South Korea, Viet Nam parties strengthen ties

The Grand National Party of the Republic of Korea always seeks to further enhance its relationship with the Communist Party of Viet Nam and promote the all-around co-operation between the two countries.

Visiting Grand National Party (GNP) Secretary General Kim Chung-kwon made the affirmation at a reception hosted by Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in Ha Noi yesterday, Aug 16.

Kim said the efforts contributed to effectively implementing the South Korea-Viet Nam strategic co-operative partnership.

For his part, Trong warmly welcomed the visit by the GNP delegation which he described as an important step in the growing friendly and co-operative relations between the two parties.

Earlier, on Monday, Kim held talks with Politburo member and permanent member of the CPV Central Committee's Secretariat Le Hong Anh.

The two sides informed each other of their respective country's Party situation, exchanged views on international issues of mutual concern and discussed orientations and major measures to enhance relations between the two parties and countries.

Both sides agreed to promote bilateral economic and trade co-operation and support and create conditions for the two countries' localities to promote their ties as well as each country's citizens and businesses to live, study and conduct business in the other country.

They would also co-ordinate to jointly organise activities to mark the 20th anniversary of the two countries' bilateral diplomatic ties in 2012.

On this occasion, Anh and Kim signed a memorandum of understanding on the enhancement of co-operation between the two parties.

The GNP delegation was received by Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan in Ha Noi yesterday.

Ngan expressed her joy at the development of the two countries' relations within the framework of the strategic co-operative partnership.

She said that since the two countries had set up diplomatic ties, the Vietnamese Government and people always received support and assistance from the South Korean government and people during national construction.

Ngan said she hoped to continue receiving assistance from South Korea, particularly for Vietnamese people living and working in the country, including Vietnamese brides.

She proposed the two sides boost exchanges to increase mutual understanding and trust and to create a foundation for the enhancement of the two countries' relations in many fields.

Kim spoke about his favourable impressions of the Vietnamese people and land and pledged that relevant agencies of South Korea would create favourable conditions for Vietnamese people living there, while expressing his wish that the Vietnamese Government would also help the South Korean community in Viet Nam.

He said the two sides needed to boost co-operation and help bilateral relations to develop further.

State President meets outstanding young police

State President Truong Tan Sang held a meeting with outstanding young police officers at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi on August 16.

Photo: VOV

President Sang praised the great contributions the exemplary young police have made towards ensuring social security and political stability.

Mr Sang said her hoped the People’s Public Security Force will uphold its tradition in promoting the cause of national defense and security.

He affirmed that the Party and State will always create the best conditions, both material and spiritual, for the public security force to successfully fulfill its tasks.

An awards ceremony will be held in Hanoi on August 17 to honour the exceptional young police officers.

Builders of national frontier patrol route honoured

An art exchange program will be held in Hanoi on August 20 to honour the soldiers who have engaged in building the national frontier patrol route.

The program was co-organised by the People’s Army newspaper, the management board of project 47 and the National Communication and Broadcasting agency, to mark the 5^th year of the construction project. 

On August 16, Major General Le Phuc Nguyen, who is Editor in Chief of the People’s Army newspaper said the programme will explain in detail the scale of the construction plan of the patrol route, which runs from Mong Cai (Quang Ninh) to Ha Tien (Kien Giang) along Vietnam’s borders with China, Laos and Cambodia. 

Major General Hoang Kien, Director of the Management Board of project 47 said that in the past five years since the project was launched, the soldiers have completed 2,030 km of the 10,000 km long concrete route. 

Though facing many challenges, the soldiers are striving to complete the road as they know too well that the new strategic route will speed up socio-economic development, and help maintain national border security, peace and friendship with bordering countries. 

Participants in the exchange program will include representatives from the Engineer Corps, the Border Defence, the military construction companies, the transport sector and compatriots of various ethnic groups where the route passes through.

Viet Nam, Laos, Thailand strengthen ties in combating drugs

Co-operation in combating the drug trade along the East-west Economic Corridor topped discussions between Viet Nam, Laos and Thailand at a conference which opened in central Quang Tri Province today.

Participants put forward recommendations and shared experiences in fighting against drug trafficking across the borders.

Chief of the Ministry of Public Securities' Standing Office for the Fight Against Drugs Nguyen Kien said the workshop confirmed a strong commitment from the three governments to co-operate in combating drugs in general and along the east-west economic corridor in particular.

The event would contribute to creating a new step between the three countries in controlling drugs and proposing measures to improve their co-operation effectiveness in fighting against narcotics and other kinds of crimes along the corridor, he said.

The drug situation had become complicated in the central regions and provinces of the corridor in Viet Nam where many transnational drug rings were now operating, Kien said.

Relevant forces of provinces and cities along the corridor in Viet Nam had taken drastic measures to combat drugs over the past years. Police, border guards and customs officials of central Da Nang city, Thua Thien-Hue and Quang Tri provinces had discovered 290 cases involving 609 drug-related crimes over the past two years.

Border guards of Viet Nam had worked with the police of provinces in Laos in their fight against drug crimes and had uncovered six cases, arresting 19 drug criminals.

This was the second conference of its kind between the three countries, the first was in Thailand in 2009.