Lao party officials study local Party building work

A delegation from the Commission for Organisation of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee paid a working visit to northern Ninh Binh Province on October 27 to learn the locality’s Party building work.

The Lao officials discussed with leaders of Ninh Binh Province issues on Party building at localities, as well as criticism and self-criticism work of collectives and individuals. They were shared the experiences on preparation of personnel for Party congresses at the grassroots level.

At the reception for Lao officials, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Bui Van Nam congratulated the LPRP and Lao State and people on their great and important achievements in the national renewal, construction and defence.

He also cheered the visiting officials on their country’s World Trade Organisation membership status being approved at the organisation’s General Council Meeting on October 26.

Head of the LPRP’s Commission for Organisation Chansy Phosikham spoke of the effective cooperation between Ninh Binh and Laos’ Udomxay Province in the fields of economics, culture, social issues and human resources training.

He expressed his belief that under the leadership of the two Parties and States, the Vietnam-Laos special solidarity will be further developed in depth.

Binh Duong urged to attract investment in high-tech sector

State President Truong Tan Sang has suggested that Binh Duong should try to attract investment in hi-tech and high added value industrial sectors.  

While visiting the southern province of Binh Duong on October 27, President Sang had a meeting with representatives from 70 firms operating in Binh Duong, during which he spoke highly of the efforts that the firms have made over the past years, and shared their current difficulties.

Business representatives raised the problems that the rescue packages were not sufficient to a majority of enterprises, while priorities so far have only been given to attracting new investment, neglecting operating firms. As a result, a number of foreign-invested enterprises have been reduced production scale.

In response, President Sang said the Party and State are making adjustments in both macro policies and specific measures to assist production.

Despite many difficulties, Binh Duong has so far reached 65 percent of its yearly target for this year, with industrial production value hitting VND95,212 billion, up 12.7 percent year-on-year.

In the first nine month of this year, the province attracted VND9.9 trillion (about US$472 million) in domestic investment and US42.4 billion of foreign capital.

Vietnam boosts defence ties with Italy

A delegation from the Defence Ministry led by Deputy Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh had a working visit to Italy from October 24-26.

During their stay, the Vietnamese delegation paid a courtesy visit to Italian Defence Minister Giampaolo Di Paola, who affirmed that Italy wants to strengthen defence cooperation with Vietnam for the benefit of each country’s people as well as for peace and stability in the regions and the world.

The delegation held talks with Italian Defence General Secretary Claudio Debertolis and Deputy Minister Filippo Milone, discussing measures to further bilateral defence ties with a view to building a relation of cooperation and development on the basis of mutual respect.

They affirmed their wish to seek a common voice on major regional and international defence issues such as peace, war, maritime security and terrorism prevention.

The two sides agreed to seek specific areas for cooperation such as defence industry, training, the exchange of officers and delegations, cooperation between research institutes, peacekeeping, and bomb and mine clearance.

They also agreed to actively prepare for the signing of a memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation at the earliest point of time.

Vinh noted with pleasure that the two countries’ defence ties have seen encouraging developments over the recent past and fine prospects in the future.

The Vietnamese Defence Ministry wants to foster ties with the Italian side, especially in strengthening mutual support in international relations regarding security and peace issues and the abiding by international law in the conduct of countries, he noted.

Expansion of National Highway 15A begins

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung on October 27 attended a ceremony to start the upgrade and expansion of the National Highway 15A and the construction of Truong Bon temple, showroom and memorial site in the central province of Nghe An.

Located on the National Highway 15A, Truong Bon had an extremely important strategic position, during the anti-US war, serving as the only connecting points of key routes to supply human and material resources from the north to the southern battlefields.

Among numerous soldiers who died during fierce US bombing of the site, 13 young volunteers from Brigade 317 of Nghe An Province who fell down at the same time while filling bomb holes on the road. Their deaths have made Truong Bon a sacred site to the Vietnamese people.

The Truong Bon relic site project was approved at a total investment of 175.4 billion VND (8.3 million USD) while the National Highway 15A project costs over 757.7 billion VND (36 million USD). Once finished, it is expected to promote the regional socio-economic development and ensure security and national defence.

President praises businesses’ efforts in Binh Duong

President Truong Tan Sang on October 27 visited the southern province of Binh Duong to inspect general situation and hear reports and proposals of enterprises in the locality.

During his meeting with representatives from 70 firms operating in Binh Duong, Sang spoke highly of the efforts that the firms have made over the past years, and shared their current difficulties.

Business representatives raised the problems that the rescue packages were not sufficient to a majority of enterprises, while priorities so far have only been given to attracting new investment, neglecting operating firms. As a result, a number of foreign-invested enterprises have been reduced production scale.

In response, President Sang said the Party and State are making adjustments in both macro policies and specific measures to assist production.

He suggested that Binh Duong should try to attract investment in hi-tech and high added value industrial sectors.

Despite many difficulties, Binh Duong has so far reached 65 percent of its yearly target for this year, with industrial production value hitting 95,212 billion VND, up 12.7 percent year-on-year.

In the first nine month of this year, the province attracted 9.9 trillion VND (about 472 million USD) in domestic investment and 2.4 billion USD of foreign capital.

Vietnam seeks more ODA from France

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has suggested France increase official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam and boost bilateral relations, especially in defence and security.

At a reception for visiting French Minister of Labour Michel Sapin in Hanoi on October 26, the PM thanked France for its ODA to Vietnam in vocational training.

He expressed his wish that the French Government will join Vietnam’s efforts in developing bilateral cooperation, especially in economics, trade, investment, education and training, science and technology.

The two sides should cooperate in organising activities to celebrate the 40 th anniversary of Vietnam-France diplomatic ties in 2013 as well as strengthen coordination at international forums, he said.

Dung took the occasion to extend his invitation to French President Francois Hollande to visit Vietnam next year.

Sapin, who is in Vietnam to attend the 4 th ASEM Labour and Employment Ministers’ Conference, affirmed that the French Government wants to promote cooperation with Vietnam in all aspects.

Vietnam attends 127th general assembly of IPU

Vietnam’s National Assembly is fully committed to supporting the international community’s efforts to protect fundamental rights of humans for the sake of peace, stability and sustainable development.

The commitment was voiced by Tran Van Hang, Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee for External Relations, when addressing the plenary session of the 127th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Quebec, Canada.

In his speech, Hang stated that ensuring rights to citizenship, identity and linguistic and cultural diversity are the bare bones of human rights protection.

Having 54 ethnic groups, with diverse cultural, linguistic and religious values, Vietnam always pays attention to maintaining and promoting the cultural, linguistic and religious values of all of these groups, he said.

The country also draws up targets for economic growth while promoting social equality and progress.

During international integration, Vietnam has actively participated in the implementation of international conventions on human rights and the rights of ethnic minority peoples.

Apart from taking the floor at the plenary session, the Vietnamese delegation also contributed to discussions at the Politics and Security Committee, the Democracy and Human Rights Committee and the Finance and Trade Committee.

Present at the 127 th General Assembly, which took place from October 21-26, were more than 1,400 delegates from 162 parliaments and non-governmental organisations.

The focus of their discussions was on citizenship, identities and linguistics and cultural diversity in a globalised world, as well as ways of ensuring political diversity, especially in IPU member countries.

The President of IPU, Abdelwahad Radi, told the press that as the world becomes increasingly divided by politics, religion and racial discrimination, the IPU needs to demand an end to such polarisation.

The meeting, themed ‘protecting diversity to ensure peace in today’s polarised world” was expected to adopt plans to ensure gender equality in parliaments and policy making agencies as well as improve working environments.

First established in 1889, with its headquarters in Geneva, the IPU now has 155 members and 9 associate members. It meets bi-annually and its 128th meeting will take place in Quito City, Ecuador in March 2013.

VNN/VOV/VNA