NA boosts ties with Australia

Viet Nam's National Assembly (NA) wants to expand dialogue with the Australian House of Representatives in all areas to share information, build trust and promote mutual understanding.

NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung made the comments at his talks with Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives Anna Burke in Ha Noi yesterday, May 22, after greeting her at an official welcome ceremony.

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung (right) meets Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives Anna Burke in Ha Noi yesterday.

Hung described Burke's visit to Viet Nam as a highlight at a time when the two countries are celebrating 40 years of bilateral ties.

He also praised exchanges of delegations between the two countries' parliaments, especially the Friendship Parliamentarians Groups and leaders of the two legislatures.

Both host and guest agreed to make it easier for enterprises from both countries to boost trading activities, encourage Australian firms to invest more in Viet Nam, especially in fields where they have strengths, and facilitate the effective implementation of Vietnamese-invested projects in Australia.

They also reached a consensus on further speeding up co-operation projects in education, labour and national security and defence for peace and development in the region and the world.

Speaker Burke stressed the special importance of co-operation between branches of the two legislatures, saying it has contributed to improving co-operation efficiency between the two Governments.

Hung also accepted Burke's invitation to visit Australia on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties.

Following the talks, Hung and Burke signed a co-operation agreement between the two legislative bodies.

Under the agreement, the two sides will promote the exchange of high-level visits and delegations of all levels, as well as work closely at multilateral forums.

They will also exchange publications on legal systems and related issues to learn experience from each other.

The signing of the agreement was described by both leaders as contributing to further cementing bilateral ties and lifting relations to a new height for the benefit of the two peoples.

Meeting with PM Dung

On the same day, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung also met with the Australian politician, and suggested the two countries work harder to lift their bilateral ties to a new height.

The PM urged the two sides to increase mutual support at regional and international forums and asked Australia to support the standpoints of Viet Nam and ASEAN on peace, stability, maritime safety and security in the East Sea, as well as the peaceful settlement of disputes in the East Sea on the basis of international law.

Dung expressed his hope that Australia would continue providing official development assistance (ODA) for Viet Nam and supporting the Vietnamese community in the country.

For her part, Burke said her country would do its utmost to contribute to help ensure peace and stability in the region and the world, saying that the implementation of peaceful measures with a legal basis is the best way to solve disputes in the East Sea.

She confirmed that the Australian House of Representatives always backed co-operation activities between the two countries in all fields.

Viet Nam values Russian friendship

The armed forces and people of Viet Nam have always attached importance to traditional friendship and co-operation with their Russian counterparts over the past years, a senior defence official said.

Sen Lieut Gen Truong Quang Khanh made the comment at a reception in Ha Noi yesterday for visiting Russian leader Guzenco Oleg Borisovich, Acting Chairman of the Military Science Committee of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Khanh said that bilateral co-operation in the areas of tropical endurance, tropical ecology and tropical biomedicine had reaped effective results via the Co-ordination Committee of the Russia-Viet Nam Tropical Centre, making significant contributions to fostering friendship and co-operation between the two peoples and armies.

Hanoi, Luang Prabang promote cooperation

Pham Quang Nghi, Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, received in Hanoi on May 22 a high-level delegation of Laos’ Luang Prabang province, led by Khampheng Saysompheng, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and the province’s governor.

Nghi warmly welcomed the delegation, saying that the visit is necessary to strengthen bilateral cooperation and experience exchange in implementing socio-economic development, culture and defence-security programmes.

He also stressed the special friendship between the two Parties, States and people of Vietnam and Laos, saying that Hanoi always attaches importance to developing cooperation and friendship with Luang Prabang province.

He pledged to boost bilateral cooperation, bringing practical benefits for the two sides’ development.

In response, Khampheng Saysompheng briefed the host on Luang Prabang province’s recent socio-economic achievements and proposed Hanoi continue coordinating in human resource training and experience exchange in the fields of urban management, environmental sanitation, education and healthcare.

Khampheng Saysompheng said he hopes that Hanoi will organise business delegations to visit and seek opportunities for investment in Luang Prabang, particularly in tourism.

VN hopes to lift S Korea ties

Viet Nam always attaches importance to promoting friendship and all-round co-operation with South Korea, said Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh.

Making the comment during a meeting with Chairman of the House Steering Committee of the South Korean National Assembly Lee Hahn Koo in Ha Noi yesterday, Ninh affirmed that Viet Nam would do its utmost to bolster ties with South Korea.

Lee Hahn Koo said his country wanted to boost co-operation with Viet Nam in bilateral aspects as well as at regional and international forums. He noted that in the coming time, his country would send experts specialising in developing new rural area models to Viet Nam to share experiences in the area.

US appreciates repatriation work

The US appreciated the goodwill and close and effective co-operation of the Vietnamese Government and people in searching for the remains of US servicemen who died during the American War in Viet Nam.

W. Winfield, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for Prisoners of War/Missing Personnel Affairs (POW/MIA), made the statement during his four-day working visit to Viet Nam that ended yesterday.

During his stay in the country, Winfield was received by Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh and Deputy Minister of Public Security To Lam.

He also had a working session with Vietnamese agencies in charge of co-operation on the search for the remains of those who were missing in action (MIA).

On the occasion, the US delegation had a fact-finding trip to two MIA excavation sites in central Quang Ngai and Thua Thien-Hue provinces.

JICA Chief Representative receives insignia

Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Vietnam Motonori Tsuno has been honoured with the “For Vietnam's National Assembly" insignia.

The noble distinction was bestowed on the JICA Chief by the Office of Vietnam's National Assembly (NA) in recognition of his contributions to the NA’s activities before the end of his term in Vietnam (2008-2013).

At the ceremony in Hanoi on May 22, Motonori Tsuno expressed his honour for receiving the insignia and he said he wishes that JICA and the NA Office will gain more successes in implementing their signed projects.

He also pledged his continued contributions to strengthening friendship between the two countries.

The same day, the Ministry of Education and Training also presented the “For Educational Cause” insignia to Motonori Tsuno for his contributions to Vietnam’s education and human resources development.

Vietnam, Singapore seek stronger defence ties

Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, Sen. Lieut. Gen. Do Ba Ty on May 21 held a reception for visiting Major General Ravinder Singh, Commander of Singaporean Land Forces.

At the meeting, Ty noted with joy the new developments in bilateral defence cooperation, which are manifested in the exchange of visits by the two defence ministries’ leaders and the formation of a strategic defence dialogue mechanism at the defence deputy ministerial level.

Ty also valued the development of the two armies’ ties on scale and in depth, particularly the exchange of delegations of all levels, cooperation in military medicine, teaching English for Vietnamese soldiers and sharing experience in building army.

For his part, Major General Ravinder Singh informed his host of the outcomes of his talks with Vietnamese Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Quoc Khanh.

He expressed his wish for stronger cooperation between the two armies in general and the two land forces in particular.

During his stay in Vietnam, Ravinder Singh is scheduled to visit the Commando Officers School, High Command of Army Corps 1, the Vietnam Military History Museum and a number of historical sites in Hanoi.

Deputy PM attends Asia future conference

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan has represented Vietnam at the 19th international conference on the future of Asia, which opened in Tokyo on May 22.

Nhan was accompanied by ministers and senior officials from the Governmental Office, the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Investment and Planning, and the Hanoi-based National University.

Participants in the four-day conference will discuss measures to boost cooperation and integration process in Asia and prospects for sustainable growth in the region.

Since 1995, it has been recognized as one of the foremost international conferences in Asia.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of relations between Japan and ASEAN countries.