China and Vietnam are accelerating efforts to navigate bilateral trade towards a more balanced and sustainable course.

China will step up building a higher-level China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, Chinese President Xi Jinping said while holding talks with visiting Vietnamese President To Lam.

China and Vietnam are accelerating efforts to navigate bilateral trade towards a more balanced and sustainable course.
President Xi Jinping recently held talks with visiting Vietnamese President To Lam.
During the visit, Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung called for a restructuring of production, trade and supply chains alongside stronger investment cooperation.

Xi said both countries should work together in their modernisation drive, accelerate the alignment of development strategies and prioritise infrastructure connectivity.

While meeting Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao during the state visit, Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung called for a restructuring of production, trade and supply chains alongside stronger investment cooperation.

Wang said both sides should focus on implementing the high-level common perceptions, including raising bilateral trade turnover to $500 billion in future.

Hung urged China to expand imports of Vietnamese goods, broaden the list of products eligible for tariff preferences and further open its market. He also called for the mutual recognition of quarantine results for agro-forestry-fishery products, facilitation of Vietnamese exports via cross-border e-commerce, and expansion of Vietnam’s trade promotion offices across Chinese localities, according to a Vietnamese news agency.

China will continue to support Vietnam in setting up additional trade promotion offices, following those already established in Chongqing, Hangzhou and Haikou, Wang responded.

China also expressed readiness to support Vietnam’s stronger exports through cross-border e-commerce, encouraging greater visibility of the Vietnam National Pavilion on Chinese e-commerce platforms beyond JD.com to better promote Vietnamese products to Chinese consumers.

China has consistently been Vietnam’s largest trading partner and second-largest export market, while Vietnam continues to be China’s biggest trading partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)

Burberry presents the High Summer 2026 campaign: a film and portfolio of images capturing life at the lido, celebrating Britain’s culture of open-air pools that come alive with families, friends and neighbours every summer.

British actors Simone Ashley and Tom Blyth star alongside models Alva Claire, Babacar N’Doye and Sacha Quenby and a cast of synchronised swimmers and divers.

Burberry’s High Summer 2026 campaign captures Britain’s nostalgic lido culture through a sunlit film featuring Simone Ashley and Tom Blyth.
Blending heritage check with pastel tones, the collection spans swimwear, relaxed tailoring, raffia bags and lightweight layers, evoking effortless, poolside summer style.
Directed by Francis Plummer, the campaign reflects a warm, communal British summer mood.

The campaign film is directed by Francis Plummer and shot by photographer Ryan McGinley. The cameras move from loungers to diving boards, catching mid-air dives and friends stretched out in the hazy afternoon light. Before long, the best spots by the pool are claimed with a Burberry towel. Summer has begun. The film is underscored by the TONE remix of ‘Beating’ by Tirzah.

‘A lido holds a particular kind of nostalgia for the British. The moment the sun comes out, we make the most of the weather. We wanted to bring to life a warm summer’s day spent in and around the water’s edge with friends.’ said Daniel Lee Chief Creative Officer, Burberry.

Key styles

The High Summer 2026 collection features the Burberry Check in heritage-inspired sand beige and pastel shades of aubergine purple and cornflower blue.

The iconic Burberry Check bikini is the beach essential, alongside matching swimsuits and men’s swim shorts trimmed with check.

Poolside separates include tops, skirts and shirts cut from cotton voile, plus cover-up dresses woven with a tonal Burberry Check and deckchair-inspired stripes. Ruffled trims and ties at the neckline capture the floaty, effortless feel of the collection. Festival

tank tops in ribbed cotton jersey are trimmed with check straps, while looks are wrapped in lightweight wool silk scarves.

For men, collared shirts and shorts are tailored to relaxed lines and finished with fresh interpretations of the Burberry Check, from textural weaves to intricate embroidered designs. The co-ord set is crafted from lightweight cotton poplin printed with a playful seahorse pattern in honeysuckle pink.

The classic cotton piqué polo shirt comes in a spectrum of vivid and neutral colours. Burberry Check is subtly placed at the placket and trims the collar of T-shirts in soft cotton jersey.

Lightweight hooded jackets are ideal for cooler evenings and unexpected showers, the new-season designs woven in aubergine purple and cornflower blue check.

In shoes, the new Knight Runner sneakers offer a streamlined, low-profile shape for summer. Sandals are elevated in the form of the whipstitched leather Baez and check-trimmed suede Urchin styles, while Burberry Check slides and Pavilion sandals are made for the beach.

Lightweight Margate bags are handcrafted in Madagascar from locally sourced raffia palm leaves, dyed in signature sand beige Burberry Check. Accessories include crocheted bucket hats and wraparound sunglasses, designed to shield from the sun.

Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (JP)

The Drewry World Container Index (WCI) snapped a six-week rally and eased 2.72 per cent. The index dropped to $2,246 per FEU (Forty-foot Equivalent Unit) for the week ending April 16. The index stood at $2,309 per FEU in the week ending April 9. The six-week rally was initially triggered by higher bunker fuel prices following the late-February conflict in the Middle East. After trending down throughout January and early February, the index spiked due to geopolitical and oil supply disruptions. However, the rally halted amid declining rates on Asia–Europe and Transpacific lanes.

According to the Drewry WCI index, the spot rates from Shanghai to New York and Los Angeles decreased by 3 per cent to $3,552 and $2,810, respectively, per 40-foot container. As per Drewry’s Container Capacity Insight, 9 blank sailings have been announced on the Transpacific trade route for next week to maintain capacity. A few carriers have announced a Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) of around $2,000 per 40ft container, effective May 1. Drewry expects freight rates to remain relatively stable in the coming weeks before the implementation of the announced PSS.

Drewry WCI snapped a six-week rally, falling 2.72 per cent to $2,246 per FEU amid easing freight rates.
Declines on Asia–Europe and Transpacific routes drove the drop, though carriers plan PSS hikes from May.
Despite Middle East tensions, rates are expected to remain relatively stable, with capacity shifts and blank sailings influencing movements.

Spot rates on the Shanghai–Rotterdam trade route decreased 3 per cent to $2,229 per 40ft container, while rates on Shanghai–Genoa fell 2 per cent to $3,343 per 40ft container. Carriers are increasing effective capacity on this trade route, with only one blank sailing announced so far. Meanwhile, ZIM has announced a new bunker factor (NBF) of $850 per container, effective May 1, but for now Drewry expects freight rates to remain stable in the coming week.

Rates from New York to Rotterdam decreased 4 per cent to $1,022 per FEU, while Rotterdam to New York increased 3 per cent to $2,030 per FEU. Rotterdam-Shanghai rose 1 per cent to $599 per FEU, and Los Angeles–Shanghai steadied at $762 per 40-foot container.

The US-led naval blockade around the Strait of Hormuz has halted or restricted ships linked to Iran, with multiple vessels turned back. The disruption has strongly impacted global oil supply chains and pushed oil prices even higher. If ongoing negotiations fail, shippers should prepare for reduced schedule reliability, potential port omissions, longer lead times and upwards pressure on freight rates.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)