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| Trade activities at Gemalink port, Ba Ria - Vung Tau province (Photo: VNA) |
Foreign firms occupied 11.06 billion USD, up 1.9% against the same time last year, while the domestic sector made up 4.02 billion USD of the total, a year-on-year rise of 10.4%.
During the period, the country enjoyed a trade surplus of 0.38 billion USD as compared to the 0.73 billion USD recorded in the same time last year.
Exports posting earnings of more than 1 billion USD included telephones and components (2.86 billion USD, up 6.7% year-on-year); electronics, computers and components (over 2.24 billion USD, up 22.1%), garment and textile (1.29 billion USD, down 17.8%), and machinery, equipment, tools and spare parts (1.63 billion USD, down 4.6%).
The Ministry of Industry and Trade is eying 377 billion USD in export revenue in 2024, rising 6% from 2023.
The general statistics office said the ministry should complete mechanisms and policies to create favourable macro-economic environment for exports, and develop a sound business climate for enterprises.
The sector should work to reduce the risks posed by trade defence investigations from importers towards sustainable export growth, enhance forecast and give early warnings to businesses whose products are at risks of being investigated.
Besides, it is necessary for the ministry to pen additional tax incentives, especially for machinery and equipment purchased from the markets that Vietnam are running trade surplus with.
Firms in Bac Giang plan to recruit some 100,000 labourers in 2024
Businesses in the northern province of Bac Giang need to recruit about 100,000 employees in 2024, mostly unskilled workers, thanks largely to a recovery in their production, said the Vietnam News Agency.
According to Nguyen Van Hue, head of the provincial job service centre, the electricity, electronics, and garment sectors have the highest recruitment demand.
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A staff of the Bac Giang job service centre helps a worker join an online interview.
(Source: baobacgiang.com) |
He partly attributed the cause behind the vacancies available to the recovery and production expansion of companies in Bac Giang. Additionally, some enterprises have expressed concerns about workers taking an extended Lunar New Year break and not returning to work, prompting them to seek replacements to fill the shortfall.
Hue said the number of workers demanded for the first quarter is forecast to exceed 22,000.
In response, the centre plans to hold 75 networking sessions for the entire year, connecting employers with suitable jobseekers.
Thousands of foreign arrivals to flock to Vietnam on luxury cruise ships
Several cruise ships carrying a total of about 15,000 international passengers are set to visit popular landscapes throughout the nation during the opening months of the year, said Radio the Voice of Vietnam.
In late January and February, Saigontourist Travel Service Company will receive many delegations of cruise tourists on Royal Caribbean Group, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, and Crystal Cruise.
The company revealed that roughly 3,000 passengers from the United States, Canada, the UK, and Australia will pay a five-day visit to the country on international ships Celebrity Solstice of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.
The international travelers will stop at destinations such as Ha Long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh on January 29, the central province of Thua Thien- Hue on January 31, and the southern province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau on February 2.
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Celebrity Solstice cruise ship brings foreign tourists to the coastal city of Nha Trang
in the southcentral province of Khanh Hoa (Photo: VOV) |
The cruise ship will then return to the country with two five-day trips, lasting from February 14 to February 18 and from February 22 to February 26.
Furthermore, Saigontourist will also welcome a huge number of holiday-makers on the Spectrum of the Seas of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and Crystal Symphony of Crystal Cruises from February 20 to February 25.
The tourists are scheduled to arrive at Quang Ninh to visit Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Upon arrival they will spend time on kayaks, which move across the water as they enjoy the beautiful scenery in the bay and the magnificent caves.
After that, they will have the chance to explore several tombs, pagodas, Hue garden culture, and ancient villages in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue.
They will also take trips to cultural and historical landscapes, bath at the beautiful beaches of Nha Trang and Vung Tau, have a look at rivers in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang’s Cai Be district, and explore the bustling atmosphere of Ho Chi Minh City.
VietJet honoured at International Finance Awards
Budget airline VietJet Air has won twin awards from notable magazine International Finance, including the “Best Finance Management – Aviation” and “Best Low-cost Airline in Southeast Asia”, said Radio the Voice of Vietnam.
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| VietJet Air wins “Best Finance Management – Aviation" awards (Photo: hanoimoi.vn) |
VietJet was highly appreciated for its excellent results achieved over recent years, especially in optimizing the aviation experience for customers and bringing innovative, creative, and safe products and services at reasonable costs.
The firm has also expanded its flight network across the Asia-Pacific region and gained positive business results following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ti Top Island among world's top 100 most incredible beaches
Travel publisher Lonely Planet of the United States has named Ti Top Island among the top 100 most incredible beaches in the world in 2024, Radio the Voice of Vietnam reported.
Ti Top Island is popular due to its array of breathtaking scenery and pleasant weather, making the beach a must-visit destination.
Covering a total area comprising of 3.7 hectares, Ti Top Island is one of the smallest islands making up Ha Long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh. The mesmerising view and its prime location attracts a large number of tourists each year.
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| A foreign family visits Ti Top Island (Photo: VOV) |
The island was named after Gherman Titov who was known as the pilot of the Vostok (East) II spacecraft. It was launched just four months after the first journey into outer space by the Soviet Union’s Yuri Gagarin in April 12, 1961.
Gherman Titov was the first person to photograph the Earth, conduct biomedical experiments, and communicate via radio from space.
In January, 1962, Titov visited the nation at the invitation of President Ho Chi Minh, who accompanied the cosmonaut to Ha Long Bay where they named island No. 48 Ti Top, which is a Vietnamese pronunciation of the cosmonaut’s name.
Rounding on the list of top 100 most incredible beaches is Blue Lagoon Beach of Yasawa Islands in Fiji, Lalomanu Beach of Upolu in Samoa, Tapuaeta’i/One Foot Island Beach of Aitutaki in the Cook Islands, Ta’ahiamanu Beach of Mo’orea in French Polynesia, Cathedral Cove of North Island in New Zealand, The Pass of Byron Bay in New South Wales in Australia, Wineglass Bay of Freycinet National Park in the Australian island of Tasmania, Bondi Beach of Sydney in Australia, and Squeaky Beach of Gippsland in the state of Victoria in Australia./.