Vietnam - key partner of UK

Vietnam is considered a strategic partner of the European Union (EU), especially in trade and investment, said UK Consul General Douglas Barnes.  

The UK diplomat made the remarks to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s 60-year rule and her birthday at a reception held by The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organization (VUFO) and Vietnam-UK Friendship Association in Ho Chi Minh City on May 23.

Two- way trade turnover in 2011 reached more than US$3 billion with Vietnam’s exports to the UK rising 42 percent to US$2.4billion and its imports from the UK increasing by 17percent to US$646 million over the previous year.

The UK now has 151 investment projects in Vietnam with a total capitalization of US$2.58 billion and is committed to helping Vietnam develop Vietnam-UK international university in Danang city as well as creating favourable conditions for more than 7,000 Vietnamese students in the UK.

HCM City pledges to support Lao locality

In the future, Ho Chi Minh City, a sister city of Vientiane, will further strengthen cooperation with other Lao localities including Houaphan province.

Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City Le Hoang Quan made this statement while receiving the Governor of Houaphan province, Khamhouang Heuangvongsy in Ho Chi Minh City on May 24.

Quan affirmed that the city will continue to offer support in the project of constructing Houaphan’s government headquarters, stressing that cooperation among both countries’ localities will contribute to the development of Vietnam-Laos special relations.

Quan said a delegation led by the Ho Chi Minh City P arty Committee Secretary will visit Houaphan to strengthen ties and cooperation with the province.

Khamhouang Heuangvongsy said the support from the State and Party of Vietnam, particularly Ho Chi Minh City, has made fruitful contributions to socio-economic development in the locality.

He said Houaphan always treasures Ho Chi Minh City’s help, particularly in the government headquarters project, which is 70 percent complete.

He also spoke highly of the active participation of enterprises from Ho Chi Minh City in several economic and infrastructure projects in Houaphan.

Vietnamese AO victims association visits Laos

A delegation from the Vietnamese Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA) on May 23 met with Laotian Deputy Prime Minister, Senior Lieutenant General Douangchay Phichith, as part of their visit to Laos from May 22-24.

At the meeting, the VAVA President, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Rinh, who led the delegation, informed his host about the outcomes of the meeting with the Laos Veterans Association and a number of ministries and branches in Laos.

He stressed the serious impacts caused by Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin as well as unexploded bombs and mines left over from wartime.

In Vietnam, the US sprayed 80 million litres of the deadly chemical on 25 percent of the area of Southern Vietnam. The toxins destroyed millions of hectares of forests and crops, directly infected millions of Vietnamese people and had repercussions for following generations.

Rinh said Laos is likely to suffer from the consequence of Agent Orange/dioxin and suggested that Vietnam and Laos work together to help AO victims and join with international efforts to ask the US to take responsibility for their actions.

Sharing Rinh’s views, Deputy PM Phichith, who is also Laos Defence Minister said he was extremely moved when hearing about the suffering Vietnamese AO victims go through because of the chemical.

He stressed his support for Vietnam in its struggle for justice for AO victims.

The two countries should join efforts to campaign against weapons of mass destruction, said the Lao Deputy PM.

VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA