EU-Vietnam FTA: India’s labour-intensive export sectors to feel the heat, China may gain

By: Banikinkar Pattanayak | Financial Express  Published: June 29, 2020 Beijing to ramp up investments in SE Asian country, to overcome barriers to its direct trade with EU The EU, India’s second-largest export destination, accounted for about 17% of the country’s total outbound shipment. Pandemic-hit Indian exporters, especially in labour-intensive sectors, are expecting their fortune to plummet further, as key competitor Vietnam has clinched a free trade agreement (FTA) with the EU. The pact will raise competition between the Asian rivals for the lucrative EU market in a range of products such as garments, footwear, marine products, plastics, rubber, leather and coffee (See the chart). Importantly, Vietnam will get duty-free access to the EU for 71% of its goods from day one and 99% after seven years but Indian supplies will continue to attract up to 9.6% duty (the maximum, among the products from labour-intensive sectors, is on garments). Continue reading on CVD >>

Southeastern region boosts human-centred tourism development

08:08 | 29/06/2020

VGP – Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam has called upon the Southeastern region to focus on human-centred tourism development and enable local people to engage in tourism development in favor of poverty reduction.

A corner of the Southeastern region – Illustration photo

The Government leader made the statement at a conference on tourism development connectivity in the Southeastern Region on June 28 in Tay Ninh province.

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Hong Kong to be governed by mysterious law secretly passed by China

By CNN 9:32pm Jun 30, 2020 China’s new national security legislation for Hong Kong was written and passed behind closed doors, without the consultation of the city’s local government or legislature. It reportedly came into force on June 30, potentially rewriting the city’s legal system – despite the fact the overwhelming majority of residents have no idea of what precisely it will entail. According to reports in Communist Party-controlled media, the law is expected to criminalise offenses such as secession, subversion against the central Chinese government, terrorism, and colluding with foreign forces.
Riot police stop and search people during a protest against the national security law.
Riot police stop and search people during a protest against the national security law. (Getty)
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