Photo for illustration (Source: VOV)
Two-way trade turnover between the two countries surged by approximately 37.8% year on year to reach nearly US$3.1 billion throughout the reviewed period.
Of the total, Vietnamese exports soared by 40.8% to reach US$2.8 billion, while its imports also saw an increase of 13.3% to over US$286 million.
Currently, the UAE represents one of Vietnam’s 10 largest export markets and its biggest trading partner in the Middle East and Africa, according to the Vietnamese Trade Office in the UAE.
Most notably, mobile phones and components witnessed the highest export turnover of US$1.85 billion, marking an annual rise of 48.1%, followed by computers, electronic products and components with US$246.4 million, up 17.4%, and machinery, equipment, tools and spare parts with US$148.1 million, up 43.1%.
Elsewhere, strong export growth was also recorded in agricultural products, including cashew nuts with approximately US$23 million, representing an increase of 200%, and pepper with nearly US$40 million, up 185%.
Despite recording strong growth in several sectors, a number of export items experienced a downward trajectory, including bags, wallets, suitcases, hats, umbrellas, tea, rice, and paper.
Major Vietnamese imports from the UAE include plastics, petroleum products, liquefied petroleum gas, metals, animal feed, and raw materials.
With continued growth momentum moving forward, their two-way trade turnover is anticipated to reach US$5 billion by the end of the year.
HCM City calls on people to “stay where they are” as COVID-19 surges
Ho Chi Minh City’s authorities are urging its residents to “stay where they are” and each house, residential zone and commune must keep isolated with each other, starting from August 23.
In front of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Headquarters. (Photo: VNA)
According to VNA, the decision was announced by the municipal Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control during a press conference on the city’s COVID-19 situation on August 20.
The committee is heightening pandemic control measures by calling “each residential zone, street, ward, commune, township, organization, and factory must be a 'fortress' to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”
The city will also redouble efforts to care for COVID-19 patients, particularly those in critical conditions, and minimise fatalities. It will continue conducting mass testing at red-coded or “very high-risk” areas and accelerate COVID-19 vaccination rollout.
The city’s COVID-19 situation remains very complex, said Phan Nguyen Nhu Khue, head of the municipal Party Committee’s Board for Information and Education, so COVID-19 measures must be tightened to achieve the highest possible results as the government has requested HCM City to keep the virus at bay before September 15.
The city has also come up with plans to ensure adequate supplies of necessities to people during the time of heightening COVID-19 rules.
HCM City, Vietnam’s current largest COVID-19 hotspot, has so far recorded over 164,000 infections.
More medical workers sent to help with pandemic control in southern localities
Three northern provinces - Lao Cai, Yen Bai and Ha Nam - on August 20 sent a total 100 medical workers to Dong Nai province to assist the southern locality in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, reported VNA.
Lao Cai sends 40 health workers with training in pandemic
prevention and control skills (Photo: VNA)
This time Lao Cai sends 40 health workers with training in pandemic prevention and control skills who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Previously, Lao Cai has also sent two volunteer groups with nearly 100 medical workers to help Bac Giang and Binh Duong provinces in the fight against COVID-19.
The team of medical workers of Yen Bai province consisted of seven doctors and 23 nurses who specialize in emergency resuscitation.
This is the eighth time Yen Bai has sent medical workers to help other localities in the fight against COVID-19 in both the northern and southern regions, including Ho Chi Minh City.
The province is among a handful of localities in the country that have not recorded any community infections of COVID-19.
The same day, the 30-member delegation of Ha Nam also left for Dong Nai where COVID-19 cases are increasing quickly. About 80 medical workers of Ha Nam are also working in Ho Chi Minh City.
Meanwhile, 113 volunteers from the Nam Dinh University of Nursing in northern Nam Dinh province also arrived in Binh Duong on August 20 to support the pandemic prevention task in the locality.
Also on the same day, Phuong Trang Group handed over 50 oxygen generators worth about 1.7 billion VND (over 74,000 USD) to the Vietnam Fatherland Front committee of the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap to help with the treatment of COVID-19 patients in the locality.
Previously, on August 17, the group also donated 50 oxygen generators and 100 SPO2 tools worth 1.8 billion VND to support Dong Thap.
The Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City on August 20 held a virtual event to receive an ECMO machine worth 145,000 USD donated by Indian businesses and expats to help the city fight COVID-19./.