President calls for closer Japanese links

Viet Nam and Japan's business communities should increase bilateral co-operation to match the strategic partnership between the two countries.

President Nguyen Minh Triet made the appeal in the Viet Nam-Japan trade, investment and tourism promotion forum held yesterday in Aichi Prefecture's Nagoya City. The forum attracted the participation of 300 enterprises from the two countries.

In his speech, Triet reviewed landmarks during the co-operation development between the two countries, affirming the Viet Nam-Japan strategic partnership was strongly developing in every field.

Viet Nam highly appreciated Japan's co-operation in infrastructure construction, nuclear power, oil and gas, green energy development and natural resources, he affirmed.

The Viet Nam-Japan trade, investment and tourism promotion forum was a good opportunity for Nagoya City enterprises to be provided with a briefing on Viet Nam's continuing international economic integration, he added.

President Triet stressed that Viet Nam always highly valued the contribution made by Japanese investors in the development of the Vietnamese economy.

Nagoya City and neighbouring areas are home to a thriving high-tech sector, including car manufacturing, aviation, machine-tooling, industrial robots and represented a field that Viet Nam had high demand, Triet said.

Japan has been one of Viet Nam's most important economic partners. Since 1992, the Japanese Government has provided Official Development Assistance capital worth US$16 billion to Viet Nam.

Bilateral trade last year reached $13.7 billion. Japan ranked third among the 92 nations and territories investing in Viet Nam.

In the forum, Triet witnessed the signing of co-operative agreements and economic contracts between the enterprises of the two countries.

The same day, Triet visited the Mitsubishi civil aviation production factory and the Honorary Consulate of Viet Nam in Nagoya, and received representatives of the Japan-Viet Nam Economic Forum.

Yesterday afternoon, Triet and his entourage left Nagoya, concluding his working visit to Japan.

VN voices support for Myanmar peace

Viet Nam yesterday, Nov 14, voiced its support for national reconciliation and peace in Myanmar.

A Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesperson made the statement while replying to reporters' question on Myanmar's decision to free Aung San Suu Kyi.

"We acknowledge and watch the developments in Myanmar. Viet Nam supports and wishes that concerned parties in Myanmar successfully implement national reconciliation and concord for peace, stability and development in Myanmar," the spokesperson said.

PM approves clean water plan in Delta

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved a plan to supply clean water to the key economic zone in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta.

Under the plan, all urban and rural residents in zone, which comprises of Can Tho city and the provinces of An Giang, Kien Giang, and Ca Mau, will get 80-120 litres of clean water daily.

The plan also seeks to keep loss due to leakage at below 18 per cent.

The zone's waterworks will use water taken mainly from the upper reaches of the Hau River, 30-50 km from the coast, to ensure there is no salinity.

Little groundwater will continue to be drawn, and only to supply water to Ca Mau and a few towns. But even that will be stopped after 2020.

Three water supply plants will be built to supply the zone, one in Can Tho and two in An Giang Province.

Can Tho, An Giang, Kien Giang and Ca Mau will build 11 other plants for local use, five in Can Tho, two in An Giang, three in Kien Giang, and one in Ca Mau.

VNN/VOV/VNA