Hanoi, Dec 11 (IANS): The Vietnamese government has approved the resumption of regular commercial flights between Vietnam and international destinations which are highly safe from Covid-19 from January 1, 2022.

According to the latest notice by the government, the destinations included those in China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Laos, Cambodia and the US, Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.

The move is to restore international passenger transport, speed up economic and tourism recovery and enable overseas Vietnamese to return to their homeland for the upcoming Lunar New Year, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh said in the government directive.

While the resumption of international flights is necessary, effective pandemic control must also be ensured, Minh said, urging relevant authorities and aviation businesses to work actively to realise the approved plan and make recommendations for adjustments in accordance with the actual situation.

The country closed its border and grounded all international flights in March last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, only allowing entry for Vietnamese repatriates, foreign experts and highly-skilled workers with certain quarantine requirements.