President to attend APEC conference

President Truong Tan Sang and his wife will attend the 20th Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) Forum summit in the Russian city of Vladivostok from September 6-9.

The visit is being made at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his wife.

Indonesian House Speaker to visit Vietnam

Speaker of Indonesia’s House of Representatives Marzuki Alie, who is also President of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, will pay a working visit to Vietnam from Sept. 4-5.

Speaker of Indonesia’s House of Representatives Marzuki Alie.

The visit will be made at the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung, the NA’s Committee for External Relations has announced.

Vietnam, Switzerland boost cooperation in various fields

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan and his delegation met with Head of the Swiss Federal Department of Economic Affairs (FDEA) Johann Scheneider Ammann and Head of the Federal Department of Home Affairs Alain Berset on August 30.

These meeting as part of their five-day tour of Switzerland aimed to review cooperation agreements signed by high-level delegations over the years.

Deputy PM Nhan told Mr Ammann that Vietnam considers Switzerland as its important partner in Europe.

In recent years, he said two-way trade has grown steadily but it is still far from matching the fine political relationship and potential of the two countries.

The Swiss Government should further encourage businesses to invest in Vietnam in areas of their strength such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, finance-banking, insurance, watch production, electromechanics and jewellery, Mr Nhan said.

He also asked Switzerland to support Vietnam in human resources training, finance-banking, tourism industry and pharmaceutical management.

Mr Nhan recalled the commitments made by the FDEA head at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos last year under which Switzerland will help Vietnam train analysis and forecast experts in building finance-banking policies.

For his part, Mr Ammann said his country regards Vietnam as one of the seven countries in the list of economic development priorities.

Switzerland will help Vietnam in labour productivity which is the key to Switzerland’s successful competition with other countries in the world.

Regarding Vietnam’s entry to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Mr Ammann said Switzerland always supports Vietnam in opening its doors to market and trade liberalization and combat trade protectionism. His country will share experience with Vietnam in vocational training- a successful training model in Switzerland, he said.   

Mr Ammann expressed hope that the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiation process between Vietnam and Switzerland will achieve positive results in the near future.

He said he will lead a Swiss delegation of outstanding businesses in finance-banking and tourism to Vietnam next year in the hope that the Vietnamese Government will adopt favourable policies for Swiss businesses, especially pharmaceutical companies operating in Vietnam.

During their meeting, Deputy PM Nhan and Head of the Federal Department of Home Affairs Alain Berset discussed measures to boost bilateral cooperation in health care, pharmaceuticals, science and technology, social insurance, employment, tourism and social affairs.

The same day, Mr Nhan and his entourage visited Swissmedic- the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products in Bern.

On August 31, they left for Basel, 100 km from Bern to visit some Swiss pharmaceutical companies and will leave Switzerland for Bulgaria on September 1.

Vietnam, Indonesia look toward strategic partnership

Vietnamese and Indonesian delegations have met in Bali, Indonesia, for the second meeting on the theme Towards the Vietnam-Indonesia strategic partnership.

The August 28-29 conference, co-chaired by Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Vinh and Head of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry’s Policy Analysis and Development Agency Pitono Purnomo, focused on the content of the two countries’ strategic partnership, including efforts to enhance bilateral cooperation and regional and global cooperation.

Both sides defined a number of key cooperation areas, including politics, defence security, law, economics, trade and investment, social affairs-culture, food security and energy.

According to Pitono Purnomo, lifting up Indonesia-Vietnam ties to a partnership level will benefit both countries and contribute to positive development in the region.

The first conference on bringing the two countries’ relations to a strategic level took place in Hanoi on July 13-14.

APEC finance ministers hold talks in Moscow

A delegation from the Vietnamese Finance Ministry, led by Deputy Minister Truong Chi Trung, attended the 19th APEC Finance Ministers' Meeting and related meetings in Moscow from August 28-30.

At the meetings, Viet Nam joined in concern about regional issues. On the sidelines, Trung had a working session with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Storchak.

They discussed macro-economic developments in their own countries and international and regional issues of common concern before signing a memorandum of understanding on enhancing ties between the two finance ministries.

The meeting was part of the main preparations by APEC ministers for the APEC Summit, scheduled for Sunday in Vladivostock.

The 20th meeting will be held in Bali, Indonesia, in September next year.

President to attend APEC summit in Russia

President Truong Tan Sang and his wife will attend the 20 th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum summit in the Russian city of Vladivostok from September 6-9.

The visit is made at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and his spouse.

VN pledges to foster ties with Laos

Vietnam will do its utmost to foster close fraternal relations with Laos, a senior Vietnamese diplomat said at a reception in Hanoi on August 30 for Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Somphone Sichalenne, who came to congratulate the 67 th anniversary of the August Revolution and the National Day of Vietnam.

Deputy Foreign Minister Le Luong Minh also highly valued the Lao embassy and Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s cooperation in promoting traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries over the past time, especially in holding activities to celebrate the Vietnam – Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year 2012, the 50 th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties and 35 years of the signing of the Vietnam – Laos Friendship and Cooperation Treaty.

Sichalenne thanked Vietnamese leaders, including those at the foreign ministry, for creating favourable conditions for the Lao embassy to fulfill its assigned tasks.

He pledged to closely work with the ministry to promote the two countries’ cooperation, contributing to the common success of the Vietnam – Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year 2012.

VNN/VNS/VNA