Electronics and parts are among Vietnam’s major exports to India . (Photo: cafeF)– More than 150 Indian firms operating in different spheres in India attended a trade promotion programme held by the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade in New Delhi on July 18.The programme is intended to create an opportunity for Vietnamese and Indian businesses to meet and cooperate in areas such as food processing, consumer goods , cosmetics, handicrafts, home furniture, and agricultural products.On this occasion, a memorandum of understanding between the Indian Importers of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (IICCI) and the Association of Foreign Investment Enterprises (VAFIE) was signed.Through the event, the Vietnam ese Embassy in India and the ministry hope to provide more business and investment opportunities to enterprises from both sides.According to data from the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry, trade turnover between the two nations reached 14.13 billion USD in the fiscal year 2021-2022 (April 2021-March 2022), creating a solid premise for achieving the 15 billion USD target set by leaders of the two countries./.

Indian passengers on board a Vietjet Air . (Photo: Vietjetair.com)Budget carrier Vietjet Air will open new routes to a number of Indian cities, starting from this September, raising the total number of air routes connecting the two countries to 17.From Hanoi, direct services to Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Bangalore will be launched on September 27, October 7 and November 2, respectively.From HCM City, the first Vietjet Air flights will take off for the three Indian cities on September 29, October 10 and November 1, respectively.The routes between Da Nang and those three India n destinations will be launched on November 28, 29 and December 1, respectively.Four flights will be operated on each of these new routes weekly.Vietjet Air will also start new services connecting the resort island of Phu Quoc with two Indian cities of Mumbai and New Delhi from September 8 and 9, respectively, with 3 – 4 flights per week.Those from Da Nang to Mumbai and New Delhi will be launched on October 17 and 18, respectively.Vietjet Air is currently operating four air routes to India, connecting Hanoi and HCM City with New Delhi and Mumbai.The move aims to meet the increasing demand for both personal and business travel between the two countries and regions, said Vietjet Air Deputy CEO Nguyen Thanh Son./.

The nation spent US$5 billion on importing 4.8 million m3 of petroleum during the first half of this year, an increase of 18% in volume and up nearly two fold in value compared to the same period from last year.

A group of American tourists visit the ancient town of Hoi An in central Quang Nam province. Illustration. (Photo: VNA)– The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) is taking extra efforts to realise the target of welcoming 5 million foreign visitors amidst a decline in the numbers of tourists from China and Russia.The VNAT will further optimise markets which have air routes with Vietnam and those that permitted their citizens to travel abroad and Vietnamese expats to return to the home country after the COVID-19 pandemic was put under control.Priority will be given to attracting arrivals from the Republic of Korea, Japan, Western Europe, Australia and ASEAN nations. The number of foreign visitors has been on the sharp rise since Vietnam reopened its border. The May figure doubled that of April while that of June quadrupled that of May.Most of the foreign travellers came from countries that enjoy visa exemptions from Vietnam, including the RoK, the UK, France, Germany, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia./.

Travel Extra efforts made to achieve target of welcoming 5 million foreign visitors this year The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) is taking extra efforts to realise the target of welcoming 5 million foreign visitors amidst a decline in the numbers of tourists from China and Russia. Travel The Travel website suggests things to do in ancient Hoi An The ancient riverbank town of Hoi An in the central province of Quang Nam, which used to be a trading post with historical richness, was recently reviewed by The Travel website as an ideal place for foreign visitors who want to see the exotic culture of Vietnam. Travel Hoi An’s tourism growth to bounce back soon: Official Most of the accommodation and tourism service providers in the ancient Hoi An town of central Quang Nam province are promoting efforts and measures to revive the local tourism industry after the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to head of the city’s department of trade and tourism Le Van Binh. Travel Getting lost in fairy Ta Xua forest Travel aficionados have been appealed to the captivating charm of the primeval forest on the way to the top Ta Xua mountain, locating in the natural border between the northern mountainous provinces of Son La and Yen Bai.

(Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – A list of 34 Vietnamese seaports of third-class and higher has been announced by the government, according to a decision signed by Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh last week. The list consists of two categorised as “special”, 11 as first-class, seven as second-class and 14 as third-class. Those of second class comprise Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, Binh Thuan, Dong Thap, Hau Giang and Tra Vinh. A list of 34 Vietnamese seaports of third-class and higher has been announced by the government. Under the decree, Vietnamese seaports are classified based on their scale and sphere of influence.

Lao Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Suansavanh Viyaketh (Photo: VNA)There has been dynamic and lively cultural exchange and cooperation between Vietnam and Laos over recent years, contributing to the development of each country in the new period, according to Lao Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Suansavanh Viyaketh.The Vietnamese and Lao culture sectors have boosted active cooperation, experience exchange and support for each other to grow together, Suansavanh said in an interview with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s resident correspondents on the occasion of the 60th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties (September 5, 1962 – 2022) and the 45th year of the signing of the Vietnam-Laos Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (July 18, 1977 – 2022).Laos has received support from Vietnam in the first phase construction of the national school of music and arts as well as various scholarships for short-term and long-term training courses in music, circus performance, fine arts, cinema and others, she said, adding that a number of Vietnamese books and documents in politics, economics and culture have been translated into the Lao language.The two countries have also cooperated in producing films on the bilateral friendship and partnership, the minister noted.In terms of tourism, Vietnam ranked third in the number of tourist arrivals to Laos in 2019 with around 1 million visitors. Many Vietnamese and Lao visitors showed particular interest in exploring history of the other country, allowing the people of the two nations to better understand the traditional ties and become closer, she said.With such a good bilateral relationship, Vietnam and Laos must pay greater attention to boosting cooperation in tourism so they can welcome more visitors from the other, the minister said.She suggested that the two sides should further facilitate cross-border travel, encourage enterprises of both countries to develop regional tourism programmes, organise workshops and experience-sharing events for both public and private sectors, and together promote the distinctive beauty of their destinations.Suansavanh unveiled that to mark the Vietnam – Lao Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022, her ministry and the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will work together to host a series of celebrations. They include a Lao culture week in Vietnam held in parallel with a similar event of Vietnamese culture in Laos from July 18 – 22, featuring photo exhibitions on the bilateral partnership and cultural and arts exchange events./.

Workers at an electronic parts assembly factory in Thai Nguyen province. As one of the biggest electronics exporters in the world, Vietnam’s export values in 2021 climbed up to more than 108 billion USD. The electronics sector employs more than 1 million workers.However, the industry mainly focuses on low-value-added and labour-intensive outsourcing and assembly activities.“Among the biggest challenges faced by enterprises are major upheavals in human resources, including labour shortage. This practice is expected to spread to other key export sectors nationwide.“Social dialogue will play a key role in ensuring sustainable supply chains,” said Head of the EU Delegation to Vietnam Ambassador Giorgio Aliberti.“Promoting decent work is key to reaching an inclusive, sustainable and resilient electronics industry in Vietnam. "He also emphasised that the requirements of investors, consumers and legislators around the world to promote decent work in global supply chains are on the rise.Through several projects funded by the EU and other donors, the ILO, in close collaboration with VCCI, supports partners to address work deficits and improve global supply chains in the industry./.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Ta Van Thong (second, left) has a meeting with Deputy Secretary General of the House of Representatives of Sumariydono (third, right). (Photo: the Vietnamese Embassy in Indonesia)- Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Ta Van Thong recently paid courtesy visits to, and had working sessions with the country's chief of the presidential staff office Moeldoko, Deputy Secretary General of the House of Representatives of Sumariydono, and Chairperson of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Megawati Sukarnoputri.During the meetings, the Vietnamese diplomat spoke highly of Indonesia's efforts in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, expressing his belief that Jakarta will successfully assume its presidency of the Group of Twenty (G20) and the Chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2023.He highlighted the fruitful development s of bilateral relations in recent times, which has been further strengthened with regular visits and meetings between senior leaders of the two countries, and close coordination at international and regional forums.Ambassador Thong said despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two-way trade exceeded 10 billion USD in 2021, adding this will be a premise for the two countries to further promote their economic and trade cooperation in the coming time.He announced that Vietnam has resumed direct commercial flights to Bali and Jakarta, thereby creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese tourists to visit Indonesia.For their part, Indonesian officials said they hope the newly-appointed Vietnamese diplomat will be a bridge to help deepen the comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and Indonesia , contributing to promoting the development of each country, as well as for peace, stability and prosperity of ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific./.

Vietnam’s agro-forestry-fishery exports hit 27.88 billion USD in the first half of 2022, up 13.9% against the same period last year. Four largest export markets of Vietnam in the period included the US, China, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)Goods classification of Lazada e-commerce platform (Photo: VNA)VNA- Vietnamese businesses have been enjoying breakthrough growth thanks to exportation through e-commerce exports The strong developments along with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have unwittingly spurred and opened the way for many Vietnamese businesses to start cross-border sales.According to a report released by Amazon, Vietnam’s cross-border retail sales increase over 20% annually, hitting 75.4 trillion VND (3.3 trillion USD) last year, and are projected to reach 256.1 trillion VND in 2026.Over 64% of the total sales are generated by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).Notably, cross-border e-commerce is forecast to grow strongly in the Southeast Asian nation in the next five years.According to statistics of Ninja Van Company - Southeast Asia's leading logistics provider, Vietnamese products, mainly farm produce, handicrafts, furniture, home appliances and medical supplies, are being sold on international e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, JD.com, Alibaba and Shopee Global.Dang Hoang Hai, Director of the E-Commerce Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said the global B2C e-commerce revenue is expected to reach 2.88 trillion USD in 2023. The e-commerce markets of Vietnam’s major trade partners such as China, Japan, the Republic of Korea and EU countries will increasingly open up opportunities for Vietnamese businesses with products suitable to their markets.Taking advantage of thriving e-commerce markets will help businesses enter choosy markets they previously had no access to./.

Business Swiss investors interested in Vietnam’s green, sustainable finance Finance Minister Ho Duc Phoc has had a working session with Secretary-General of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Rebeca Grynspan, and Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweal, as part of the activities in his working visit to Switzerland. Business Vietnam stock market's outlook still bright in second half of 2022 The Vietnamese stock market witnessed a strong correction recently, mainly due to international macroeconomic factors, including global soaring inflation and the US Federal Reverse rate hikes. Business Vietnam-UK trade expected to reach 10 billion USD Trade revenue between Vietnam and the UK is expected to reach 10 billion USD in the next one or two years thanks to strong support from the Vietnam-UK Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA). Business Infographic Agro-forestry-fishery exports hit 27.88 billion USD in H1 Vietnam’s agro-forestry-fishery exports hit 27.88 billion USD in the first half of 2022, up 13.9% against the same period last year. Four largest export markets of Vietnam in the period included the US, China, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

Each product on show comes from a passion to introduce unique Vietnamese specialties to tourists at home and abroad. Fresh pineapples are processed to make dried fruit and juice. Dishes and specialties linked with the culture and history of localities help impress foreign visitors and generate more income for farmers. They also contribute to realising the target of turning Vietnam into a “kitchen of the world”. Representatives of more than 40 food processing companies actively discussed the conditions needed to help Vietnamese food items meet international standards./.

– Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang on July 15 received Giuseppe Cerasoli, Deputy General Director of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS).At the meeting, Hang shared with her guest Vietnam’s socio-economic development strategy for the 2021 – 2030 period and thanked Italy for its provision of official development assistance ( ODA ), thus contributing to the Southeast Asian country’s development goals and priorities.She suggested the two sides continue effectively implementing the development cooperation agreement between the two nations, focusing on the fields where Italy has strength and Vietnam has demand such as adaption to climate change, energy, sustainable development, improving the law system, infrastructure and human resources.Cerasoli affirmed that Vietnam is an important partner in terms of development cooperation of the Italian government.He informed that the AICS Office in Hanoi is upgraded to be in charge of the region and proposed the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs work as a bridge to connect with ASEAN partners in building strategies and prioritised areas for development cooperation with Italy in the region./.

Ninja Van staff scan parcels. (Photo: ninjavan.co)- Vietnam is leading in Southeast Asia for online purchases , with an average of 104 orders per year per person, according to a new report released by Ninja Van Group , an e-logistics company operating in Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam.According to the report on 'e-commerce beyond borders,' 73% of survey respondents said they regularly shop on e-commerce shopping platforms, and 59% said they have ordered or shopped on international websites many times.Vietnam currently accounts for 15% of Southeast Asia's online shopping market, after Thailand with 16%, and on par with the Philippines.The report shows that Vietnamese people love online shopping and lead the region in many indicators. "With strategic research demonstrating the development of the e-commerce and e-postal industries in Southeast Asia, we believe that the Vietnamese market is one of the countries with the most potential thanks to the sustainable and clear growth in recent years," said Phan Xuan Dung, sales director of Ninja Van Vietnam./.