Sept. 27 – Lombardy holds a share of 28.1% of total national exports according to the data (referring to 2012 ) in the latest edition of ICE’s annual report on foreign trade. This share has remained more or less constant since 2008, a sign that the region – despite the crisis – continues to be the locomotive of the Italian economy. There is a particularly strong relation between the region and Vietnam, with over 800 million interchanges in six months, divided among nearly 730 million imports and 84 million exports, with Milan as the region’s center for both. As is apparent from an elaboration by the Chamber of Commerce of Milan on Istat data relating to the first six months of 2013, the main imported goods are manufactured goods and foodstuffs (respectively 95.8% and 4.1% of imports from Vietnam). Within the manufactured goods category, computers characterize 86% of total manufacturing, for an increase of 108% in just a year. The principal exported goods are manufactured products (99.2%), in particular machinery (42%). Milan is the hub from which 41.2% of exported products originate, followed by Varese (11.6%). Milan is also the recipient of 93.4% of imported goods, followed by Monza and Brianza (1.6%). Monday morning at 10:30 am, Assolombarda will hold the meeting ” Vietnam -Italy Economic Cooperation Forum,” organized by Promos – Milan Chamber of Commerce, the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in Italy, Assolombarda, Ice and ISPI. The meeting will see the participation of the Deputy Minister for Industry and Trade of Vietnam Ho Thi Kim Thoa and the president of ICE Riccardo Monti.