ASEAN, RoK agree on transposition of AKFTA product specific rules
ASEAN member states and the Republic of Korea (RoK) have reached a consensus on the transposition of ASEAN-RoK Free Trade Agreement (AKFTA) Product Specific Rules from the Harmonised System Codes HS 2017 to HS 2022.
Quang Ninh (VNA) – ASEAN member states and the Republic of Korea(RoK) have reached a consensus on the transposition of ASEAN-RoK Free TradeAgreement (AKFTA) Product Specific Rules from the Harmonised System Codes HS 2017to HS 2022.
The agreement was reached at a three-dayjoint session of ASEAN and Korean experts, which wrapped up in the northernprovince of Quang Ninh on March 27.
This was an important conference towards the goal of converting nearly 7,000 tariff lines of the product specific rule (PSR)transposition list in the AKFTA from codes HS 2017 to HS 2022.
Min Ho Son, head of the RoK delegation,said that ensuring goods have a clear origin will help facilitate import andexport and enjoy preferential tax rates.
Trinh Thi Thu Hien, Coordinator of theASEAN-Korea PSR Transposition Project, said that the countries reviewedchapters 1 to 97 of the PSR list and agreed on the origin criteria for themajority of tariff lines.
On that basis, the Vietnamese Ministry ofIndustry and Trade will develop and issue a circular guiding the implementationof AKFTA rules of origin to update the PSR list, thereby creating favourableconditions for taking advantage of the agreement’s special preferential taxrates.
Tran Minh Trang, head of the Vietnamesedelegation, stressed that the transposition work requires high concentrationand consensus of the ASEAN countries and the RoK.
According to the World Customs Organisation,the HS code is regularly updated every 5 years to ensure compatibility withinternational commercial types and needs./.
Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son on November 1 hosted First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Chang Ho-jin on the occasion of his visit to Vietnam to co-chair the 5th deputy foreign ministerial level strategic dialogue on diplomacy, security and defence between the two countries.
As trade competition between China and the US continues to intensify, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is rapidly emerging as the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s global manufacturing base and an important export market.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Republic of Korea (RoK) reaffirmed commitment to further advance their partnership at the 11th Meeting of the ASEAN-RoK Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) held at the ASEAN headquarters on March 21.
The Agency of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the ASEAN Secretariat on March 25 opened a joint session of ASEAN and Korean experts on the transposition of ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreement (AKFTA) product specific rules from harmonised system codes HS 2017 into HS 2022.
The central province of Quang Nam is set to become a hub for the medicinal plant industry, with Ngoc Linh ginseng designated as the core crop, under the Prime Minister's decision issued earlier this year.
The North-South Expressway project is scheduled for completion by 2030, aiming to establish the groundwork for Vietnam’s modern railway industry and stimulate regional economic development, positioning the country for a significant economic leap in the era of national rise.
The probe, initiated on June 11 following a petition by the US Coalition for Fair Trade in Hardwood Plywood, targets products classified under HS Code 4412 and 9403 imported from China, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Sun PhuQuoc Airways was born as a perfect piece in Sun Group’s strategic vision to build a premium ecosystem of tourism, entertainment, real estate, and aviation. With a pioneering ambition, Sun PhuQuoc Airways is not just an airline, but a symbol of connection – bringing the world to Phu Quoc and taking Phu Quoc to the world.
A key change in the draft decree is a provision requiring bank transfers for gold transactions valued at 20 million VND (765 USD) and above, to enhance transparency and verify customer identities.
In the first four months of 2025, trade turnover between Vietnam and Cambodia surpassed 3 billion USD, marking a 7% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
On June 19 alone, a total of 2,005 trucks completed customs clearance at Lang Son’s border gates — the highest single-day figure ever recorded in the province. Of these, 634 carried exports and 1,371 imports.
The OECD Economic Surveys: Vietnam 2025 report focuses on analysing the country’s macroeconomic fundamentals, the impact of international integration on attracting foreign investment and trade, and the country’s prospects for developing a low-carbon economy.
Antoine Colin, Senior Vice President for Global Supply Chain Digital Transformation & Resilience at HP Inc., affirmed HP’s strategic commitment to building a supply chain and ecosystem in Vietnam and the region.
Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)’s Trade Promotion Agency Bui Quang Hung emphasised that logistics has evolved from a technical function into a core capability for Vietnamese exporters to maintain their competitive advantage in the US market.
A trade official has suggested companies work closely with shipping lines, airlines, and freight forwarders to monitor routes, transit times, and potential surcharges while exploring broader cargo insurance to cover risks like war and terrorism.
In addition to institutional reform, the agency is also rolling out key solution groups to combat counterfeit goods, imitations, and intellectual property infringements in the digital environment.
The event, co-organised by the Vietnam Trade Office in the UK and TT Meridian, a local importer of Vietnamese fresh produce, aims to build a national lychee brand and encourage broader recognition of Vietnamese fruits in a competitive, high-end market.
The industry's performance has been powered by bold investments in modern production lines, enabling Vietnamese firms to produce complicated products which were exclusive to advanced economies.
Outcomes of ABAC III will shape ABAC’s final policy recommendations to be submitted to the ABAC-APEC leaders’ dialogue, scheduled to take place in the Republic of Korea this November.
This is the second year the magazine has released the ranking, which is based on total revenue and key financial indicators of enterprises from seven countries in the region: Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Cambodia.
At the summit, publishing, tech, and media sectors will discuss emerging trends, business models, and sustainable solutions for digital publishing development in Vietnam.
An overview of the joint session (Photo: VNA) 
