New COVID-19 outbreak puts brakes on trade, transport
The current COVID-19 resurgence has put the brakes on trade, transport and tourism, with all the sectors experiencing declines in May, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).
Authorities check a coach in Ninh Binh city, the capital of northern Ninh Binh province. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The current COVID-19 resurgence hasput the brakes on trade, transport and tourism, with all the sectorsexperiencing declines in May, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).
The turns of passengers transported across the countrywas estimated at 287.8 million this month, a 14.9-percent decrease from April,the GSO reported. The figure exceeded 1.59 billion in the first five months of2021, up 4.2 percent year-on-year.
In May, transport of goods, meanwhile, increased by 2.8percent to 139 million tonnes. This brought the total volume of freighttransport from January to May to 739 million tonnes, up 10.5 percentyear-on-year.
Total retail sales of goods and services valued 393.6trillion VND (17.1 billion USD), down 3.1 percent from the previous month and 1percent from a year earlier. The five-month sum hit over 2.08 trillion VND, up7.6 percent year-on-year.
International visitor arrivals in Vietnam totalled 13,400this month, down 30.8 percent month-on-month and 40.6 percent year-on-year. Thefive-month figure plunged 97.8 percent compared to the same period last year asinternational travel restriction continued to be in place./.
Vietnam must apply the principle of "5K plus vaccine and technology" in preventing and controlling COVID-19 to ensure that the pandemic is curbed early and remotely, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Social distancing will be imposed in Ho Chi Minh City under the Prime Minister's Directive 15/2020, while Go Vap district and Thanh Loc ward of District 12 will be applying measures under the PM's Directive 16/2020 for 15 days, from 00:00 on May 31, in order to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on May 30 sent a letter to his US counterpart Joe Biden to discuss bilateral relations, especially the enhancement of cooperation in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vietnam reported 61 more locally-transmitted COVID-19 cases over the past 12 hours to 6:00 am on May 31, pushing the national count to 7168, according to the Ministry of Health.
Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has asked authorities and relevant forces to work hard to prevent COVID-19 in lockdown areas in the northern provinces of Bac Ninh and Bac Giang from spreading to safe areas or adjacent localities.
The new Government decree also simplifies loan procedures while expanding credit incentives to include organic and circular agriculture, allowing them to access preferential terms similar to those of high-tech and value-chain based agricultural production.
Developed with state-of-the-art infrastructure, the Da Nang FTZ is designed to become a leading regional economic centre and a strategic growth pole in Vietnam’s new development landscape.
The Binh Duong Association of Supporting Industries (BASI) is expected to promote the usage of domestically manufactured components while supporting businesses in accessing international markets, strengthening linkages, and promoting deeper integration into global supply chains.
PwC Vietnam forecasts a vibrant M&A market in Vietnam’s healthcare sector in 2025, driven by rising demand for high-quality medical services and a growing middle class. Pharmaceutical companies, private hospitals, and specialised medical facilities, particularly in ophthalmology and oncology, are predicted to be key targets for M&A.
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.
Authorities check a coach in Ninh Binh city, the capital of northern Ninh Binh province. (Photo: VNA)
