PM meets with New Zealand counterpart

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung met with his New Zealand counterpart John Key on the margins of the 21st ASEAN Summit and related meetings in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on November 20.

The two PMs said they are delighted with the developing Vietnam-New Zealand Comprehensive Partnership, especially in the fields of economics, trade, investment, education and training, and tourism.

The two sides highly valued the expanse of cooperation in labour and defence-security, which contributes to maintaining peace, stability and development in the region. They agreed to conduct the fourth meeting of the Vietnam-New Zealand Joint Committee on economic, scientific and technical cooperation.

Dung spoke positively of New Zealand’s cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its contributions to regional and international forums.

Key stated that New Zealand will continue official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam. He spoke of a future visit by the country’s Governor-General, Jerimiah Mateparae, to Vietnam, and invited Vietnamese leaders to New Zealand.

The New Zealand leader expressed his gratitude for Vietnam’s support of his country’s aspirations to become a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in the 2015-16 tenure, announcing that the country will continue working with Vietnam in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations process.

Viet Nam, Sri Lanka boost defence links

Viet Nam and Sri Lanka should share experiences in national rebuilding, defence strengthening, the shipbuilding industry, clearance of unexploded ordnances and poverty reduction in underdeveloped areas, said Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Viet Nam People's Army, Lt. Gen. Vo Van Tuan, and Chief of the Staff of the Sri Lanka Army, Daya Rathnayake, in Ha Noi yesterday.

Both sides agreed the two armies need to increase the exchange of delegations and learn, in more detail, the strengths of each side.

Sri Lanka is willing to support and provide English language training scholarships for Viet Nam People's Army officers, Rathnayake said.

HCM City leaders visit Cambodia

A Ho Chi Minh City delegation led by its People’s Committee Vice Chairman Nguyen Van Dua is visiting Cambodia over November 19-23.

The delegation worked with Map Sarin, Vice Secretary of Phnom Penh’s Cambodia People's Party Central Committee (CPPCC), on November 19, and with Say Chum, Head of the CPPCC Standing Committee on November 20.

The two sides reviewed the ongoing cooperation and exchanges between the two Parties and states and particularly those between Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh. They agreed that such initiatives spanning economics, society, health care, and education have delivered mutual benefits.

On November 20, the delegation also paid tribute to a monument commemorating volunteer Vietnamese soldiers and presented US$3,000 to the Overseas Vietnamese Federation in Cambodia.

They are scheduled to attend a HCM City trade, investment, and tourism promotion conference in six north-western Cambodian provinces and work with the leaders of Battambang Province.

VNN/VNS/VNA