Garments are one of Vietnam's key export items to the US. (Photo: VOV) Minister Councilor Bui Huy Son of the Vietnamese Embassy in the US in charge of the Vietnamese Trade Office there said Vietnam’s exports to the US achieved a growth rate of over 24%, while US exports to Vietnam also grew by nearly 14%. This is a very positive result, demonstrating the ability to seize and take advantage of market opportunities between the two economies, Son told Washington-based VOV correspondents in an interview recently. According to the official, the import-export goods between the two sides are highly complementary. Vietnam mainly exports to the US electronics and compponents, garments, footwear, and farm produce, including seafood, while it imports from the market raw materials for production, such as cotton, timber, pharmaceuticals and temperate fruits, said Son. He admitted that it is not easy to obtain such impressive growth in bilateral trade as the COVID-19 outbreak disrupted global supply chain. This result was even more significant, when at the beginning of 2021 the two countries’ trade was overshadowed by the US’ initiation of investigations into Vietnam’s foreign exchange control policy and timber traceability. Relevant agencies of the two sides coordinated well in making clear issues of mutual concern, and the US finally did not impose tariffs following these two investigations. Son anticipated that the two economies would continue to recover considerably in 2022, paving the way for them to expand bilateral trade. However, he warned there would be many unpredictable factors, such as the complicated nature of COVID-19, high inflation in the US, as well as the resilience of other economies engaging in the global supply chain. In that context, he suggested the two sides continue to maintain dialogue, share information, and further enhance mutual understanding to promptly detect and deal with arising problems. It’s important that businesses should closely monitor market developments, take advantage of the US’ strong economic recovery and meet its legal traceability requirements to avoid lawsuits, he said. Vietnam begins reopening skies to int’l air travel on New Year’s Day A Vietnam Airlines plane from Cambodia to Vietnam touched down at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on January 1 evening, the first such international commercial flight to Vietnam in 2022, reported VOV News. Vietnam Airlines flight VN852 brings passengers from Cambodia to Vietnam on New Year's Day, marking the reopening of Vietnam's skies to international air travel in 2022. Vietnam begins reopening skies to int’l air travel on New Year’s Day. (Photo: VOV) Vietnam Airlines flight VN852 brings passengers from Cambodia to Vietnam on New Year's Day, marking the reopening of Vietnam's skies to international air travel in 2022. The flight marked the reopening of Vietnam’s skies connecting the country with the rest of the world, offering the prospect of a post-pandemic recovery in the aviation and tourism industries. The flight is part of a Government-approved pilot scheme to restore regular international flights to destinations with high safety factors, starting from January 1, 2022. This policy aims to restore international passenger transportation and promote economic recovery to ensure Vietnam will not lag behind other countries in the region. It also creates conditions for Vietnamese citizens to return to their homeland in the coming Lunar New Year holiday (Tet). In the first phase, Vietnam has planned to operates such flights to the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), China, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. So far the United States, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and Cambodia have agreed to resume international air routes to Vietnam. Further negotiations for other markets are underway. Vietnam Airlines is one of several domestic airlines receiving permits to conduct international flights in the first phase. Besides the Cambodia route, the national flag carrier is scheduled to fly to Japan on January 5 and the US on January 9. Vietnam Airlines has announced a plan to resume regular international flights between Vietnam and 15 countries and territories in the first half of 2022. It is offering tickets for flights to the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Laos and Taiwan (China). EVFTA Domestic Advisory Group has three more members Processing dragon fruit for export (Illustrative photo - Source: VNA) Three more members have been added to a Domestic Advisory Group (DAG) established under the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), pushing the total number of its official members to six, reported Vietnam News Agency. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has recently issued Decision 3019/QD-BCT to amend and supplement a number of articles of its Decision 1972/QD-BCT on the establishment of the group. Accordingly, the three new members consist of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), the Vietnam Fisheries Society (VINAFIS), and the Education for Nature Vietnam (ENV). The initial members of the group are the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the Institute for Workers and Trade Unions (IWTU) under the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour and the Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD Set up under Article 13.15 of Chapter 13 on Trade and Sustainable Development in the EVFTA, the DAG operates as a forum and has neither legal status nor its own stamp and bank account. It will operate in a self financing mechanism. It has the function and task of collecting and presenting viewpoints, making recommendations, advice and feedback relating to the implementation of the chapter on trade and sustainable development in the EVFTA. Those viewpoints and recommendations will be submitted to the EVFTA’s Committee on Trade and Sustainable Development. Members of the DAG Vietnam are associations, non-governmental organisations and non-profit organisations of Vietnam, which operate legally in the country and represent legitimate interests related to trade and sustainable development in Vietnam. Many art exhibitions welcome New Year 2022 Some works at the exhibition "Mua Trong Vuon". (Photo: NDO) On the occasion of the New Year 2022, many exhibitions of painting, sculpture, calligraphy, installation art were organised at art galleries in Hanoi, to serve the public, reported Nhan Dan News. An exhibition titled "Mua Trong Vuon" (Seasons in Garden) by female painters Trang Thanh Hien and Nguyen My Ngoc opened at Vietnam University of Fine Arts (42 Yet Kieu) on January 1. After many delays due to the COVID-19 epidemic, the exhibition was displayed on New Year's Day to mark the beginning of new hopes. Both artists are lecturers at Vietnam Fine Arts University; Trang Thanh Hien is a lecturer at the Department of Art History, Theory and Criticism at and Nguyen My Ngoc is a lecturer at the Department of Graphics. While Trang Thanh Hien brings to the exhibition a selection of works inspired by flowers with wood carving materials, Nguyen My Ngoc's paintings find inspiration in rubber engravings combined with monoprinting. The nearly 80 graphic paintings, with trees, leaves, flowers, and hidden images of women, are lyrical, feminine and blooming in artistic creation. The exhibition will run until January 12. At 16 Ngo Quyen Fine Art Exhibition House, 2 painting exhibitions opened on January 1 and will last until January 10. Of which, the exhibition "Chao Xuan" (Hello Spring), by painter Nguyen Minh Son, uses eye-catching and fresh colours to fill the scenes and flowers depicted in each work with energy and vitality. Some works are displayed at the exhibition "Chao Xuan" by artist Nguyen Minh Son. (Photo: NDO) Meanwhile, the exhibition “Nham Dan” (Year of Tiger) is a meaningful milestone for painter, director, and outstanding artist Nguyen Nghiem Nhan as he chose to hold the exhibition at the beginning of the new year 2022, when he turned 60 years old. As per the name, "Nham Dan" is a gallery fill