I. ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. The international conference on “Tourism Cooperation between Viet Nam and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries: Potential and Prospects”

On 15 December 2022, which is today, as we speak, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is organizing the international conference on “Tourism Cooperation between Viet Nam and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries: Potential and Prospects” in Hanoi, in hybrid format, hosted by Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu and Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Doan Van Viet.

As the Government of Viet Nam is actively implementing a number of recovery and development measures for tourism after the pandemic, this conference is significant in enhancing tourist attraction and tourism investment, building and developing specialized tourism products for GCC guests in Viet Nam, connect travel businesses and tourism localities all over Viet Nam with regional partners.

Attending the Conference are 200 domestic and international delegates, including Heads of Diplomatic Missions of GCC countries in Viet Nam, state management agencies on tourism, travel businesses, bloggers, travel journalists from both regions, potential Vietnamese tourist localities, airlines and a number of press agencies.

2. 20^th East Asian Forum (EAF) (19 to 20 December 2022)

The 20^th East Asian Forum (EAF) under the theme “25^th Anniversary of ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation: Recovering Together, Growing Together Toward Inclusive, Equitable and Sustainable Development in East Asia”. The forum will take place over 2 days from 19 to 20 December 2022 in Nha Trang city, Khanh Hoa province.

The EAF is a dialogue organized annually since 2003, in the framework of ASEAN+3 (between ASEAN and China, Japan and the ROK), attended by Deputy Ministerial/SOM-level Government representatives, scholars and business representatives from ASEAN countries, China, Japan and the ROK. The forum aims to discuss and put forward policy recommendations to be presented at SOM-level Summits, Ministerial-level Summits and ASEAN+3 Summits to strengthen ASEAN+3 and East Asia cooperation.

The Forum is organized on a rotational basis between an ASEAN country and a +3 country (China, Japan, or the ROK). Viet Nam hosted the Forum for the first time in 2010 and the second time in 2020, achieving positive results which were highly appreciated by the ASEAN+3 countries.

II. Q&A

1. AFP: On 14 December, G7 countries reached an agreement to supply Viet Nam with 15.5 billion USD in green transition. Can the Ministry of Foreign Affairs provide a comment on this? Are there any information as to how this fund will be used?

Viet Nam, G7 countries and other international partners adopted the Political Declaration establishing the Just Energy Transition Partnership, also known as JETP. This is a tangible step to continue mobilizing financial and technological resources to implement Viet Nam’s guideline and policy on building a green, circular, environmentally-friendly economy, and assist Viet Nam in fulfilling its commitments for net-zero emissions by 2050 with the support of the international community. At the same time, the adoption of the Declaration also reaffirms Viet Nam’s resolute and synchronous determination and great effort in dealing with climate change, demonstrating Viet Nam’s responsibility in helping to resolve one of the greatest global challenges currently.

As we already know, the process of energy transition poses a number of challenges for a developing country such as Viet Nam. Therefore, in the time to come, Viet Nam will continue to discuss and cooperate with other countries and partners on the basis of fairness, justice, equality and mutual benefit, to ensure the implementation of socio-economic development goals, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to the common climate change response effort by the international community.

2. Central News Agency: Since the beginning of the year, Viet Nam has only attracted 3 million international tourists, against the initial goal of 5 million. The reason is that foreign tourists feel that the visa application process is rather inconvenient. The number of tourists from Chinese Taipei is currently decreasing compared to the numbers pre-pandemic. Has the Ministry of Foreign Affairs looked into the situation through Vietnamese diplomatic missions in Chinese Taipei?

We will look into the information that you are inquiring about.

As previously announced, since 15 March 2022, the Government of Viet Nam made the decision to restore entry and exit policies to what they were before the Covid-19 pandemic. This includes restoring visa application procedures in accordance with the 2014 Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence for Foreigners, amended and supplemented in 2019, and implementation guidance documents. This will create favorable conditions for tourists, experts, and foreign investors to enter Viet Nam, contributing to post-pandemic economic recovery and development.

Recently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has taken the initiative in submitting proposals to the Government on the policies and measures of reopening, as well as directed Vietnamese diplomatic missions abroad to fully carry out the Prime Minister’s guideline on facilitating the entry of foreign nationals. Viet Nam’s visa application processes shall be handled in accordance with the Law on Entry and Exit.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs takes note of the information on foreign nationals’ difficulties in applying for a Vietnamese visa. In the time to come, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will work with domestic competent authorities to review and report to the Government on options to further facilitate the entry of foreign nationals into Viet Nam, in order to meet the needs of tourists as well as Viet Nam’s socio-economic development requirements in the new era.

3. Zing: The European Union has announced that it will donate 10 billion Euro to support the implementation of the Global Gateway strategy through cooperation projects and the launch of the Team Europe Initiative on Sustainable Connectivity in ASEAN. Can you comment on this?

 Viet Nam welcomes the European Union’s announcement that it will donate 10 billion Euro to support the implementation of the Global Gateway strategy through cooperation projects and the launch of the Team Europe Initiative on Sustainable Connectivity in ASEAN.

 This decision will help strengthen economic and trade cooperation, stabilize the supply chain, strive toward the establishment of an ASEAN - EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), increase connectivity through the implementation of the 2020 Joint Ministerial Statement on Connectivity and the ASEAN - EU Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement, narrow the development gap and enhance subregional development, climate change response cooperation, digital transformation, energy transition, disaster relief, environmental and biodiversity protection, and prevention of illegal fishery.

4. Zing: Recently, there has been information that Hyogo police have arrested three Vietnamese men suspected to be members of an international scam group. Can you provide more information about this?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has directed Vietnamese diplomatic missions in Japan to work with Japanese competent authorities to verify the information and implement citizen protection measures as necessary.

5. CAND Broadcast Network: At the beginning of December, the U.S. Department of State revealed that it would put Viet Nam on a “Special Watch List” regarding religious freedom? What is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ comment on this?

Viet Nam’s consistent policy is to respect and ensure human rights as well as the freedom of religion and belief. This is clearly stipulated by the 2013 Constitution and in Viet Nam’s legal system, and has been ensured and respected in practice.

Recently, Viet Nam has been finalizing the legal system and the policies on religion and belief. These efforts and achievements in ensuring freedom of religion and beliefs have been widely recognized by the international community.

The decision to put Viet Nam on a special watch list regarding religious freedom was made based on unobjective assessments and inaccurate information on freedom of religion and beliefs in Viet Nam.

Viet Nam stands ready to discuss with the U.S. on issues of mutual interest on the basis of candor, openness and mutual respect, contributing to the enhancement of the two countries’ Comprehensive Partnership.

6. NHK: Recently, some victims of human trafficking who were taken to China to marry Chinese men have returned to Viet Nam and reunited with their families after decades apart. Can you provide a comment on these particular cases and similar cases?

The Government of Viet Nam’s policy is to facilitate legal, safe and orderly migration, while also resolutely fighting against illegal migration, human smuggling and human trafficking.

Recently, Viet Nam has resolutely enhanced the prevention and combat of human trafficking, and implemented the Human Trafficking Prevention and Combat Program for the period 2021 - 2025, with a vision toward 2030, with new measures and objectives to prevent human trafficking in all areas. Viet Nam is making every effort to implement the goals of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) in accordance with the Plan issued by the Prime Minister on 20 March 2020, to create a transparent migration environment, safeguard the lawful rights and interests of migrants, and prevent the risk of human trafficking in international migration.

In addition, Viet Nam is strengthening cooperation with countries and organizations including the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) in the prevention, detection, investigation and handling of human trafficking rings in accordance with the law. At the same time, Viet Nam stands ready to discuss and work with other countries to resolve related incidents in a timely manner to ensure legal and safe migration, and prevent the risk of human trafficking, ensuring the legitimate rights and interests of migrants.

Viet Nam is also working closely with China in accordance with the bilateral Agreement between the two Governments on promoting cooperation in preventing and combating human trafficking and other cooperation frameworks such as the Coordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative against Human Trafficking (COMMIT).

In the time to come, acting on the directions of the Government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Vietnamese diplomatic missions in China will continue to actively work with Chinese and Vietnamese competent authorities to effectively implement the Agreement, and repatriate, protect, and assist rescued victims in a timely manner.