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| At a stall in the expo (Photo: VNA) |
A total of 1,600 stalls are showcasing products in the areas of hand tools, gardening and landscaping technology, elevators and accessories, and sports items and bicycles.
Notably, international exhibition booths are introducing a diverse range of strong products from various countries including Belarus, the Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, China, and India.
The event also features conferences and trade and investment promotion events, such as the Vietnam-Belarus business forum.
According to Nguyen Van Nga, head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s southern representative office, the annual international trade fair has become a bridge for trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and countries worldwide. This year’s specialised exhibition areas provide favourable conditions for firms and visitors to access new technological trends, innovative products, advanced technologies, and new business models.
The expo lasts until December 9.
First cargo train from Hanoi reaches northern Chinese province
The first cargo train from Dong Anh Station in Hanoi has arrived in Shijiazhuang Inland Port in northern China's Hebei province in an effort to increase the two countries’ trade by rail, said Radio the Voice of Vietnam.
The train, which carried 800 tonnes of wood, tapioca starch, and other products on 35 containers, arrived at the Chinese port after a five-day journey.
The trip carried out by Vietnam Railway and the Shijiazhuang Inland Porttook less time than it would have done if it had been taken by sea, whilst customs procedures were also simpler compared to border crossings taken by trucks.
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| The first cargo train from Hanoi carrying commodities reaches the northern Chinese province of Hebei. (Photo: sjzdaily.com.cn) |
Previously, there had only been a one-way cargo train running from China to Vietnam.
On July 24, the first cargo train from the northern Chinese city of Shijiazhuang also arrived in Hanoi, carrying with it 800 tonnes of equipment, chemicals, and fertilizers.
By exploiting both ways, a number of quality Vietnamese products are now capable of reaching Chinese consumers, thereby contributing to strengthening trade exchanges between Vietnam and major provinces in northern China.
HCMC launches new night tour
A new night tour made its debut in Ho Chi Minh City on December 6 as part of activities in the ongoing Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) Tourism Week, the Vietnam News Agency reported.
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A corner of Ben Thanh Market in HCM City (Photo: VNA)
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The tour will provide visitors with service to experience culture - art, sightseeing – entertainment activities, night shopping - culinary culture and takeaway, and healthcare services, at night through destinations in District 1 such as Saigon Opera House, Ben Thanh Market, and Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts.
This is also one of the new tourism products aiming to exploit the potential for developing the night economy and nightlife tourism in District 1 in particular and HCM City in general, towards attracting more domestic and international holiday-makers to the southern metropolis.
Vice Chairwoman of the People’s Committee of District 1 Mai Thi Hong Hoa said the district has proactively reviewed its tourism resources associated with famous cultural and historical values to develop a plan for connecting and developing tour itineraries.
Night tourism products will help stipulate visitors’ demand for commercial services in District 1, contributing to promoting the city’s economic development, she said.
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| Visitors participate in the night tour in District 1 (Photo: VNA) |
According to Vice Director of the municipal Department of Tourism Le Truong Hien Hoa, each district in HCM City plans to develop a night tour as part of a joint effort to diversify tourism products in the locality.
District 1, which is likened to the "heart” of HCM City, is a key locality for tourism development with strengths in accommodation and dining facilities, he added.
Retail petrol prices record sharp decrease to VND22,000 per litre
The retail prices of oil and petrol nosedived as of 3 p.m. on December 7 following the latest adjustment made by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Finance, said Radio the Voice of Vietnam.
According to the changes, the price of RON 95-III went down VND668 to a maximum of VND22,322 per litre while that of E5 RON 92 was also reduced by VND509 to VND21,290 per liter.
This has marked the fourth consecutive decrease in RON95-III price over the past few weeks.
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| Retail petrol prices record sharp decrease to VND22,000 per litre (Photo: congthuong.vn) |
Elsewhere, the prices of diesel 0.05S and kerosene were capped at VND19,721 per litre and VND20,922 per litre, marking decreases of VND475 and VND194 per litre, respectively.
Meanwhile, mazut 180CST 3.5S was sold at VND15,527 per kilo, marking a fall of VND202 per kilo compared to the previous adjustment.
In this adjustment, the two ministries decided not to extract for or use the petrol price stablisation fund./.