Vietnam’s recovery prospects are forecast to be the brightest amongst Southeast Asian countries and Vietnam is expected to be the only Southeast Asian economy to have positive growth in 2020.

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh attended the ASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting held online within the framework of the 53rd ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM 53) and related meetings on September 9.

Vietnam has received international acclaims for its improved investment environment, becoming an attractive and safe destination for foreign investors, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung has affirmed.

An official of the Vietnamese National Assembly has suggested continuing to review and perfect the legal framework to promote trade facilitation to ensure uninterrupted circulation of goods and supply chains in the ASEAN region.

The European Commission today published a proposal for a Council and European Parliament regulation to scrap duties on certain imports to the EU. In return, the United States will reduce its duties on certain EU exports to the U.S. market. This will put into effect the agreement announced by the EU and the U.S. on 21 August 2020. These tariff reductions between the EU and the U.S. will increase access to both EU and U.S. markets by around €200 million per year.

JAPAN wants to reach broad consensus with the United Kingdom on trade this week, a Japanese government official said, signalling Tokyo's desire to make progress on the bilateral trade deal before a change in government.

The agreement reportedly was given a green light by Seoul, partly due to the recent Abraham Accord between Jerusalem and Abu Dhabi.

Trade in food and agricultural products has been more resilient than trade in other products during the first part of this year, according to new research by the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The pandemic in the world is complicated. Job loss and falling income make it difficult for consumers to improve demand for imported products soon. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam's exports in the last five months of the year will still face many difficulties in the short term.

Talking to Customs News, trade expert Pham Tat Thang said that the European Union-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) will have a great impact on exports in particular and Vietnam's economy in general. However, this is a long-term impact, so we should not expect the dramatic change of EVFTA for the exports in the second half of the year.