President Ho’s birthday honoured in HCM City

A grand ceremony was held in HCM City on May 19 to celebrate the 123rd anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh and honour outstanding organizations and individuals that have made significant contributions to the “Studying and Following President Ho Chi Minh's Moral Example” campaign.

Secretary of the HCM City Party Committee, Le Thanh Hai, attended the event, along with representatives from central ministries and agencies, and many local citizens.

President Ho’s great contributions to the nation’s revolutionary cause were highlighted as well as the results of the campaign.

Deputy Secretary of the HCM City Party Committee Nguyen Van Dua affirmed that the municipal Party Committee and local people will continue to strive to develop the city named after President Ho, focusing on maintaining socio-economic stability, restructuring the local economy, and improving people’s living standards.

Dua said that HCM City is prioritizing developing infrastructure, achieving higher economic growth and creating a healthy cultural environment while ensuring national security and defence.

The city hopes to become the leader of modernization and industrialization in Vietnam as well as a major economic hub in Southeast Asia, aiming to turn Vietnam into a modern industrial country in the near future, he stated.

On the occasion, 141 organizations and 215 individuals were recognized for their outstanding performance in the campaign.

HCM City leaders and associations in the city on the same day also offered incense at the Ho Chi Minh Museum to commemorate the great national leader.

Leaders pay tribute to President Ho Chi Minh

A delegation of leaders of the Party, State, Government, National Assembly and Vietnam Fatherland Front on May 18 laid a wreath in tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum on the occasion of his 123 rd birthday.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung and President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front’s Central Committee Huynh Dam attended the ceremony.

Former Party General Secretaries Nong Duc Manh and Le Kha Phieu, former President Tran Duc Luong, former NA Chairman Nguyen Van An, former President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front’s Central Committee Pham The Duyet and other senior leaders and revolutionary veterans also joined the delegation.

On those days, various activities are being held across the country to celebrate the 123 rd birthday of President Ho Chi Minh.

A festival kicked off in Uncle Ho’s home village in central Nghe An province on May 18 to mark his 123 rd birthday.

The annual festival draws the participation of 18 art troupes from 18 cities, provinces and districts nationwide. The event has been held annually since 1981 so people from all walks of life can show their love and respect for President Ho Chi Minh.

The Hanoi municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism on May 17 opened an exhibition to mark the 123 rd birthday of the late President.

The exhibition, to run until May 28, showcases 100 photos capturing Uncle Ho’s life during the wars against French colonialists and US imperialists as well as in national construction. On the fringe of the event, the organising board introduced 50 books about President Ho Chi Minh to the public.

In central Thua Thien-Hue province, an exhibition displaying more than 150 photos, documents and objects about Uncle Ho made by 13 artisans also commenced on May 17.

On this occasion, individuals and organisations who excel in the campaign “Studying and following President Ho Chi Minh’s moral example” have been honoured in many localities nationwide.

Assembly Chairman hails outstanding young policemen

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung on Saturday met with young policemen who have made outstanding achievements in national defense.

Chairman Hung said the policemen would contribute further to maintaining national defense, social order and security and the development of the police force.

The 171 representatives were chosen from 14,000 young members of the police force.

He said young policemen were a reliable force for the Party, State and people in the liberation struggle and current national development.

The Chairman also stressed that the Party, State and the NA always paid special attention to the people's police force and young policemen in particular.

Vietnam willing to share experience with Palestine

Vietnam is ready to share experience with Palestine, continue supporting Palestinian people in their struggle for national independence as well as boost cooperation between the two governments, ministries and localities.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Palestine Dao Thanh Chung made the statement after presenting his credentials to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Egyptian capital of Cairo on May 17.

This year, Vietnam will cooperate with the Palestinian side to organise activities celebrating the 25 th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties with the aim of further strengthening bilateral relations and bringing the two peoples closer to one another, he said.

The Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs will also work with relevant agencies to organise a Vietnam-Middle East- Africa business forum by later this year, he added.

Chung expressed his wish that the Palestinian State will send high-level delegations to Vietnam on these occasions to discuss specific measures to bring bilateral ties to a new stage of development.

He pledged to do his utmost to consolidate and strengthen the relationship between the two countries in all field.

For his part, President Mahmoud Abbas expressed his pleasure at the development of bilateral cooperation in all fields, especially politics, economics and tourism. He highly valued the achievements the Vietnamese people have made during the renewal process.

He pledged to instruct the Palestinian ministries and agencies to step up cooperation with Vietnam and send a delegation to the Vietnam-Middle East-Africa business forum late this year.

Citizens submit opinions on amended constitution

The Ministry of Justice reported on May 17 that opinions and feedback on draft amendments to the 1992 Constitution had been collected from 18 million people across 63 provinces and cities.

The comments from the public and Government workers included feedback on amendments and supplementary regulations relating to the way Government operates from local administrations to the National Assembly and Supreme People's Court.

Concerning Government operations, most people surveyed proposed a clearly defined legal position for the Government as an executive body, while many also proposed increasing individual responsibilities of the Prime Minister and ministers.

Relating local administration, the feedback showed public opinion favoured comprehensive renewal of local administration with the ethics of self-control and self-responsibility as a focus.

The public also commented on regulations relating to human rights and the basic rights and obligations of people, recommending that human rights and basic rights must be enshrined in the constitution and laws.

Concerning issues relating to the economy, society, culture, education and science and technology, the majority of opinions focused on proposing the completion of regulations on land revocation and compensation in which legal land users must be compensated following the market price in case of land revocation by the State.

Land revocation could only be approved for essential reasons relating to national defence, security or national interest and public interest, most opinions said. Deputy Minister of Justice Hoang The Lien said these recommendations will be taken into consideration by the Committee for Drafting Amendments to the 1992 Constitution and are expected to help improve the quality of the draft amendments.

The draft amendments to the constitution were open for feedback from Vietnamese people from all walks of life, both inside and outside the country, from January 2 to March 31.

Top politicians to face landmark NA confidence vote

A vote of confidence on the nation's 49 top official positions will be conducted during the upcoming meeting of the National Assembly – the first time since the measure was introduced.

Those who poll less than 50 percent will face a no-confidence vote or be called to resign.

The move was announced by head of the NA Office Nguyen Hanh Phuc at a press conference in Hanoi on May 17 in preparation for the 5th session of the 13th National Assembly, which will be opened from May 20.

Phuc said holders of all 49 prescribed positions elected or approved by the NA, including top officials of the Assembly, the State and the Government, have submitted reports on their work performance and results, mentioning law obedience, ethics and lifestyle to the NA deputies, 20 days before the voting day, for consideration.

The results of the vote will be publicised.

During the session, the NA deputies are expected to review and pass 10 draft laws and one resolution, including a draft revised Land Law, a draft law on anti-terrorism and a draft law on amendments to the Law on Enterprise Income Tax.

They will also discuss revisions to the 1992 Constitution and seven other draft laws, including the draft law on Emulation and Commendation, the revised Bidding Law and the revised Law on Practising Thrift and Fighting Waste.

The Government will also present a report on the implementation of the budget and socio-economic plans.

Minister of Finance Vuong Dinh Hue has been assigned to head the Party Central Committee's Economic Commission. The NA will elect a new Minister of Finance and Audit Chief.

The 5th session will be televised and broadcast live for nine days when contents of public concern are discussed, including revisions of the 1992 Constitution and the revised Land Law.

The session is scheduled to end on June 22.

VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA