Vietnam

Vietnam will impose strict curbs on movement in its business hub Ho Chi Minh City and another 18 cities and provinces throughout its south for another two weeks beginning Monday, August 2, to help combat its worst COVID-19 outbreak, the government said. After successfully containing the virus for much of the pandemic, Vietnam is facing a rapid spread of infections that has led to movement restrictions in around one-third of the country. It has registered a total of 145,000 cases and 1,306 deaths, 85% of which were recorded over the past month. "Authorities of Ho Chi Minh City and other places have to urge citizens to stay where they are and strictly follow the curbs," a government statement said on Saturday, July 31. The Southeast Asian country reported 8,624 new infections late on Saturday, with most of the confirmed cases detected in the south, especially Ho Chi Minh City where social distancing measures have been enforced since May 31. The central ... » Learn More about Vietnam to extend lockdown throughout southern region as COVID-19 cases soar

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin sought on Thursday, July 29, to nudge forward security ties with Vietnam that have been slowly deepening as both countries watch China's activities in the South China Sea with growing alarm. Despite closer military relations, more than four decades after the Vietnam War ended in 1975, President Joe Biden's administration has said there are limits to the relationship until Hanoi makes progress on human rights. Vietnam has emerged as the most vocal opponent of China's territorial claims in the South China Sea and has received US military hardware, including coastguard cutters. Before a meeting with his Vietnamese counterpart in Hanoi, Austin said the United States did not ask Vietnam to choose between countries. "One of our central goals is ensuring that our allies and partners have the freedom and the space to chart their own futures," Austin said. He did not mention China but there is a perception in Asia that ... » Learn More about Pentagon chief in Vietnam to advance ties but rights concerns linger

THE health ministry has issued an urgent appeal for private hospitals to treat Covid-19 patients as the country battles a surge in infections driven by the highly contagious Delta variant. After successfully containing the virus for much of the pandemic, Vietnam has been facing record daily increases in infections since late April. It has detected a total of 137,000 cases, 85% of which were recorded over the past month. “The Delta variant is destroying all anti-pandemic achievements,” health minister Nguyen Thanh Long told a cabinet meeting on Friday. Private medical facilities should provide beds, equipment and manpower to treat Covid-19 patients when assigned to do so by authorities, the ministry said in a separate statement. Vietnam has maintained a policy which required anyone who tested positive for the virus to be hospitalised at a state-run institution. Its daily Covid-19 infections hit a record 8,649 cases on Friday, taking its total tally to over 137,000, the health ... » Learn More about Vietnam taps private hospitals as cases spike

Severe storms and floods are hitting areas in Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos and Cambodia. Typhoon Goni has swept across the Philippines, with a death toll of at least 17 as of Nov. 6, according to the Manila Times . The Singapore government is doing its part to help out by contributing US$200,000 (S$270,108) as seed money to help support the efforts of the Singapore Red Cross to raise funds from the public, according to a media release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Nov. 5. The SG Red Cross has already donated US$50,000 (S$67,520) to the Philippine Red Cross, and US$75,000 (S$101,280) to the three Red Cross societies in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. The money will go towards aid disaster relief and disaster operations in the affected countries. Flash floods, landslides and the pandemic MFA said, "As a close friend and fellow ASEAN Member State, Singapore stands by Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and the Philippines at this difficult time." SG Red Cross said, ... » Learn More about S’pore govt contributes over S$270,000 to help relief efforts in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos & the Philippines

A man living in an area under lockdown receives food through a barricade during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam July 20, 2021. (File photo from REUTERS) HANOI — Vietnam will extend from Monday strict curbs on movement in its business hub Ho Chi Minh City and another 18 cities and provinces throughout its south for another two weeks to help combat its worst COVID-19 outbreak, the government said. After successfully containing the virus for much of the pandemic, Vietnam is facing a rapid spread of infections that has led to movement restrictions in around one-third of the country. It has registered a total of 145,000 cases and 1,306 deaths, 85% of which were recorded over the past month. “Authorities of Ho Chi Minh City and other places have to urge citizens to stay where they are and strictly follow the curbs,” a government statement said on Saturday. The Southeast Asian country reported 8,624 new infections late on Saturday, with most ... » Learn More about Vietnam to extend lockdown throughout southern region as COVID cases soar

WASHINGTON - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet virtually with Southeast Asian officials every day next week, a senior state department official said on Saturday (July 31), as Washington seeks to show the region it’s a US priority while also addressing the crisis in Myanmar. The top US diplomat will attend virtual meetings for five consecutive days, including annual meetings of the 10 foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other nations and separate meetings of the Lower Mekong subregion countries Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand. "I think it's a clear demonstration of our commitment to the region," said the official, who briefed Reuters on condition of anonymity. In recent years top US officials have not always attended ASEAN meetings and have sometimes sent more junior officials to the region's summits. The virtual meetings come after the Biden administration in its early days was seen as paying little attention to the ... » Learn More about US top diplomat Blinken to court South-east Asia in virtual meetings next week