Commercial Flights will Resume Between Vietnam and China

On Monday (July 13), the Vietnam’s Ministry of Transport has confirmed that the country has agreed to resume operations of commercial flight between Vietnam and China, however, the frequency and timings of flights are still to be discussed.

The decision came after almost four months, when Vietnam suspended all commercial flights to and from China and also stopped issuing visas for Chinese tourists in February just after the few cases of COVID-19 were reported in the country. However, issuance of visas for Chinese tourists is still suspended in Vietnam, till further guidelines.

The ministry has said regarding the frequency and timing of operating flights that it would be decided by the aviation authorities in the both respective countries.

Foreign experts and skilled workers have been able to enter into Vietnam amid the pandemic, provided they undergo a mandatory quarantine. Vietnam has also decided to ease the restrictions on entry of foreign visitors from China, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and some Southeast Asian countries which have successfully controlled the cases of infection.

China is Vietnam’s largest source of foreign tourists and biggest trading partner. Chinese tourists accounted for a third of the 18 million foreign tourists visiting Vietnam last year. Vietnam had earlier suspended all domestic and international passenger flight operations with border closure since March 25, in a bid to curb the import and spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

In regards to COVID-19 transmission in Vietnam, the country has reported 372 confirmed cases which are in stable condition, 352 complete recoveries and no death caused by virus, as of Tuesday (July 14).