According to recent domestic and international reports, Vietnam is one of the few countries to be relatively successful in containing Covid-19 and minimising its damaging impacts on the economy.

Vietnam posted a record trade surplus of 20.1 billion USD in the first 11 months of this year despite the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

China's domestic manufacturers have continued to receive overseas orders from Southeast Asia, helping retain strong trade growth with the trading bloc, despite disruptions caused by COVID-19 this year.

The recently signed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) includes 10 ASEAN member countries and five countries with which ASEAN has signed Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) namely Australia, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea and New Zealand.

Australia will be heading down a difficult road if it follows through with intentions to challenge China’s anti-dumping duties on barley exports at the World Trade Organization (WTO), as the global trade body’s appeal court sits empty, and with the potential rewards being minimal, according to international trade lawyers.

With the possibility of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson visiting India early next year getting stronger, commerce ministry officials are working on a possible early harvest deal-if not a full free trade and investment pact-with London.

An agreement to lock in trade in goods was signed in London today (Tuesday 8 December) between the UK and Iceland and Norway.

The price of Vietnam’s export rice has been increasing since mid-July, surpassing the prices of other rice exporters thanks to improved quality.

The US was the largest importer of Vietnamese agro-forestry-fishery products during January-November, with a turnover of 9.8 billion USD, up 22.3 percent year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is expected to boost regional and global supply chains and the economy of ASEAN members and partners.