The Vietnamese Government has issued a Resolution approving the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) and will complete procedures this month to officially bring it into force on May 1, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Dang Hoang An has said.

Vietnam has become the fifth nation in the world authorised by the European Union (EU) to export insect-based food to the demanding market, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Agency of Foreign Trade.

Australia will ask the World Trade Organisation to decide if China broke free trade rules over tariffs that wiped out Australia’s barley trade with the Asian nation, after negotiations between officials from both countries broke down.

The application of the self-certification of origin mechanism by enterprises has many advantages and brings many benefits, but there is a concern about the risk of origin fraud.

Senior officials from the United States and China are meeting in person on Thursday for the first time since US President Joe Biden took office. But progress toward solving major economic sources of strain — including disputes over tech and trade — is unlikely.

The fourth round of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with Australia took place between Monday 22 February and Friday 5 March.

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam's textile and garment exports saw negative growth of 10.5% in 2020 and a decrease in revenue of over US$35 billion compared to US$39 billion in 2019.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson told parliament that the UK would "seek out friends and partners wherever they can be found, building a coalition for openness and innovation and engaging more deeply in the Indo-Pacific”.

Among 104 markets importing Vietnamese seafood, there are many markets with very good growth.

Southeast Asia’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic can best be achieved by all sides involved working together and closely collaborating to address challenges before them, said Masatsugu Asakawa, President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).