China ranked second with US$16.4 billion, followed by the EU with US$13.7 billion, ASEAN with US$11.1 billion, the Republic of Korea (RoK) with US$7.8 billion, and Japan with US$7.3 billion.
Throughout the reviewed period, Vietnam’s export turnover of goods dropped by 11.8% to US$108.57 billion against the same period last year.
Meanwhile, the country’s four-month import turnover also declined by 15.4% year on year to US$102.22 billion.
China was the largest importer of Vietnamese goods with an estimated turnover reaching US$33.3 billion, trailed by the RoK with US$16.7 billion, ASEAN with US$13.4 billion, Japan with US$7.3 billion, the EU with US$4.4 billion, and the United States with US$4.1 billion.
The reviewed period saw Vietnam rack up a trade surplus of US$24.4 billion, of which US$24.4 billion was generated from Vietnamese export surplus to the US alone.
Vietjet increases frequency of flights on routes to Australia
Vietjet will increase the frequency of flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Melbourne and Sydney (Australia) to respond to the big demand for visiting relatives, traveling and studying abroad of people and tourists, reported Vietnam News Agency.
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| A Vietjet aircraft (Photo: Vietjet Air) |
Accordingly, the frequency of direct flights connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Melbourne will increase to four return flights per week from September 17. The flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Melbourne on every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday will take off at 10:55 am and land at 10:35 pm (local time). Meanwhile, the flights from Melbourne to Ho Chi Minh City on every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday will take off at 12:30 am and land at 6:30 am (local time).
The direct flights connecting Ho Chi Minh City to Sydney will also increase to four return flights per week from September 18. The flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Sydney on every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday will take off at 07:30 pm and land at 07:20 am (local time). The flights from Sydney to Ho Chi Minh City on every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday will take off at 11:15 am and land at 04:30 pm (local time).
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| Vietjet will increase the frequency of flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Melbourne and Sydney (Australia) to respond to the big travel demand. (Photo: Vietjet Air) |
Additionally, passengers are having many opportunities to hunt zero-VND tickets on routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Australia (Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane) on every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, from now until October 25. The first direct flight connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Brisbane will also be launched by Vietjet this June.
Booking a flight with Vietjet, passengers will enjoy a journey with modern aircraft, dedicated and professional cabin crews, along with a rich menu with fresh and hot organic meals featuring global culinary culture, as well as many products, services and utilities.
Especially, when registering for the Vietjet SkyJoy loyalty programme, passengers can use reward SkyPoints to redeem vouchers of Vietjet and services from 250 favourite brands of dining, resort and shopping in Vietnam, via SkyJoy mobile app or website https://skyjoy.vietjetair.com.
Traffic accidents down in first four months
There were 3,159 traffic accidents nationwide from December 15 – April 14, claiming the lives of 1,895 people and injuring 2,154 others, reported the Office of the National Traffic Safety Committee.
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| Illustrative image (Photo: qdnd.vn) |
Compared to the same period last year, the number of accidents, fatalities and the injured was down 17.33%, 17.68% and 10.66%, respectively.
On the nation's roads, 3,122 accident cases claimed 1,869 lives and left 2,148 others injured, representing respective decreases of 17.41%, 16.82% and 10.61%.
Meanwhile, 28 railway accidents killed 18 people and injured six others. Year-on-year, the number of cases and fatalities rose by 12% and 5.88%, respectively, while that of the injured decreased by 14.29%.
Six accidents happened on waterways, down eight cases, and three on marine routes, up one case, taking eight lives in total, down 30 deaths from the same period last year.
In April alone, two waterway accidents killed two persons which remained unchanged annually.
In aviation, one accident at A-level was recorded, involving a BELL 505 helicopter which crashed while carrying tourists over the water near Gia Luan commune, Cat Hai district, the northern port city of Hai Phong. It resulted in the death of one pilot and four passengers. The investigation is now underway.
Vietnamese handicrafts promoted in Italy
A forum on opportunities for Vietnamese handicraft products has taken place as part of the MIDA – Florence International Crafts Fair 2023, which runs in Italy from April 25 to May 1, reported Vietnam News Agency.
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| Visitors at at the Vietnamese space at the MIDA - Florence International Crafts Fair 2023 in Italy (Photo: VNA) |
Co-organised by the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy and the Vietnam Trade Promotion Centre for Agriculture (AGRITRADE), the event gathered leaders of European and Italian craft associations, as well as Italian experts and businesses in the field.
Addressing the forum, Duong Phuong Thao, Trade Counselor at the embassy, informed participants that diverse handicraft products from across Vietnam, which are produced from natural materials that are sustainably exploited locally, have so far made their presences in 163 countries and territories around the world, with the EU named their second largest market after the US. In Italy, the goods are increasingly popular, with the turnover of several products, such as bamboo-rattan products and carpets, have grown by double digits.
Nguyen Thi Hoang Yen, deputy head of the Vietnamese Department of Cooperatives and Rural Development, said the sector is not only a production area with important contributions to creating incomes and jobs for rural people, but also an industry imbued with the national cultural identity.
President of the World Crafts Council Europe Elisa Guidi said Europe's green development trend is a great opportunity for handicraft products.
She recommended the Vietnamese handicraft sector come up with communication measures to help consumers understand the art story behind each product and encourage young people to choose handicrafts as a career direction in the future.
Participating Italian experts held that Vietnam's handicraft has all the key factors serving its further success. They suggested the industry be developed based on three core values of ensuring contemporarity, sustainability and originality, meeting specific tastes of their target markets.
The annual fair attracted more than 500 exhibitors from over 50 countries worldwide, including Vietnam./.