Government targets six percent growth

The Government will continue curbing inflation, stabilizing the macro-economy, ensuring social security and maintaining a suitable economic growth rate at 6 percent.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung made this announcement at the closing session of the regular Government meeting on September 25-26 in Hanoi to discuss socio-economic developments in September and the first nine months of this year. 

PM Dung said that during more than six months of implementing the Party Politburo’s Conclusion No. 2 and Government Resolution 11, the country’s socio-economy saw initial achievements in controlling inflation and stabilizing the macro-economy.

He asked the State Bank of Vietnam to focus on controlling bad debts, adopt measures to lower interest rates and closely monitor foreign exchange rates, while continuing a tight monetary policy and providing capital for agricultural production and small and medium-sized enterprises.

The PM also asked ministries, sectors and localities to continue examining and raising the efficiency of public investment, to ensure capital for projects close to completion, especially electricity projects, and to help enterprises with priority to be given to agricultural production and natural disaster control.

For the operation of State-owned enterprises over the past five years and plans for the next period, the PM asked the Finance Ministry to build a project on renovating State-owned enterprises with a focus on restructuring economic groups and corporations.

He asked ministries and sectors to strictly review management practices and to include socio-economic development goals in plans for 2012.   

Vietnam, US discuss boosting bilateral partnership

Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Sept. 26 discussed measures to beef up bilateral partnership between the two countries towards strategic partnership.

During the meeting, which took place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, the two foreign ministers exchanged views on the regional structure in Asia-Pacific.

They also sought to strengthen cooperation in science and education.

Minh took the occasion to ask the US to continue its humanitarian aid for Vietnam in dealing with the issues of Agent Orange/dioxin and HIV/AIDS.

Vietnam welcomes the US ’s attendance at the East Asia Submit this year, Minh said.

For her part, Clinton said US-based General Electric Group hopes to join biddings to provide energy for Vietnam.

She thanked Vietnam for its effort in renovating its adoption procedures as well as decision to join the Hague Convention. She encouraged Vietnam to take part in the Proliferation Security Initiative.

Vietnam is considering this move, said Minister Minh.

Dutch Minister visits Vietnam

A high-level military delegation from the Netherlands led by Dutch Defense Minister Hans Hillens arrived in Hanoi on September 25 at the invitation of Vietnamese Defense Minister General Phung Quang Thanh.

During talks with the delegation, General Thanh welcomed the delegation’s first visit to Vietnam, saying that it will strengthen mutual understanding and promote friendship between the two armies and peoples.

Defense Minister Hillen congratulated Vietnam’s Ministry of Defense on its successful organisation of the fourth ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting (ADMM-4) and thanked General Thanh and the senior military officers and commanders of Vietnam People’s Army for their warm and friendly reception.

Both sides agreed to exchange high-level delegations and share experiences in coping with climate change and natural disasters, as well as joining the United Nations peace activities.

The two leaders also expressed their wishes to promote cooperation in the defense industry, establish relations between businesses and the two armies, and consolidate and strengthen cooperation and friendship between the two armies and peoples.

After the talks, they signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on defense cooperation between the Vietnamese and the Dutch Ministries of Defense.

China’s 62nd National Day marked in Hanoi

A sports and cultural exchange programme was held in Hanoi on September 26 to mark China’s 62nd National Day (October 1).

At the event, President of the Hanoi Chapter of the Vietnam-China Friendship Association (VCFA) Hoang Vinh Giang congratulated the 62^nd anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Giang said he was happy at China’s great successes over the past 62 years and highlighted its open-door policy over the past 33 years.

As a member of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Associations, the Hanoi Chapter is committed to building and developing the friendship between Vietnam and China, said Giang.

For his part, Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Kong Xuanyou said the two Parties and States have always perished in strengthening the close friendship, solidarity and cooperation between the two nations since the normalisation of their relationship over the past 20 years.

He expressed hope that the two nations will continue cooperation and development in a friendly and peacefully manner.

Vietnam helps Lao Party officials improve skills

The Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and Public Administration (HCMA) on September 26 opened a class to help improve skills in information dissemination for Lao Party leaders and managers.

The three-month course is among many others launched by the HCMA for Lao Party officials within the framework of cooperation between the two countries.

Associate Prof. and Dr. Le Quoc Ly, HCMA Deputy Director, said the cause of renewal, industrialisation, modernisation and international integration has been accelerated, posing both advantages and challenges for the two countries.

The new situation requires the two Parties’ leaders and managers to have a firm political will and necessary qualifications and capacity, Ly said.

During the course, the Lao Party officials will be equipped with theories of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s Thought and theories in Party building and information and education work.

They will be lectured on skills in disseminating information through different media and hear reports on Vietnam’s experience in ideological work during the renewal process and methods to address emerging problems in this field.

The Lao officials will work with the CPV Central Committee’s Commission for Popularisation and Education, the Hanoi municipal Party Committee’s Commission for Popularisation and Education and make fact-finding tours of several Vietnamese localities.

Vietnam, Cambodia mass organisations boost cooperation

President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF)’s Central Committee Huynh Dam received a delegation of the National Council of Solidarity Front for the Development of Cambodia’s Motherland, headed by its Vice President Min Khin, in Hanoi on September 26.

The VFF leader hailed the visit by the Cambodian delegation and expressed his pleasure at the fine development of relations between the two countries, citing the freshly ended visit to Cambodia by National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung to attend the 32^nd General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 32) as a vivid example for traditional friendship and cooperation.

Min Khin, who also holds the position of General Secretary, expressed his joy at the development of cooperation between the two organisations, saying cooperative activities between the two sides have been implemented at localities.

He thanked the Vietnam Fatherland Front for its assistance to the National Council of Solidarity Front for the Development of Cambodia’s Motherland during its development, contributing to boosting cooperation between the two peoples, especially people living near the common border line of the two countries.

The same day, Vu Trong Kim, Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Fatherland Front had talks with the Cambodian delegation.

Both sides expressed their wishes to continue to boost bilateral cooperation and contribute to developing relations between the two countries.

They discussed preparations for the meeting of Front Presidents of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam slated for December this year in Phnom Penh and the international conference to build peaceful friendship borders, in 2012 in Cambodia.

Vietnam, Netherlands cooperate in national defence

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has expressed hope that the Vietnamese and Dutch Ministries of Defence will cooperate closely in defence technology, equipping the navy, exchanging experiences in military training and raising national defence capacity.

PM Dung made this statement while receiving visiting Dutch Defence Minister Hans Hillen in Hanoi on September 26.

He spoke highly of the results of talks between Dutch Defence Minister Hillen and his Vietnamese counterpart Phung Quang Thanh and the signing of a memorandum of understanding on bilateral cooperation in defence and an agreement on defence material cooperation between Vietnam and the Netherlands.

The PM said he hopes the two sides will continue promoting and expanding bilateral cooperation in economics, investment, coping with climate change and the management of water resources.

Minister Hillen affirmed that his country will closely cooperate with the Vietnamese Ministry of Defence to implement cooperative agreements reached between the two sides, with a focus on promoting defence industries, while sharing experiences in military training, coping with disasters and rescue services.

The minister proposed Vietnam and the Netherlands boost cooperation in coping with climate change and rising sea level.

VNN/VOV/Vietnam Plus