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Projects such as Bunge’s agribusiness are expected to increase in number through stronger US ties. Photo: Le Toan In his first few days in office five years ago, President Donald Trump withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which was a pillar of the Barack Obama administration’s pivot towards Asia. The remaining 11 member states have since reframed the agreement as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and President Joe Biden’s commitment to rebuilding relations with allies has sparked speculation about the US returning to the fold. Fitch Solutions under global ratings firm Fitch Group told VIR in a statement that Vietnamese trade would receive a surefire boost should new Biden decide to rejoin the CPTPP. “Biden stated in 2019 that the US should renegotiate parts of the CPTPP and re-assemble a coalition to counterbalance China’s perceived expansionist policies. The Trump administration withdrew from the original deal in 2017 under the pretext that it would harm US workers. A scenario where the US rejoins the CPTPP would deliver substantial tailwinds to Vietnamese exports to the US from lower tariffs in major export categories,” Fitch said. In fact, the CPTPP may offer great windfalls to the US. Statistics from law firm Duane Morris Vietnam LLC showed that the population of the CPTPP countries exceeded 513 million people as of October 2020. The CPTPP countries account for nearly 45 per cent of US total exports and 37.6 per cent of US general imports in 2014. By cutting over 18,000 taxes in regards to CPTPP, there would be a great benefit for American importers and exporters by enabling them to enter new markets. As the United States International Trade Commission estimates, the US exports of goods and services to the world would expand by $27.2 billion by 2032 thanks to the CPTPP, while US imports would expand by $48.9 billion. Oliver Massmann, general director of Duane Morris Vietnam LLC, pointed out …

[Read more...] about Fresh dawn kindles for US-Vietnam relationship

New US President Joseph R. Biden was sworn in with his wife Jill Biden by his side, photo: AFP Last Wednesday many Americans breathed a sigh of relief as Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th US President without any further incident from those who believe the election was “stolen” from former President Donald Trump. Instead of attending the ceremony as is tradition, Trump and his family took one last trip on Air Force One to Florida, where he will be based until the former reality TV star decides whether to run for president again in 2024 – or perhaps even endorse a family member for the post. Alongside Biden, Kamala Harris was sworn in as vice-president, becoming the first woman in American history – as well as the first woman of African-American and South Asian descent – to take on the role. “Few people in our nation’s history have been more challenged or found a time more difficult than the time we’re in now,” Biden said in his inauguration speech. He vowed to dedicate his “whole soul” to rebuilding a country battered by disease, economic turmoil, racial inequality, and political division. The 78-year-old certainly has his work cut out for him, but he rushed into action to put his stamp on the presidency by signing a raft of executive orders within hours of entering the White House. Biden signed a letter retracting Trump’s decision to leave the World Health Organization, which would have been effective in July. There was widespread criticism and an almost complete lack of international support last year for Trump’s move in the midst of a pandemic. In the most noteworthy but also most unsurprising move, the US is to be reinstated to the Paris climate agreement. The accord, which looks to curb the heating of the planet, will be much boosted by the return of second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world. Biden has previously warned that climate change poses the “greatest threat to the country”, which was battered by record wildfires and …

[Read more...] about Domestic strife dampens US foreign policy

The Hanoitimes - The Vietnamese government and schools need to strive by all means to ensure that schools and classrooms are really safe for students. Schools must be safe before the resumption of classes, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said at a meeting on new corona virus diseases Covid-19 prevention on February 14, VnExpress reported. Illustrative photo "Safe both from the professional perspective and in the mind of students and their parents. Students should not go back to schools if they still fear being infected with the novel coronavirus (nCoV) and still have to wear a medical mask in classroom," Dam said. The deputy PM requested the Ministry of Education and Training to provide detailed instructions so that all levels, schools, teachers, students and parents can take measures to ensure students’ health before they return to school. First of all, the Vietnamese government and schools need to strive by all means to ensure that schools and classrooms are really safe for students, Dam added. Earlier, the Ministry of Health suggested that localities that are still free from the nCoV epidemic can reopen schools after sterilization. For localities where nCoV-infected patients are detected, the local Department of Education and Training must continue to monitor and allow the students to return to school only after preventive measures are taken, infected people are isolated and there are no new nCoV-infected cases. Minister of Education and Training Phung Xuan Nha on Friday affirmed that the school year 2019-2020 will be extended due to the Covid-19 epidemic. …

[Read more...] about Classes could only be resumed if safety ensured: Deputy PM