Senior Lao official cheered by leader

Photo: VNA
President Nguyen Minh Triet yesterday, Nov 1, congratulated Phongsavath Boupha in Ha Noi, director of the Presidential Office of Laos, for being promoted to such a high position.

"In the new position, you will hopefully further promote close relationships with the Vietnamese Presidential Office by organising regular experience-sharing meetings," said Triet. Phongsavath Boupha replied that in earlier talks with Nguyen Van Chien, his Vietnamese counterpart, the two sides agreed to heighten their performances.

He conveyed best wishes from Lao President Choummaly Sayasone and other leaders to President Triet.

Lao newspapers praise ASEAN summit hosted by Vietnam

The two major newspapers in Laos, Pasaxon and Vientiane Mai, have run front page articles focusing on the success of the 17th ASEAN summit hosted by Vietnam as the ASEAN Chair.

Both papers highlighted the special feelings that General Secretary Nong Duc Manh and State President Nguyen Minh Triet expressed to the Lao high-level delegation at the summit.

During the meetings with Vietnamese leaders, Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh congratulated them on the success of the 17th ASEAN Summit and its related summits. He said it illustrated Vietnam’s increasing prestige and status in the region and the world.

The Lao PM also congratulated Vietnam on the celebration of Hanoi’s 1000th anniversary and expressed his condolences over the losses suffered by flood victims in the centre of the country.

Vietnamese experts meet to remember Algeria

The Vietnam-Algeria Friendship Association on October 31 held a meeting for Vietnamese experts who used to work in Algeria on the occasion of the 56th National Day of Algeria (November 1).

About 300 former Vietnamese experts attended the event.
Cherif Chikhi, Algerian Ambassador to Vietnam affirmed that the Algerian government and people always remember the important contributions of Vietnamese experts over the past 30 years, seeing them as the most vivid manifestation of a traditional friendship which was founded and fostered by the two countries’ leaders and peoples during the struggle for independence.
The experts shared memories of their stay in Algeria, where they considered as the second homeland. With a spirit of diligence, modesty and eagerness for learning, Vietnamese experts successfully fulfilled the assigned tasks and were highly appreciated by the host country.
Since the first group of health staff was sent to Algeria in 1980, there have been more than 1,000 Vietnamese experts working in the country so far.
At present, Vietnamese experts continue to travel to Algeria to support the Algerians in oil and gas mining, the East-West highway tunnel construction and many other fields.

Shanghai urged to help promote trade relations

China's most densely populated city, Shanghai, has been asked to help promote the economic-trade relationship between Viet Nam and China.

Shanghai had been in co-operation with Viet Nam's main commercial hub, HCM City, and their ties had yielded fruitful achievements, said Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Chairman of the Government Office, yesterday during his visit to attend the closing ceremony of the Shanghai Expo 2010.

Phuc asked the city to expand co-operation while setting up ties with other big cities in Viet Nam in the fields of investment and tourism.

Shanghai's co-operation with Vietnamese cities would help improve two-way trade, said Phuc. The Vietnamese minister also asked Shanghai to further boost its co-operation in human resources training with Viet Nam and encourage its firms and businesses to increase their investment in infrastructure projects, especially in areas with high potential.

The Shanghai People's Political Consultative Conference Chairman, Feng Guoqin, confirmed he would task authorised bodies to collaborate with relevant Vietnamese ministries, sectors and localities to implement Phuc's proposals. He noted that the co-operation would further improve the comprehensive and strategic partnership between Viet Nam and China.

Co-operation pacts with French region negotiated

Ha Noi and the French region of Ile de France have signed a number of co-operative agreements for the 2011-15 period, covering urban-regional planning, public transport, water supply and waste treatment.

The agreements also aim to step up bilateral co-operation in other fields such as tourism, preservation of cultural heritage, socio-economic development and vocational training.

These deals were signed in Ha Noi yesterday, following talks between Ha Noi People's Committee Chairman Nguyen The Thao and President of the Regional Council of Ile de France Jean-Paul Huchon.

Thao said Ha Noi would deploy the co-operation agreements on regional and urban planning immediately after the city's construction master plan is approved by the Government.

The mayor also promised to support and create favourable conditions for businesses from France, and Ile de France in particular, to invest in public transport, socio-economic development and heritage preservation projects.

Huchon affirmed the administration of Ile de France considered co-operative ties with Ha Noi a typical, practical and effective model.

VNN/VOV/VNS