Vietnam, Macedonia forge bilateral ties

Macedonia and Vietnam have much advantages in the field of economics, but the bilateral cooperation has yet to match the two countries’ potential, President Truong Tan Sang has said.



Sang made the remarks at a reception for visiting Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki in Hanoi on November 12.

The President thanked Macedonia for supporting Vietnam’s struggle for national liberation, stating that the good relationship of the past is basis for the two nations’ growing bilateral cooperation in the future.

He expressed his hope that the visiting foreign minister will work with Vietnam’s agencies to sign agreements soon, paving the way for the acceleration of economic and trade ties.

The leader asked for support from Macedonia for Vietnam’s member elections to some UN organisations.

Nikola Poposki informed President Sang of the outcome of the talks between him and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, saying that the two sides are preparing to sign some cooperation agreements in the fields of culture, economics, education and investment.

He highly valued Vietnam’s investment attractiveness, adding that Macedonia is willing to welcome foreign investors, including those from Vietnam.

Earlier the same day, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh held talks with his Macedonian counterpart.

At the talks, Minh said Poposki’s visit is an important milestone to consolidating and promoting the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Minh said Vietnam considers developing friendship and cooperation with traditional friends, including Macedonia, highly important.

For his part, Minister Poposki said Macedonia wants to restore, expand and strengthen the traditional friendship with Vietnam.

The two sides maintained that the economic-trade cooperation between both countries is modest, but agreed on measures to further enhance the cooperation between Vietnam and Macedonia.

They said the first step is to accelerate the signing of agreements on economic cooperation and investment, as well as establishing direct relations between enterprises through business forums and between the two chambers of commerce and industry.

Vietnam is willing to act as a conduit for Macedonia’s goods to enter ASEAN countries. Likewise, Macedonia will act as a gateway for Vietnamese goods, especially rice and coffee, to enter the Balkan market.

They also agreed to speed up education-training cooperation by considering the signing of a bilateral agreement and building specific programmes to receive each nation’s students.

Progress made on notaries membership

Vietnam is making good progress in becoming a future member of the International Union of Notaries, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung told the Union’s President Jean-Paul Decorps in Hanoi on November 12.

Dung praised the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Council of French Notary for coordinating the first conference on fostering local level notary cooperation between Vietnam and France.

He hoped both countries’ notaries will work to maintain a secure legal corridor for all civil transactions, as well as commercial and investment activities of both countries’ individuals and organizations.

Decorps said he was impressed with Vietnam’s socio-economic progress and committed to assisting Vietnam’s admission to the union.

Asia academia failing to match market

Asian universities and secondary schools must better align themselves with labour market so they can ensure graduates have the skills and knowledge required by employers, says a new Asian Development Bank report, Improving Transitions: From School to University to Workplace.

An ADB statement about the report quotes Jouko Sarvi, Education Practice Leader in the bank's Regional and Sustainable Development Department, as saying: "Asia's ability to compete in a globalised world depends on the readiness of students entering university, the employability of graduates in the labor market, and acceleration of innovation, science, and technology for creating new products and services."

The report shows Asia's students need to be better prepared for the rigors of higher learning, including problem solving and critical thinking needed in math and science studies.

It says the role of education in supporting human resource development is increasingly in the spotlight as more Asian countries move toward middle income status and demand grows for skilled labour to support higher economic growth.

"The misalignment between schools, universities and the job market is evident in regional employment trends," the ADB press release says.

It notes that in Mongolia, graduates of vocational training earn more than graduates of colleges and universities. In Thailand, where the education system "skews toward social science", 80 per cent of firms report difficulties in finding employees with adequate technical skills. Meanwhile, unemployment among graduates from top-tier universities in China stood at 10 per cent in 2008.

Looking at 15 countries in South Asia, Southeast Asia and East Asia, the report recommends diversifying higher education options being offered to students, in line with labour market needs. It also encourages partnerships with other institutions and the private sector to foster secondary education reform, and better prepare students for future employment.

State President encourages all-people unity movement

President Truong Tan Sang on November 11 joined people in ward 5, district 3, Ho Chi Minh City in celebrating the 82nd anniversary of National Great Unity Festive Day (November 18).

Talking to local residents, Sang recalled late President Ho Chi Minh’s Thought on national unity and suggested local authorities and people apply his thinking.

He highly valued their active participation in the movements launched by the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF).

He asked the VFF chapter to take creative and effective methods to encourage more people from all social strata to care for poor families and beneficiaries of State policies.

On this occasion, President Sang presented gifts to two poor households in the ward.

Lao Cai, Yunnan discuss plans for Red River basin

About 150 Vietnamese and Chinese experts and officials gathered here on Friday and Saturday for a fourth international conference to discuss plans for development of the Red River basin shared by the northern province of Lao Cai and China's southern province of Yunnan.

Economic and cultural co-operation in the river basin has focused on sustainable development and harmony between the natural environment and the interests of all parties concerned, said the director of the Lao Cai provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Tran Huu Son.

Forum participants reviewed research projects focused on the historical and cultural values of the Red River basin and aimed at boost understanding and co-operation between the two provinces, as well as the development of sustainable tourism links between Yunnan's Honghe Prefecture and Lao Cai.

They also discussed the establishment of the Kunming-Lao Cai-Ha Noi-Hai Phong economic corridor – especially the challenges faced by communities along the corridor.

The forum heard from scholars from prestigious Vietnamese and Chinese educational and research institutions who highlighted the important role that Lao Cai and Yunnan play in economic and cultural exchanges between Viet Nam's major northern delta and southwestern China.

They addressed such topics as trade, the role of the Hai Phong-Kunming railway in tourism development, the distinctive cultures of the basin's ethnic groups, and Viet Nam-China friendship exchanges, as well as the joint programme entitled "Two Corridors, One Economic Belt".

At the end of the biennial forum, the participants set out on fact-finding tours of the Bac Ha and Bao Yen tourist sites in Lao Cai and the city of Kaiyuan in Yunnan.

VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA