The free trade agreement between Singapore and the United Kingdom will take effect provisionally on Friday (Jan 1), providing "certainty and clarity in trading arrangements" between both countries, said the Ministry of Trade and Industry on Thursday.

A signing ceremony for a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement was held in Ho Chi Minh City on December 31 to promote trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (ROK).

The signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement marked a significant milestone in the international economic integration process of Vietnam and all countries involved in the negotiations,” Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh told the media.

After months of delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the African Continental Free Trade Area launches, but full implementation of the historic pact may take years.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has announced 10 outstanding events that make their mark on the sector’s success in 2020, of which, many initiatives by the industry and trade sector within Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2020 were effectively deployed.

The COVID-19 pandemic has cast a long shadow and created uncertainty over the global economy. The signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), however, offers a beacon of hope, as it marks a victory for multilateralism and free trade regionally and globally.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a heavy impact on every aspect of life in 2020, and the global economy had been especially hard hit. The Vietnam News Agency has selected the ten most significant global economic issues during the year.

Development of major ports and port clusters will get priority in the new master plan for the country’s port system for 2021-2030, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyễn Nhật has said.

Despite the disruption caused by COVID-19 in bilateral cooperation between Vietnam and the Middle East - Africa region, the country has been proactively and flexibly strengthening its traditional friendship and cooperation with the region, resulting in positive results, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Minh Khoi.

China and the European Union have concluded negotiations on an investment agreement that was seven years in the making.