80 Chinese experts enter Vietnam on charter train

The special service traveled from Dong Dang train station in Lang Son Province bordering China to Dung Quat Industrial Zone in Quang Ngai Province on Thursday.

After entering Vietnam via Huu Nghi border gate, the Chinese group were transferred to Dong Dang station by bus.

Their three-carriage train traveled 1,000 km (over 620 miles) straight to Quang Ngai without stopping along the way, affirmed Phung Thi Ly Ha, deputy general director of service operator Hanoi Railway Transport Joint Stock Company.

As per Covid-19 prevention protocol, each carriage remained locked the entire trip, except for receiving food, the two onboard staff kitted out in protective suits.

Arriving at Quang Ngai station, all Chinese passengers were required to put on protective clothing before traveling by bus to a centralized camp where they will spend 14 days in quarantine.

All staff involved in the operation will also undergo the mandatory quarantine.

Vehicles used to transport the Chinese nationals were disinfected under surveillance of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Quang Ngai.

As many as 1,000 Chinese workers and experts have been approved to travel to Dung Quat Industrial Zone by train from Lang Son.

The first batch arrived on June 12, including 137 Chinese.

Data from the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs shows there are 33,770 licensed Chinese workers in Vietnam. Of these, 15,000 are currently employed. A little over half these workers returned to China for the Lunar New Year holiday in January, where they remain stuck due to the pandemic.

Vietnam has banned entry for foreign nationals since March 22 and suspended international flights from March 25.

In a government meeting on June 6, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked authorities to enable experts, investors, business managers, and highly skilled workers to enter Vietnam to resume work following mandatory quarantine.

Vietnam was hit by a new wave of community Covid-19 infections on July 25 after 99 days spent clean.

Since, 298 locally transmitted cases have been reported and 10 have died.