Deputy spokesperson: US defence chief’s visit increases bilateral ties

US Secretary of Defence Ashton Carter’s visit to Vietnam has promoted cooperation, with a view to bringing bilateral defence ties to a higher level, the Foreign Ministry’s Deputy Spokesperson Pham Thu Hang has stated.

Speaking at a regular press conference in Hanoi on June 4, Hang said the Vietnam-US defence cooperation has reached practical outcomes in recent times.

Regarding the joint vision statement on Vietnam-US defence relations, Hang reported that the statement aims to enhance friendship and mutual trust and understanding between the two countries and deepen their comprehensive partnership for peace and stability in the Southeast Asian and Asian Pacific regions.

Luxembourg treasures ties with Vietnam

Luxembourg treasures its relationship with Vietnam, Grand Duke of Luxembourg Henri said when he was presented with Vietnamese State President Truong Tan Sang’s credentials by Vietnam’s Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg Vuong Thua Phong on June 3.

The Grand Duke expressed his delight at the notable progress Vietnam has made in socio-economic development and foreign affair policies during its “Doi moi” (reform) period.

He said he hoped for closer ties and greater multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries, stressing that more opportunities were made available for bilateral cooperation in economics, trade and investment.

Luxembourg backs Vietnam in further expanding its collaboration with the European Union (EU) and will urge the EU’s early ratification of the Vietnam-EU Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) and early conclusion of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, Henri noted.

He asked Phong to convey his greetings to President Truong Tan Sang and other State leaders.

Vietnam and Luxembourg have inked the Indicative Cooperation Programme for 2011-2015, in which the Luxembourg government pledged to provide 42 million EUR in non-refundable aid for rural development, healthcare, tourism training, finance and banking in Vietnam.

In addition, the two nations have worked together with the World Health Organisation and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on healthcare and family planning.

NA deputies scrutinize Long Thanh airport project

National Assembly (NA) deputies debated issues related to the construction of the Long Thanh International Airport during the ongoing 9th session of the 13th NA in Hanoi on June 4.

Their opinions focused on the need to build the airport, the accord of the project with the infrastructure plan for economic development in the region, and investment and ways to mobilise capital for the project.

Investment forms, technologies and management models for the project; operation of the project; socio-economic benefit forecast; and impact evaluation of public debt after implementing the project were also on the agenda.

Participants underlined the importance of gathering opinions from scientists and independent consultation organisations operating in the field.

NA deputies also heard reports related to the draft law on information safety presented by Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Bac Son and Chairman of the NA Committee for Science, Technology and Environment Phan Xuan Dung.

In the afternoon, the deputies worked in groups on the draft amended laws on statistics and administrative procedures.

Condolences over sunken Chinese boat

Vietnamese leaders sent letters of condolences to their Chinese counterparts on June 4 over the recent tragic boat sinking on the Yangtze River which has claimed at least 65 lives.

State President Truong Tan Sang extended his condolences to Chinese President Xi Jinping while Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung conveyed his sympathy to Premier Li Keqiang.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh conveyed messages of sympathy to State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

On the same day, at the Foreign Ministry’s regular press conference, Deputy Spokesperson Pham Thu Hang extended profound condolences to the Chinese Government, people and victims’ relatives.

She hoped that search and rescue efforts by the Chinese Government would be successful in finding missing persons as soon as possible.-

Int'l workshop on maritime issues

The Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV) and the EU delegation in Hanoi have co-hosted a workshop on sea issues and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

During the workshop in Ha Long city on June 4, experts, scholars and policy practitioners from the European and Vietnam shared views and experiences as well as best practices on sea issues.

The event also helped strengthen attendees’ understanding and knowledge of the functions and mechanisms of the UNCLOS as well as regional and EU-Vietnam cooperation in maritime affairs.

Ambassador and Head of the EU Delegation, Franz Jenssen, reiterated the EU view to call for a long-term solution to the East Sea conflict must be through  dialogues and negotiations based on international law, including the UN Convention.

The EU encouraged joint exploitation of natural resources and a separation of territorial issue from economic exploitation to build up trust. Security and stability in the South East Asia are decisive to continued economic success in the region.

The workshop analysed various aspects pertaining to maritime issues in Europe and the Asian region, including legal regulations, maritime security, maritime cooperation and ocean governance; and maritime delimitation and dispute settlement.

The EU-Vietnam Strategic Dialogue Facility is a three-year programme (2013-2016) funded by the EU to support Vietnam’s development by carrying out activities in spheres covered by the EU-Vietnam Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.

Vietnamese taught in Laos

Deputy Minister of Planning and Investement Nguyen Chi Dung yesterday transferred a Vietnamese language centre to vice head of Lao's Houaphan Province, Khampheuy Keokinnaly, as a present from Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

In his visit to Laos in 2013, Prime Minister Dung was told of the wish of Vietnamese people living in the province to teach Vietnamese to their children as well as to Lao children in Houaphan Province, so he decided to build a Vietnamese teaching centre in the province.

The centre, which is located in Houaphan Province's Viengxay District, covers three hectares with eight classrooms for 168 students.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Chi Dung said the centre indicated the wish to foster co-operation between Viet Nam and Laos. For his part, Khampheuy Keokinnaly thanked Viet Nam for its support, emphasising that the project was a symbol of the comprehensive co-operation between the two countries.

Retirement age extended

The Government issued decision 53/2015 yesterday aimed at extending the retirement age for government officials, public workers and members of the armed forces, which will be set at 65 for men and 60 for women, in accordance with the country's Labour Law.

In order to be eligible for retirement age extensions, government officials, public workers and members of the armed forces must be capable of fulfilling their roles, and not under investigation or disciplinary reviews by the Party and the State.

The decision included deputy officials of numerous central party committees, offices, the inspection commission and steering committees.

Deputy chief level officials from the Office of the President, offices and committees under the National Assembly and the Fatherland Front are also eligible for retirement age extensions.

The new regulation will include deputy ministers, generals from the armed forces and chairpeople of provincial People's Committees.

EU envoy pushes East Sea trading

All East Sea territory claimants should seek a long-term resolution to settle the disputes through dialogue and negotiations based on international law, EU envoy to Viet Nam Franz Jessen said yesterday.

This would ensure prosperity for the whole region, he told a two-day high-level workshop held at the Diplomatic Academy of Viet Nam (DAV) in Ha Noi.

The workshop discussed maritime issues and gathered different approaches and experiences of European and Asian nations in resolving sea territory disputes through the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

More than 140 Vietnamese and international European law experts as well as diplomats and government officials attended the workshop.

They analysed several issues including the legal regime for maritime zones and maritime security, maritime delimitation and dispute settlement.

"Southeast Asian security and stability is a precondition for the regions' continued economic success. Southeast Asian nations cannot allow maritime disputes to pose a threat to the maritime safety, freedom of navigation and peace of the nearby seas," Jessen said.

DAV President Dang Dinh Quy also highlighted the key role international law plays in resolving disputes, saying it "should and must be considered as the basis of consensus and co-operation instead of disagreement."

He hoped that the workshop's discussions on the rationale application of UNCLOS would help generate recommendations for "better dispute management and prevention of conflicts, aiming for adequate settlement of territorial disputes and thus, prompting peace and development co-operation."

The East Sea is the world's second busiest sea lane through which more than half of the world's supertankers pass and US$5.3 trillion worth of annual trade is conducted.

China claims most of the East Sea, but this is hotly disputed by the Philippines, Viet Nam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

VNA/VOV/VNS