Vietnam's trade surplus in the first nine months is estimated at US$21.68 billion. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam posts trade surplus of US$21.68 billion in nine months

Vietnam’s trade surplus in September was estimated at US$2.29 billion, bring the figure in the first nine months of the year to US$21.68 billion, the General Statistics Office (GSO) announced on September 29.

During the January – September period, Vietnam exported some US$259.67 billion worth of products, a year-on-year fall of 8.2%. Meanwhile, the country's imports totaled US$237.99 billion, down 13.8% year on year.

Regarding the structure of exported goods in the period, processed goods accounted for 88.3% of the total export value, with US$292.22 billion. As for imported goods, materials for production made up 93.7% of the value, with US$223.08 billion.

The US was the largest export market of Vietnam with US$70.9 billion, while China was the largest import market of the Southeast Asian country with US$79.1 billion, cited VNA.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the drop in Vietnam’s exports was attributed to slow recovery of the global economy, falling demand and high interest rates in developed countries such as the US, EU nations and China, coupled with a tightened monetary policy and high levels of inventory.

The ministry will continue to keep a close watch on the global economic situation, especially policy adjustments of large importers so as to give timely warnings to enterprises, and propose the Government to outline rational response policies.

Additionally, it will focus on renewing and enhancing trade promotion activities targeting new markets and potential ones, as well as support businesses to capitalise on free trade agreement’s preferences to bolster exports.

It will also work to give early warnings on trade barriers that are possibly levied by large import markets.

Vietnam, RoK bolster tourism cooperation

The Vietnam Tourism Association (VITA) came together with the Korea Tourism Organisation of the Republic of Korea (KTO) on September 28 to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on ramping up tourism co-operation in Hanoi.

According to the terms of the agreement, both sides will share information on tourism policies, market trends, and statistics; seek to intensify exchanges among businesses in various fields; and jointly organise promotion activities such as tourism fairs, seminars. and famtours.

Under the MoU, members of VITA will receive support in developing tours to the RoK, improving the overall quality of tourism programs, and ensuring rights and benefits for Vietnamese tourists when travelling to the RoK. This will be done alongside efforts to enhance service quality for Korean tourists in Vietnam, according to VOV.

Vu The Binh, chairman of VITA, highlighted the MoU as a foundation for the two sides to develop professional tourism programs together.

The Vietnam Tourism Association (VITA) and the Korea Tourism Organisation of the Republic of Korea (KTO) sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) (Photo: VNA)

Lee Jae Hoon, head representative of KTO in Vietnam, expressed hope that the two sides will proactively exchange tourism information, as well as information on human resources, market trends, and tourism policies in order to improve the RoK’s tourism quality and better serve Vietnamese tourists.

Moreover, the RoK’s tourism businesses will actively participate in fairs and tourism promotion conferences held by both sides, whilst also enhancing collaboration between KTO and VITA through business to business (B2B) and business to consumer (B2C) events and famtrips, among others.

The number of Vietnamese tourists to the RoK is expected to reach 310,000 by the end of September, while about 2.57 million tourists from the North Asian country travelled to Vietnam during the reviewed period.

Number of foreign tourists to Vietnam nears 9 million in nine months

Around 8.9 million foreign tourists travelled to Vietnam in the first nine months of this year, a 4.7-fold increase compared to the figure of the same period last year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

However, the figure was equal to 69% of the number in the same period of 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.

In September alone, the country welcomed more than 1 million foreign visitors, down 13.4% month-on-month.

In the January-September period, 87.5% of foreign tourists chose to travel to Vietnam by air, 11.8% by road, and the remainders by sea.

Foreign tourists visit Hoa Lo Prison relic site in Hanoi. (Photo: VNA)

Revenue from accommodation and catering services in this period rose by 16%, and earnings from travel and tourism services surged by 47.7% year-on-year, VNA reported.

Australia’s Micenet Magazine recently assessed the central region of Vietnam as a new "hot" spot for MICE tourism.

In its article, the magazine wrote: “Central Vietnam is coming into its own as more international and domestic flights serve Da Nang, which is growing as a destination for conferences, meetings and incentive events. Its location between two UNESCO world heritage sites – Hoi An, 30km southeast, and Hue, 100km northwest – also helps”.

There is a wide choice of luxury and five-star international and local brand hotels in the city and along a 60km stretch of beach, it added.

Vietnamese and Cambodian navies promote friendship

A delegation including Ship 263 of the Naval Region 3 Command under the Vietnam People's Navy has visited units under the Royal Cambodian Navy in Preah Sihanouk province as part of efforts to strengthen the friendly ties between the two countries’ naval forces.

During the four-day trip from September 26 to September 29, the Vietnamese delegation led by Colonel Trinh Xuan Tung, deputy commander and chief of the Staff of the Naval Region 3, held talks with units of the coastal and island defence command and Ream Naval Base of the Royal Cambodian Navy.

Art and sport exchange activities were also organized, including a friendly volleyball tournament between crew members of Ship 263 and naval officers of Ream Naval Base, cited VOV.

Ship 263 of the Naval Region 3 Command under the Vietnam People's Navy docks at Sihanoukville, Preah Sihanouk province, Cambodia. (Photo: VNA)

The Vietnamese naval delegation’s visit has contributed to deepening the friendship, co-operation, understanding, and trust between the armies and naval forces of both nations, thus maintaining peace and stability in the bordering waters and historical waters between the two sides.

As part of the occasion, the delegation laid a wreath at the Cambodia–Vietnam Friendship Monument in tribute to Vietnamese volunteer soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the struggle to overthrow the Pol Pot genocidal regime in Cambodia.

This comes after Ship 263 of Naval Region 5 and Ship 1142 of Ream Naval Base joining the 72nd joint patrol session in the Vietnam - Cambodia historical waters from September 25 to September 26.

Vietnam looks forward to int'l support in climate change response: Diplomat

Deputy foreign minister Do Hung Viet was attending the ASEAN-Australia High-Level Dialogue on Climate Change and Energy Transition in Hanoi co-organized by Vietnam, Australia and Laos.

Vietnam is committed to climate change response and calls for international partners’ support in this process, said deputy foreign minister Do Hung Viet during the ASEAN-Australia High-Level Dialogue on Climate Change and Energy Transition in Hanoi on Friday.

The dialogue is co-organized by Vietnam, Australia and Laos.

Vietnam is well aware of climate change impacts on sustainable development and people’s livelihoods, which is why as part of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in 2021, the country has targeted net-zero emissions by 2050, he said.

Vietnam and the International Partners Group have also adopted the Political Declaration on establishing the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), VNS reported.

The ASEAN-Australia High-Level Dialogue on Climate Change and Energy Transition takes place in Hanoi on Friday. Photo: VNS

Speaking about ASEAN’s shared interest in climate change response and accelerating energy transition, the deputy foreign minister that the bloc’s member countries have been working closely together in various strategies and action plans.

He added that ASEAN, including Vietnam, sees Australia as one of the key partners in this process.

“We have been coordinating to realize the commitments to peace and sustainability in the region, and ASEAN recognises Australia’s support to the bloc,” said Hung.

Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Ekkaphab Phanthavong also emphasised the need for joint efforts in climate change adaptation.

The cooperation and support with partners such as Australia, especially in energy transition, is crucial to ASEAN.

Australia's Ambassador for Climate Change Kristin Tilley said that Australia wishes to cooperate with ASEAN in all aspects, especially climate change and energy transition.

Australia hopes to support ASEAN for its green and prosperous growth, she added.

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