Vietnam, Laos increase border cooperation

Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh paid a visit to the Lao province of Luang Prabang from June 14-16, during which he held talks with Lao Deputy Prime Minister cum Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith to seek ways to increase cooperation at the two countries’ border areas.

The two ministers discussed how to upgrade and improve transport infrastructure and the system of border gates along the border, as well as measures to develop border economic zones to facilitate economic and trade cooperation and exchange.

Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Lao Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith. (Photo: VNA)

They agreed to tightly cooperate in managing the borderline and implementing border regulations signed by the two countries.

They held that among others, special attention should be paid to fighting cross-border crimes, free migration and illegal border crossing.

Besides, the two sides agreed to enhance education activities to raise their border officials and people’s awareness about border laws, with the aim to build a peaceful, stable, friendship and mutually developed borderline.

At the meeting, the two foreign ministers praised the two sides’ efforts in implementing the signed project to increase and upgrade the system of border markers along the borderline between Vietnam and Laos.

They agreed that the two sides will try their best to complete the project by 2014 as scheduled.

Venezuela president to visit Vietnam

President Nicolás Maduro has said he will visit Vietnam this year to strengthen what he called the ‘strategic alliance’ between the two countries.

Maduro was speaking after a June 14 visit to Vietven Iluminaciones – a Vietnam-Venezuela joint venture company that manufacturers power saving bulbs in Falcon state.

Vietven Iluminaciones was established on the initiative of late President Hugo Chavez. The company, the first of its kind in Venezuela, started operation last year as part of the country’s energy revolution.

This will be the second Vietnam visit by a Venezuelan leader after the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1989.

During the 2006 visit to Vietnam by President Hugo Chavez, both sides signed three governmental-level agreements: a framework agreement on cooperation between the governments of Vietnam and Venezuela, a cultural cooperation agreement, and an energy cooperation agreement.

Philippines-Vietnam cooperation growing

Multifaceted cooperation and cultural exchanges between Vietnam and the Philippines have been flourishing since they established their diplomatic ties in 1976.

At a ceremony to celebrate the 115 th anniversary of the Philippines’ Independent Day (June 12, 1898-2013) in Ho Chi Minh City on June 14, Le Manh Ha, Vice Chairman of the Municipal People’s Committee said that flourishing cooperation would bring more good fruits in the time to come.

He spoke of encouraging developments in the city’s relations with Manila , which were evidenced by the regular exchanges of visit and talks to seek ways to increase linkages in education, trade and investment.

Addressing the event, Le Thi Phung, the Philippine Honorary Consul General in the city, recounted the established trade ties between the two countries, which, she said, are continuing through the Philippines’ investment projects in the fields of automobile, aviation and education.

In 2012, the two countries’ two-way trade reached 2.8 billion USD, which was contributed by Vietnam’s rice export value of 475 million USD.

By 2012, Filipino investors have pumped 264 million USD in 64 projects in Vietnam.

Residents’ role in Vietnam-Cambodia border security

Raising border security awareness of people living along the frontier is a crucial task as they are the driving force in protecting national border security.

Lieutenant General Hoang Phi Ho made the remarks during a workshop on mass mobilisation work at the Vietnam-Cambodia borderline in the southern province of Binh Phuoc on June 14.

Opening the workshop, Nguyen The Trung, permanent deputy head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Mass Mobilisation, said provinces lying along the Vietnam-Cambodia borderline in the southwest can learn from each other experience in how to conduct mass mobilisation efficiently and seek ways to make it highly productive in the future.

Close coordination among units in charge of mass mobilisation need to be maximised to encourage border residents to fully comply with the Party’s policies and State’s laws, participants agreed.

The south-western region consisting of six provinces shares an 820km land border with Cambodia, holding the strategic position in politics and socioeconomics, security and defence, and serving as a strategic outpost in safeguarding national defence.

Binh Phuoc province alone shares a 260.4km border with Cambodia. The province has also taken much care of its border residents, especially ethnic minority groups, leading to stable border security in the locality.

China expects Vietnam President’s visit

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chuning has expressed China’s hope that Vietnamese State President Truong Tan Sang’s upcoming visit to Beijing will help strengthen the two countries’ comprehensive, strategic cooperation partnership.

Answering a Beijing-based VOV correspondent on June 14, Hua said that China-Vietnam relations are developing in a stable and healthy manner, meeting their interests.

During a March 2013 phone call, Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping agreed to further develop the comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership between the two countries.

In May 2013 Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan and Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi successfully co-chaired the 6th meeting of the Vietnam-China Joint Committee for bilateral cooperation, devising specific measures to boost mutually beneficial cooperation in various areas.

China insists that China and Vietnam are close neighbours and key cooperation partners, said spokesperson Hua.

She said both countries are currently in the crucial process of reform and development, and China hopes President Sang’s visit will help reinforce political trust between the two countries.

Both sides are preparing to sign a number of agreements in the areas of politics, economics and trade.

President Truong Tan Sang will pay an official visit to China from June 19-21 at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

Sang is scheduled to hold talks with Xi and meet with other senior Chinese leaders to discuss Vietnam-China relations and other regional and international issues of mutual concern.

Vietnam active at ILO’s 102nd session

A Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Pham Minh Huan is attending the 102 nd session of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Geneva from June 5-20.

Themed “Building a future with decent work”, the event gathered over 5,000 delegates from 185 member nations who focused their discussions on sustainable development, green jobs for the most disadvantaged workers, social dialogue, collective negotiations and challenges posed by an aging population.

Granting an interview to a Vietnam News Agency reporter based in Geneva on June 14, Deputy Minister Huan said Vietnam has reaped considerable achievements in law and policy-making, enforcement and the promotion of sustainable jobs.

However, Vietnam also faces challenges like further enhancement of capacity for social partners and effective implementation of national legal policies and international commitments, he added.

As a responsible member, Vietnam deepened its cooperation with the ILO by discussing a number of cooperation contents with its Director General Guy Ryder and other ILO officials, he said.

On this occasion, Vietnam cemented its bilateral and multilateral cooperation by holding a mid-term dialogue with the US side, having working sessions with Saudi Arabian Deputy Minister for Labour Affairs and heads of delegations from ASE AN member nations, and attending a conference of labour ministers from Asia-Pacific and non-aligned nations.

As an official member of the ILO Executive Board and ASEAN representative, and a coordinator between ASEAN and ILO, Vietnam actively proposed and consulted with ASEAN member countries on content including reforms of the Executive Board, ILO General Assembly, finance committees and ILO’s technical cooperation programme.

Established in 1919, ILO became the first UN specialised organisation in 1946. On February 17, 2002, it set up a representative office in Hanoi.

In June 2002, Vietnam was elected as a deputy member of the ILO Executive Board with three consecutive terms until 2011.

At the 100 th session, Vietnam became an official member of the ILO Executive Board for the 2011-2014 term, reflecting Vietnam’s increasingly important position and role in the international arena.

VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA