Vietnam, Japan intensify strategic partnership

Senior Japanese Government officials have said they consider Vietnam to be Japan’s important partner and hope to enhance the Japan-Vietnam strategic partnership.

Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Kishida Fumio, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Tamura Norihisa and Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Shimomura Hakubun made the remarks during their talks with Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan in Tokyo on May 24.

They pledged to support Vietnam’s socio-economic development through official development assistance (ODA).

During the talks, Nhan voiced his pleasure at the extensive and intensive development of the two countries’ cooperation and friendship. He thanked the Japanese Government and people for their great and valuable support to Vietnam through ODA over the past 20 years, even during their struggle against earthquake and tsunami in 2011.

He suggested both sides strengthen cooperation to make bilateral ties more effective, particularly in economics, human resource development, science and technology.

Vietnam and Japan need to accelerate the implementation of their cooperation programmes, such as those to upgrade some of Vietnam’s universities and vocational schools, develop a coordination mechanism to ensure labour supply for Japanese investors in Vietnam, and build the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, Nhan added.

The Deputy PM asked Japan to assist Vietnam in building and improving its capacity of seaport operation, contributing to peace and maritime safety in Asian waters.

On this occasion, the Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Kishida Fumio witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on teaching the Japanese language in Vietnam between the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training and the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

On the same day, Nhan met with former member of the House of Councillors Matsuda Iwao, former member of the House of Representatives Koizumi Toshiaki and former Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Hattori Norio. He also met Vietnamese Embassy staff and representatives of the Vietnamese community in the country.

Nhan and his entourage concluded their visit to Japan on May 25.

Nation backs maritime links with India: PM

The Government always backs collaboration between the Vietnamese Ministry of Transport and Indian Ministry of Shipping, especially in maritime and inland waterway projects, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said.

Receiving Indian Minister for Shipping G. K. Vasan in Ha Noi on Friday, Dung hailed the outcomes of talks between Vasan and Minister for Transport Dinh La Thang, saying that agreements reached by the two ministries will make practical contributions to the bilateral relations.

Dung said Viet Nam wants to do its utmost to strengthen links with India in various fields, especially in economics, trade, investment, national defence and security, education and training, for the benefit of both nations.

He also expressed his wish that the two countries will support each other at international forums, for the stability and prosperity of their own, the region and the world.

The PM suggested the Indian side promptly negotiate and sign a new agreement to replace the existing 1993 aviation agreement, as well as cementing maritime traffic and shipbuilding co-operation.

Vasan said the two ministries signed the Maritime Agreement during his visit, shared experiences and discussed solutions to port management and maritime transport.

He affirmed that India considers Viet Nam a pillar in its Look East policy and is willing to work with the Vietnamese side to bolster co-operation in fields where each side is strong.

Earlier, Thang and Vasan signed a bilateral co-operation agreement on shipping and trade.

The 18-clause agreement will strengthen Viet Nam-India maritime traffic, promote two-way economic and commercial exchanges, while generating opportunities for Vietnamese industry to penetrate regional and international maritime markets.

It also facilitates cargo and passenger transportation between the two countries, allowing the presence of freight companies' commercial representatives of one country in the other, provided they comply with the laws of the two nations.

Viet Nam and India enjoy a strong bilateral relationship, particularly since establishing their Strategic Partnership in 2007.

The agreement provides a foundation for the two countries to speed up co-operation in building ships, plus training sailors and experts.

HCM City Party leader received Aussie, Indian guests

Viet Nam hopes Australian House of Representatives Speaker Anna Burke's ongoing visit will pave the way for Australian businesses to pour investment into the country.

Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Le Thanh Hai made the suggestion while receiving Burke in the southern economic hub on Friday.

Expressing delight at the visit, which comes as the two countries celebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties, Hai said it was an important milestone, helping to raise bilateral relations to new heights.

Briefing his guest on the city's socio-economic situation and recent foreign direct investment, he revealed the city was running 111 projects with more than US$200 million of funding from Australian companies and investors.

Specifically, the RMIT University project was seen as a highly successful model in the city, he added.

Highly valuing the city's role in Viet Nam's socio-economic development, Speaker Anna Burke said her country was keen to bolster ties with Viet Nam and particularly Ho Chi Minh City.

As the year 2013 marked the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties, this was an opportunity for the two nations to further consolidate their fine relations, she added.

Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Le Thanh Hai on Friday also received a high-ranking delegation from the Indian Communist Party, led by its General Secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy.

Hai said Reddy's visit was the manifestation of a long-standing sound relationship between the parties of two countries which continued to thrive.

He said his city always expanded co-operation opportunities with foreign partners, including Indian nationals.

Reddy expressed his delight at the development of bilateral ties and said the two sides should boost co-operation in a number of fields, particularly tourism.

Vietnam, Canada boost friendship

The Vietnam-Canada Friendship Association held its third national congress in the 2013-2018 term on May 24 in Hanoi to boost the two countries’ cooperation in a wide range of fields.

The congress elected the Association’s 41-member executive committee and Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Viet Tien as the association’s chairman.

In the next term, the association will pay more attention to the business sector, non-governmental organisations and academia, and the Vietnamese community in Canada, improving its foreign affair efficiency.

It will combine external affairs’ activities and information to strengthen mutual understanding between the two countries, and to enlist Canadian people’s understanding, sympathy and support for Vietnam’s construction and development.

To mark the 40 th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Canada this year, the association will host a contest on bilateral relations and Canada for Vietnamese students.

In addition, it will coordinate with the Canadian Embassy and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam to host the 2013 Run for Children in Hanoi to raise funds to treat poor children with cancer and heart problems.

CPV, German parties advance future ties

Senior Vietnamese and German officials discussed measures to advance future ties between the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and political parties of Germany in Berlin on May 24.

Attending the talks were Head of the CPV Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Hoang Binh Quan and leaders of the Communist Party of Germany (DKP), Left-Wing Party of Germany (De Linke), Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) and the German Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs.

The Vietnamese side informed the host of Vietnam’s political and socio-economic situation as well as the CPV and State’s policies.

The two sides debated regional and international issues like Vietnam–Germany relations at a time when the two countries are effectively implementing the Joint Statement issued in October 2011 on the establishment of a bilateral strategic partnership.

As part of the eight-day working visit, the Vietnamese delegates joined more than 300 international guests from 80 countries to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) on May 23 in Leipzig city.

Receiving Quan, SPD President Sigmar Gabriel said he believes the two Parties’ relations will be further enhanced in the time to come, helping accelerate the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Germany.

Quan expressed his belief that the SPD will harvest more achievements, for the development of Germany, Europe and the world.

The delegation will leave Germany on May 25.

Hanoi fosters relations with Italian region

Hanoi and the Lazio region of Italy on May 24 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation during a Hanoi delegation’s current visit to Italy.

Under the MoU, the two localities will enhance their trade and economic ties, especially between small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

They agreed to strengthen cooperation in economics, culture, education-training, and tourism, and to share experiences in the sustainable preservation of historical relics and sites. Lazio Council Chairman Daniele Leodori appreciated the Hanoi delegation’s visit, saying it will open a new chapter for the development of bilateral relations in the future.

Leodori said the Lazio region is willing to cooperate with and provide support for Hanoi in its fields of strength.

Hanoi People’s Council Chairwoman Ngo Thi Doan Thanh said she hopes to boost cooperation in a number of fields with Italian localities, particularly between Hanoi and Lazio.

Thanh said Italy has poured US$23 million into 11 projects in Hanoi, ranking it 21st among foreign investors in the capital city.

However, she added, bilateral cooperation between the two regions has yet to match their great potential. Therefore, it is essential to increase mutual understanding and map out specific cooperation mechanisms for development in each country.

She also called for more investment from Italian businesses and pledged to create the best possible conditions for them to operate in Vietnam.

During their week-long visit from May 24-30, the Hanoi delegates are scheduled to work with municipal leaders in Bologna and meet with the leaders of Venice and the Emilia-Romagna region.