Committee will release specific information regarding the registration and guidance on press operation on the website of the 31st SEA Games.

6. The World and Viet Nam Report: Please inform us whether 100 containers of Vietnamese cashews exported to Italy are at risk of being scammed. What has the Ministry of Foreign Affairs done to support the businesses?

Regarding this matter, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has provided information to the press. Most recently, on 14 March 2022, the Prime Minister also directed Vietnamese Ministries and agencies to timely and urgently coordinate with the Viet Nam Cashew Association (VINACAS) and relevant agencies to look into this case and verify its causes to devise solutions, and provide support to ensure the interests of the people and businesses.

As for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, immediately after receiving information from the VINACAS, the Ministry directed the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy to contact the ship owners, and travel directly to Genova and Napoli to verify this information. The Embassy also sent a diplomatic note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Financial Police and local authorities of Italy, requesting these agencies to conduct a timely investigation and seek clarification regarding the case, to take necessary measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Vietnamese businesses.

The Vietnamese Embassy and Trade Office in Italy also discussed with businesses and the VINACAS and provided them with specific instructions on how to address the case. The Embassy and the Trade Office also asked relevant agencies to contact the International Economic Court and the Viet Nam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC) in Viet Nam for intervention, and request shipping lines to suspend delivery services to buyers from this suspected scam group. Such efforts would serve to minimize losses for Vietnamese businesses.

Following the directive of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to cooperate with relevant Ministries and agencies to investigate and clarify the causes, actively support domestic enterprises to solve this case and ensure maximum security for transactions between Vietnamese and Italian businesses in the near future.

7. Zing: Can the Ministry of Foreign Affairs provide a comment on the article by VOA alleging that Viet Nam’s implementation of citizen protection measures has been slow and discriminatory in the evacuation and repatriation of Vietnamese nationals from Ukraine?

As constantly reiterated, the Party, State and Government of Viet Nam follow with keen attention and pay utmost priority to ensuring the security, safety, lives and properties of Vietnamese nationals in Ukraine.

Following the escalating tensions in Ukraine, the Prime Minister issued Official Dispatch no. 201/CD-TTg dated 26 February 2022 on the protection of Vietnamese citizens and legal entities and a number of matters to consider regarding the situation in Ukraine. Recently, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son had numerous phone calls with the Foreign Ministers of Russia, Ukraine and Romania, sent a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland, and met with the Ambassadors of relevant countries in Viet Nam to request for their support in ensuring the utmost safety and security for Vietnamese nationals and their families, facilitating their evacuation, and create favorable conditions for their repatriation flights.

Amid these rapid and complicated developments, Vietnamese Ministries and diplomatic mission in Ukraine have made every effort to provide support, resolve emerging issues and challenges facing the local Vietnamese community, and finalize necessary procedures for their repatriation. Such efforts are conducted in conjunction with ensuring transparency, with priority given to the elderly, pregnant women, children, and ill and disabled individuals.

To date, 5 flights have been organized, safely repatriating over 1,400 Vietnamese nationals and their families who wish to return home. In reality, in implementing these efforts, there have been cases in which Vietnamese nationals changed their minds, either choosing to evacuate on their own or hoping to return to Ukraine once things have settled down. Some citizens whose documentation was lacking, lost, or expired also required assistance from the Vietnamese diplomatic mission. Thus, Vietnamese representative missions have been making every effort and working closely with local authorities and Vietnamese associations to constantly update information, quickly resolve emerging issues and safely evacuate Vietnamese nationals from conflict areas.

These efforts by Vietnamese competent authorities, overseas representative missions and airlines have received widespread support and appreciation from Vietnamese nationals at home and abroad.