Gradual 'lockdown ease' will help businesses restart, even without financial 'ventilators', says Vu Tien Loc, chairman of Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

European Union leaders agreed on Thursday to revamp the EU's long-term budget and set up a massive recovery fund to tackle the impact of the coronavirus and help rebuild the 27-nation bloc's ravaged economies, but deep differences remain over the best way to achieve those goals.

Around $1 trillion of debt owed by developing countries would be cancelled under a global deal proposed by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) on Thursday to help them overcome the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

To ensure a sustained recovery from the coronavirus crisis trade finance must occupy a permanent place on the global agenda

Vietnamese people are most optimistic about a post Covid-19 scenario, with 80 percent believing the economy will recover quickly.

The EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement () was approved by the European Parliament in February 2020 and is expected to be approved by the National Assembly of Vietnam at its meeting in mid-2020. Although the outbreak may delay the meeting, the approval of the Agreement is a top priority.

Standard Chartered Bank has forecast that the growth of Vietnam’s economy will slow down to 3.3% in 2020 due to the impacts of external challenges.

The COVID-19 pandemic has left Vietnam’s textile and garment sector in deep trouble because of rising order cancellations and delays, but some producers have found a way around and been able to weather the storm.

ASEAN and Japan have agreed to support each other in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic by focusing on easing its impact, enhancing economic flexibility, promoting export and solving problems faced by small- and medium-sized enterprises, according to the Thai Ministry of Commerce.

Despite difficulties brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, an opportunity is emerging for Vietnam to build the foundations of a more inclusive growth path, which leaves no one behind once recovery begins, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Vietnam.