Promoting Vietnam-Russia strategic partnership

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai will visit Russia from October 16-20 to attend the 15th meeting of the Vietnam-Russia Intergovernmental Committee for Economic, Trade, Science and Technological Cooperation.

Hai has been invited by First Deputy Prime Minister Igo igor Shuvalov. Vietnam-Russia relations were lifted to the level of comprehensive strategic partnership during State President Truong Tan Sang’s visit to Russia in July.

Since 2007, both sides have given priority to strengthening their strategic partnership through regular diplomacy-security-defence dialogue.

President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev have appreciated Vietnam’s important role in the East Asia and Asia-Pacific regions and always wish to strengthen ties with the country and penetrate deeper into the Association of Southeast Asian nations (ASEAN) and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

Vietnam-Russia two-way trade has grown considerably over the years, reaching nearly US$2.2 billion in the past seven months. Both sides are set to raise the annual turnover to US$5 billion in 2015 and US$10 billion in 2022.

In early 2013, Vietnam and the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia will start negotiations for a free trade agreement.

Japanese high-ranking delegation visits Binh Duong

A delegation of the Japan Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, led by Minister Yuichiro Hata, visited and had a working session with leaders of the southern province of Binh Duong on Oct. 10.

At the meeting, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Thanh Cung spoke highly of Japanese investors in Binh Duong who are operating 167 projects worth over 3.1 billion USD, including the Tokyu Binh Duong urban area, and added that the capital accounts for 18 percent of the total foreign investment in the province.

He said he hoped that the Japanese government will pay more attention to its investors who are and will be investing in Binh Duong Province.

Minister Yuichiro Hata said the Japanese government supports the Tokyu urban area and asked local authorities to facilitate the implementation of the project as well as others.

Japan has planned to develop a large-scale urban area in Vietnam and decided to choose Binh Duong as the place for the start of the project, he added.

The minister also said that his ministry will create favourable conditions for Japanese companies to invest in Vietnam in general and in Binh Duong in particular.

Japan will help Binh Duong in human resources training to boost the construction of eco-urban areas in the province, he added.

US National Defence University delegation visits Vietnam

Deputy Defence Minister Senior Lieu. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh hosted a reception in Hanoi on October 10 for a visiting delegation from the US National Defence University.

Tthe two sides exchanged views on the issues of mutual concern and agreed that the two armies should further strengthen the defence cooperation in the time to come, especially in solving the consequences of the war, mine clearance, dioxin detoxication and humanitarian activities.

The two armies’ education institutions should boost the cooperation in delegation exchange, personnel training, and teaching and studying experience sharing.

VNN/VOV/VNA