May CPI shows slight reduction due to dropping petrol, power, rice prices - Illustrative image (Source: VNA)
The average index for the first five months was up 4.39 percent from that of the same period last year. In the period, basic inflation rose by 2.88 percent year-on-year.
According to the GSO, in May, four out of the 11 commodity groups experienced price reductions: transport (2.21 percent); culture, entertainment and tourism (0.02 percent); post and telecommunication services (0.02 percent); and garment, headwear and footwear (0.01 percent).
Increases were seen in prices of restaurant and catering service (0.34 percent); beverage and tobacco (0.25 percent); housing and building material (0.25 percent); other commodities and services (0.07 percent); household appliances (0.05 percent); and medicine and medical services (0.04 percent).
Meanwhile, prices in the education group remained unchanged.
In the month, CPI in urban areas was down 0.17 percent, while that in rural areas was up 0.11 percent.
Talking with Vietnam News Agency, Do Thi Ngoc, head of the GSO’s Price Statistics Department, attributed the falling CPI to decreases in prices of petrol, electricity, rice, and housing rent.
In May, gold prices moved up in tandem with global gold prices, surging 2.41 percent from April to hover around VND4.71 million (USD203.7) per tael.
The VND/USD exchange rate reduced 0.41 percent, with one USD exchanged for VND23,219.
Vietnam’s canned tuna exports to key markets rise
Vietnam has seen an increasing export of canned tuna to a number of key market though adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).
Processing tuna for export (Photo: internet)
Vietnam News Agency quoted data from the General Department of Vietnam Customs showing that in the first four months of 2020, the export of Vietnam’s canned tuna to the US rose 2 percent year-on-year.
The increasing demand for canned tuna in the European Union (EU) pushed Vietnam’s shipments to this market up 2.7 percent compared to the same period last year.
In April, the country’s tuna export to ASEAN recorded a rise of 4 percent year-on-year. In particular, a surge of 61 percent was seen in Thailand - the largest importer of Vietnamese tuna in the group.
The tuna shipments to Egypt and Japan expanded 59 percent and 36 percent, respectively.
VASEP said that Japan is increasing import of other processed tuna products from Vietnam, especially frozen tuna, which saw a year-on-year soaring growth of 111 percent.
Vietnam yet to open door to all foreign tourists
The National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control reached agreement at a meeting on May 28th that the country should not open door to all foreign tourists at this time, as risks of transmission from outside remain, Vietnam News Agency reported.
Foreign visitors explore sand dunes in Binh Thuan province before COVID-19 broke out (Photo: VNA)
The committee’s members said only visitors from countries where there have been no new cases for at least 30 days should be allowed to enter Vietnam.
Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Trinh Thi Thuy reported that localities and travel businesses have responded warmly to the domestic tourism stimulus program, offering numerous discounts and new products. Hotel occupancy rates have reached 80-90 percent and even 100 percent in some places, which are good signs for domestic tourism.
According to the deputy minister, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has coordinated with travel associations to prepare plans to receive international tourists once the pandemic is contained, but the focus in the immediate future is on domestic tourism.
Discussing the entry of foreign investors, experts, technicians, business managers and skilled workers, the steering committee underlined the responsibility of People’s Committees of provinces and cities in approving the list of such people submitted by companies. The list will then be sent to the Ministry of Public Security for visa consideration.
People’s Committees of provinces and cities are also responsible for designating the facilities for quarantining those foreign experts following their entry into Vietnam. Family members of those experts, especially children who have earlier studied in Vietnam, are also allowed to enter the country, the steering committee said.
The steering committee also required rapid-response teams of the Health Ministry to intensify inspections of concentrated quarantine facilities, flight crews and ship crews as part of preparations to receive foreign experts.
Foreign students entering Vietnam by land will be quarantined in concentrated facilities run by the military.
Vietnam has recorded no community transmission of COVID-19 for 42 consecutive days since April 16th. The total number of cases in the country stands at 327 as of May 29th morning, including 187 imported cases who were quarantined upon their arrival, posing no risk of community infection.
As many as 278 out of 327 patients have recovered, accounting for 85 percent of the total, and there has been no death./.