New constitution must reflect Party and people’s aspiration

The amended constitution must reflect the aspiration of the whole Party and people, President Truong Tan Sang said at a conference held by the central committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front on March 27.

President Truong Tan Sang speaks at the conference. (Source: VNA)

As the constitution is a fundamental law demonstrating the will and interests of the whole nation, the work of collecting opinions to the draft amendments to the 1992 Constitution is very important, Sang told participants, who are intellectuals, lawyers, religious dignitaries and representatives of ethnic minorities nationwide.

Praising the front for having collected around 8 million opinions on the draft over the past time, Sang said it should strive more in this work in the coming time.

At the conference, many opinions were also raised, including one that the draft should add a regulation allowing overseas Vietnamese to take part in votes in Vietnam.

Participants also proposed that the role of the Fatherland Front should be confirmed and clarified in the new constitution so that the front could bring into further play its role in mobilizing the strength of the national great solidarity.

NA leader works with youth union on Constitution

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung had a working session in Hanoi on March 27 with the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCM CYU) on the union’s gathering of opinions to the draft revised 1992 Constitution and participating in programmes on building new rural areas.

Speaking at the meeting, Nguyen Dac Vinh, alternate member of the Party Central Committee and First Secretary of the HCM CYU Central Committee, said that the collection of opinions has been organised at all branches of the union with a wide range of channels, including the media, the youth’s news, website, posters and forums.

As of March 14, the committee had collected over 1.18 million comments from its members to the draft.

It also proposed a document to the NA and the Committee on Drafting Amendments to the 1992 Constitution on maintaining the constitution’s contents on regulations on the HCM CYU’s responsibilities of educating Vietnamese young people, teenagers and children.

Addressing the event, Hung praised the contributions by young people nationwide to the draft and asked them to be more active in expressing their opinions.

Regarding to the building of new rural areas, the NA leader asked the union chapters at all levels to pay more attention to vocational training for rural youth, as well as popularise rural economic development models to them.

He pledged to work with authorised agencies to create favourable conditions for young people to help them contribute more to the country’s socio-economic development.

CPIM busy in Hanoi

A Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) delegation led by head of its Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Hoang Binh Quan held talks with a visiting delegation of the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPIM) in Hanoi on March 27.

The two sides compared notes on their socio-economic situation and regional and international issues of common concern, and discussed specific solutions to enhance cooperation between the two Parties and States.

Quan said the CPV hopes to boost the traditional friendship with the CPIM and further strengthen mutual cooperation at the international forums to promote the Vietnam-India ties in the spirit of the strategic partnership.

CPIM head delegate M.A.Baby, who is a politburo member, spoke highly of Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements over the past years under the CPV leadership.

The Indian party expects to intensify its cooperation with the CPV focusing on information exchange, theory and policymaking - related experience sharing, Baby added.

Earlier, the CPIM delegation had a meeting with head of the Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission Vuong Dinh Hue to discuss measures for economic growth and sustainable development.

Vietnam, Australia cement bilateral ties

Vietnam is now one of the most important partners of Australia and the two countries’ relations would grow further on the basis of their established close cooperation, Australian Consul General in HCM City John McAnulty has said.

At a ceremony to mark the 40 th anniversary of Vietnam-Australia diplomatic ties in Ho Chi Minh City on March 27, the Australian diplomat said his nation is cooperating with Vietnam in education, development assistance, trade, investment, border security and trans-national crimes and other fields.

Australia is helping Vietnam develop infrastructure, he said, adding that it has committed providing 168 million AUD for the design and building of the Cao Lanh bridge -- its biggest project in the Southeast Asian country.

For his part, Vice Chairman of the Municipal People’s Committee Hua Ngoc Thuan said the two countries’ relations have seen comprehensive, stable developments with outstanding outcomes made in economic cooperation.

Two-way trade between the two countries rose 20 percent annually and exceeded 5 billion USD last year, the city’s official said.

My Thuan and Cao Lanh bridges demonstrate vivid examples of the two countries’ friendship, he said, adding that the city has set up its sister relationships with Queensland in 2005.

By late February, 2013, Australia had 111 valid projects totalling 157.2 million USD in HCM City. Some Australian universities are partnering with the city in training 500 MA and doctor degree holders.

Vietnam continues personnel training for Lao police

Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security has pledged to continue supporting its Laos partner in training personnel, building forces, performing Party work, and communications activities.

The pledge came out from the working session in Hanoi on March 26 of officials from the General Department for Building the People’s Police Force under the Vietnam Ministry of Public Security, and the General Department of Politics under the Lao Ministry of Public Security.

Earlier the same day, Deputy Minister of Public Security, Lieut. Gen. Bui Quang Ben received the Lao guests, expressing his hope that the two sides will uphold the special solidarity between the two countries and enhance their coordination in their tasked fields.

The special solidarity and all-faceted cooperation between police forces have played a more significant role in the Vietnam-Laos special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation, which were fostered by leaders of various generations and have become an invaluable asset of both peoples, he said.

Ben and Colonel Thong Khen Bun-mun, Deputy Head of the Lao General Department of Politics, who led the delegation to Vietnam, shared the view on both sides increasing mutual support to ensure each side’s national security and order.

VNN/VNA