Vietnamese citizens in Taiwan wait to board the repatriation flight back to Việt Nam on July 27. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam has repatriated more than 21,000 Vietnamese citizens stranded abroad since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, an official has said.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lê Thị Thu Hằng made the statement on Thursday during a press conference in Hà Nội.

“Implementing the Prime Minister’s instruction, with the highest efforts from relevant authorities within the country and representative bodies of Việt Nam abroad, based on the wish of Vietnamese citizens and taking into account the country’s quarantine capacity, 80 repatriation flights have been organised, returning home 21,000 citizens from 50 countries and territories,” Hằng said

She was responding to a question over future plans for repatriation efforts given the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Việt Nam connected to Đà Nẵng City’s outbreak.

Hằng said the Government will continue to make arrangements to bring home citizens in difficult situations, depending on the pandemic developments and Việt Nam’s quarantine capacity.

Citizens stranded in Uzbekistan

According to the Department of Overseas Labour under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs, there are currently about 226 Vietnamese citizens working in Uzbekistan under a labour supply contract between a Vietnamese employment consulting company and China Petroleum Jili Chemical Engineering and Construction.

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, their jobs on the ground are currently suspended and the workers are currently sheltering in place, and according to local authorities, some have tested positive for coronavirus,” the foreign ministry representative said.

The ministry has instructed the Vietnamese embassy in Russia and Uzbekistan to contact the workers and find out more about their situation, as well as contact relevant companies and local governments ask them to ensure the health of Vietnamese workers, she continued.

“Currently, authorities of Việt Nam, its representative overseas in Russia and Uzbekistan are co-ordinating with local agencies to devise a plan to repatriate these workers as soon as possible – likely within August, taking into account their wish, the outbreak situation in Việt Nam, and the country’s quarantine capacity,” Hằng said. — VNS