Pepper remains one of Vietnam's major exports to the UK. (Photo: VNA)
Vietnam’s exports exceeded 5.7 billion USD, up 16.4 percent year-on-year, the ministry said, attributing the increase to the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) which took effect in August 2020.
Sharp growth was seen in shipments of fruits and vegetables (67 percent), coffee (17 percent), pepper (49 percent), iron and steel (1,269 percent), and toys and sports equipment (19 percent).
Meanwhile, imports from the UK rose by 23.6 percent to nearly 850 million USD.
Vietnam exported more than 4.8 billion USD worth of goods to the UK in the first four months of 2022, with major currency earners including seafood, coffee, pepper, cashew nut, textile and garment, footwear, iron and steel, phones, computers, machinery, and toys and sports equipment.
Gov’t resolves to speed up public investment capital disbursement
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on May 2 signed a decision to establish six working groups to accelerate the disbursement of public investment capital at ministries, centrally-run agencies and localities, reported VOV News.
Capital disbursement for infrastructure construction is at a snail's pace. (Illustrative image)
Four of the working groups are headed by four Deputy Prime Ministers of Pham Binh Minh, Vu Duc Dam, Le Minh Khai and Le Van Thanh, while the two remaining groups are led by Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, and Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc.
These working groups are tasked with reviewing difficulties and obstacles, analyzing causes and proposing solutions to promote disbursement of public investment capital and improve capital use efficiency, especially for projects using ODA capital and concessional loans from foreign donors.
They are required to consider the responsibility of leaders in directing and removing bottlenecks, report to the Prime Minister and put forward solutions.
By the end of the first quarter of this year, four centrally-run agencies and five localities had allocated 100% of the public investment capital plan, with a disbursement rate reaching more than 25%. However, 13 ministries, centrally run agencies and 21 localities had not fully allocated, and 29 ministries and centrally run agencies had yet to disburse capital.
Cargo through seaports rises 3 percent in four months
A view of Hai Phong Port in northern Vietnam. (Photo: VNA)
Seaports in the country handled more than 236 million tonnes of cargo during the first four months of 2022, up 3 percent from the same period last year, according to the Vietnam Maritime Administration (VMA), reported Vietnam News Agency.
The volume of container cargo going through seaports reached about 8 million TEUs during the period, up 2 percent year-on-year. The figure includes 2.8 million TEUs of imports which saw a significant increase of 8 percent compared to a year earlier.
The VMA noted that in April alone, the volume of cargo through seaports totalled 59 million tonnes, up 3 percent. Container cargo hit some 2 million TEUs, a hike of 2 percent from 2020.
Several coastal provinces experiencing major growth in cargo volumes comprise Quang Ninh (11 percent), Quang Nam (19 percent), Dong Nai (8 percent), and Thanh Hoa (6 percent)./.
Planning for Van Phong EZ to be revised
An aerial view of Van Phong Economic Zone in Khanh Hoa. (Photo: VNA)
Plans for the development of Van Phong Economic Zone (EZ) will be revised, according to a decision recently signed by Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh.
Established in 2006 in the districts of Van Ninh and Ninh Hoa in the south-central coastal province of Khanh Hoa, Van Phong EZ covers 1,500sq.km, some 800sq.km of which are at sea.
The zone includes an international container port, an oil refinery and a point of transit for petroleum and petroleum products. It also caters for tourism, services, industry, aquaculture and other economic sectors.
Van Phong serves as an economic centre of Khanh Hoa, an investment magnet and a driving force for economic development in neighbouring areas.
The 1,500sq.km Van Phong EZ comprises an international container port. (Photo: VNA)
The revision of the plan aims to transform Van Phong EZ into a hub of the south-central coastal region and the Central Highlands in the marine economy, hi-tech industries, innovation, vocational training and quality healthcare services, as well as a centre for international marine tourism and services for the development of new industries and smart cities.
By 2050, the EZ is expected to become a dynamic, competitive, smart and sustainable economic hub that not only facilitates socio-economic growth but also helps ensure national defence and security, the decision said. The government also wants to create higher living standards.
The amended plan must provide an assessment of the conditions at Van Phong EZ and its potential to propose an appropriate growth model./.