President Sang welcomes Cambodian Deputy PM

President Truong Tan Sang received Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of the Interior Sar Kheng in Hanoi on November 3.

Sar Kheng lauded Vietnam’s Renewal achievements and thanked the government and people of Vietnam for their heart-felt support and assistance to Cambodian people who were recently affected by natural disasters.

He briefed his host on the result of cooperation between the two countries’ police forces, saying during his participation in the 80th Interpol General Assembly in Hanoi, the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam and the Ministry of the Interior of Cambodia held talks and agreed to assist each other in the exchange of information, the fight against crime and personnel training.

President Sang acknowledged the exploits that Vietnamese and Cambodian police have achieved in recent times and expressed his belief the two police forces will boost cooperation to fulfil tasks entrusted to them by their Parties and States.

He conveyed the best wishes to the Cambodian Government leaders and people and hoped they will perform their role well as the ASEAN presidency in 2012.  

President receives Russian top judge

State President Truong Tan Sang received Vyacheslav M. Lebedev, Chairman of Russia’s Supreme Court, in Hanoi on November 3.

President Sang highly valued cooperative agreements between the Supreme People’s Court of Vietnam and the Supreme Court of Russia in recent years, and emphasised strengthening and completing judicial training work as one of urgent tasks in Vietnam’s judicial reform strategy till 2020.

He supported initiatives on cooperation between the two sectors and affirmed a commitment to create favourable conditions for them to boost cooperation.

For his part, Lebedev noted that the growing development in bilateral cooperation in was based on the traditional friendship, saying that leaders agreed to exchange expert-level delegations, increase studies in legislative and judicial areas, and expand cooperation between local courts.

He also pledged that the Supreme Court of Russia will help Vietnam to train judges and said he hopes the two justice sectors will provide mutual support and boost the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Fatherland Front congratulates Buddhist Sangha on anniversary

The President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee, Huynh Dam, on November 3 sent a letter of congratulation to the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) on its 30th anniversary.

In the latter, Huynh Dam acknowledged the positive contributions made by the Sangha and its monks, nuns and followers to the cause of national great unity, as well as national construction and defence over the past 30 years.

He noted that since its establishment, the Sangha has mobilised its monks, nuns and followers to carry out Party guidelines and State laws, and take part in exemplary role model movements.

He stressed that the coming into being of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha is the continuation and inheritance of the Vietnamese Buddhist tradition, demonstrating voluntary unity of all Buddhist organisations and sects in Vietnam, living up to the expectations of Buddhist dignitaries, monks, nuns and followers and meeting the country’s requirements for peace and unity.

The VFF President expressed his belief that under the motto “Dharma – Nation – Socialism”, the VBS will continue to perform its role as an active VFF member in encouraging its followers to implement Party resolutions and to make thorough preparations for its 7th congress to be held in 2012.

Lao President receives CPV delegation

Lao Party General Secretary and State President Choummaly Sayasone received a delegation from the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations in Vientiane on November 3.

The delegation led by Hoang Binh Quan, member of the Party Central Committee and Head of the Commission for External Relations, is on a working visit to Laos from November 3-7.

Mr Quan praised the significant achievements Laos has recorded in the first year of implementing its 9th National Party Congress resolution, expressing his hope that, under the leadership of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP), the people of Laos will continue to gain greater achievements in their process of national construction and defense and successfully implement their socio-economic development plan for 2011-2015.

The Vietnamese people will stand side by side with the Lao people to enhance the ties of special solidarity and friendship between the two countries for mutual development and prosperity, Mr Quan said.

President Sayasone praised the contributions the two External Relations Commissions have made to strengthening the time-honoured relationship between Laos and Vietnam. He said he hopes the two commissions will continue to coordinate closely, promote exchanges and share information and experiences to help each other implement their respective Parties’ external policies successfully. They should also start planning activities for 2012, which will be the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Year.

The Party, State and people of Laos will do their best to foster the special ties of friendship between the two countries, he added.

President Sayasone asked Mr Quan to convey his best regards to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and State President Truong Tan Sang.

The same day, the CPV delegation also held talks with a LPRP delegation on promoting bilateral cooperation and implementing agreements reached by senior leaders, as well as regional and international issues of mutual concern.

City association promotes Vietnam-Laos friendship

Ho Chi Minh City’s Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association organised its congress for the 2011-2016 tenure on November 3.

Established in August 1984, the association has contributed to strengthening mutual understanding, and developing friendship, solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos as well as localities in both countries.

In addition to major events such as Laos National Day, the traditional Lunar New Year festival of Bunpimay, and reciprocal visits, the association has also organised cultural exchanges and competitions about Laos and its people which has promoted friendship among the young people of both countries.

Association members have participated in writing books, articles, and memoirs about special solidarity between Vietnamese army volunteers and the Lao army and people.

The President of the HCM City Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association, Phan Xuan Bien, said that the Party and State as well as HCM City to further the special relationship between Vietnam and Laos, which was founded and nurtured by late President Ho Chi Minh and late Lao President Kaysone Phomvihane.

Germany is Vietnam’s biggest EU trade partner

Germany is Vietnam’s biggest trade partner in the European Union (EU) with two-way trade turnover increasing by 20 percent annually to reach its current level of over US$4.1 billion per year.

This statement was made by National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan at a reception for the director of Germany’s Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), Rabea Brauer, in Hanoi on November 3.   

She added that over 200 German businesses are now investing in Vietnam and government agencies in both countries have strengthened cooperation in many fields, especially justice and law.

Ms Ngan expressed satisfaction with the traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries which has continued to develop strongly and comprehensively. German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s recent visit to Vietnam marked a new milestone in bilateral relations with the signing of a joint statement announcing the official establishment of a Vietnam-Germany strategic partnership.

Highlighting the role KAS has played in organizing cooperative programmes on law and justice in the 2009-2011 period, Ms Ngan said she hopes that both countries will define orientations for the 2012-2014 cooperative programme, saying that Vietnam’s National Assembly will receive continued support from KAS to fulfill its targets. She affirmed that the NA is willing to support and participate in cooperative programmes between Vietnam and Germany.

KAS director Rabea Brauer briefed Ms Ngan on the cooperative plan the KAS has developed with Vietnam for the 2012-2014 period, aiming to improve the capacity of NA deputies. She affirmed that KAS will do its best to consolidate the Vietnam-Germany relationship and raise the strategic partnership between the two countries to a new height in the interests of their peoples.

Grand Duke of Luxembourg to visit Vietnam

Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, will pay an official visit to Vietnam from November 7-10, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The visit is made at the invitation of State President Truong Tan Sang, said a Ministry communiqué released on November 3.

Gov’t to invest more in education in central highland region  

The Vietnamese government has decided to uplift the living standards of the people of ethnic minority groups in the central highland region by providing more educational facilities from 2011-2015.  

The government plans to invest more in education and vocational training courses so that by 2015 most of the districts in the highlands and mountainous areas in the region will have boarding schools and 96 percent of the ethnic minority children from the age of five can have access to good educational facilities and learn the Vietnamese language and culture from an early age.

By 2015 many more, better and regular education facilities and community studying centers will be set up in communes to eradicate illiteracy amongst people above the age of 15.

Two more universities including one private school and four colleges will be established in the region by 2015.

As the average percentage of people entering universities is very low in the highland region, the government wants to raise this ratio to 180 students in every 10,000. It also wants to raise the number of ethnic minority students to 20 percent by 2015.
 
HCMC leaders greet Buddhist Sangha on 30th anniversary  

A delegation of Ho Chi Minh City leaders visited the southern office of Vietnam Buddhist Sangha on November 2 to offer congratulations on their 30th anniversary (November 7).  

The delegation was led by Mr. Nguyen Van Dua, Deputy Standing Secretary of the HCMC Committee who offered his best wishes to the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and Ho Chi Minh City Buddhist Sangha, buddhist dignitaries, monks, nuns and followers.

The delegation also visited An Quang Temple and greeted the Municipal Buddhist Sangha members there.

The Municipal members expressed appreciation of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and the Ho Chi Minh City Buddhist Sangha for their role and positive contributions to the common cause of socio-economic development in the city and hoped that monks, nuns and followers would work towards the cause of municipal development.

The government’s recent move retrenching telecom network infrastructure firms with state ruling shares offers vast opportunities to investors.

UK firms seek consistency before they take the plunge

Viet Nam should provide a more open and consistent policy regime in order to take better advantage of foreign trade and investment opportunities, a senior British official said yesterday.

British Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Vince Cable, who is on a three-day visit to Viet Nam, said changing policies make foreign businesses unsure of investing in a country.

"When the companies make a long term commitment to Viet Nam for being here for ten years, twenty years, thirty years, they need to know there is a consistency in regulations and protection regimes," he said.

The British ambassador to Viet Nam, Antony Stokes, said at the media briefing that transparency in the business environment was also important.

"We hope the Government makes the business environment more friendly for trade and investment for all countries like the UK," he said.

He said Viet Nam should restructure its economy towards achieving greater efficiency and focus on long-term development goals, particularly in the financial services sector.

Cable said the UK recognised that most of the growth and dynamism came from emerging economies, particularly in Asia.

"We want to give high priority to co-operation with emerging markets, including Viet Nam. It is one of six countries that we want to build up a long-term relationship with," he said.

While it was a positive development that British companies in Viet Nam were doing very well, they face several challenges in expanding their operations, Cable said.

Underdeveloped infrastructure was one of the major challenges, which is why British companies are offering to develop PPP (public private partnership) projects to Viet Nam under the strategic partnership agreement the two countries signed last year.

"The other challenge is that the Vietnamese workforce lacks international qualifications," Cable said.

He said high inflation was still a problem, but apparently a temporary one. The country must manage it without interrupting its growth, he added.

Based on last year's agreement, specific steps had been taken, in particular direct flights between the two countries, Cable noted.

He said the UK was also trying to build up trade relationships in many sectors, particular in financial services. "The City of London is probably the strongest financial marketing centre in the world, and Viet Nam can benefit from working with us," he said.

Besides, Britain has a lot of experience in the legal sector, engineering, infrastructure development, education, and energy that Viet Nam can take advantage of through PPP projects, according to Cable.

Bilateral trade between the two countries is expected to reach US$4 billion by 2014.

Cable's visit came a week after the inaugural Strategic Dialogue which covered global and regional security-related issues between the two sides in London.

VN, Laos rekindle the spirit of solidarity, friendship

Viet Nam will always strive to maintain and promote its solidarity and special friendship with Laos, passing this spirit to future generations, said head of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee's Commission for External Relations Hoang Binh Quan.

Quan was talking with Lao Party General Secretary and President Choummaly Sayasone in Vientiane yesterday.

Choummaly Sayasone welcomed Quan and his entourage to Laos for the 6th traditional friendship exchange between the two Commissions for External Relations.

He said he hoped the two sides would continue to co-ordinate closely, strengthening the exchange of information and experiences while co-operating and supporting each other in respective foreign policies and activities for the Year of Solidarity and Friendship between the two countries in 2012.

Also on the same day, Quan held talks with Lao Deputy Prime Minister and head of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRK) Central Committee's Commission for External Relations and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thongloun Sisoulith.

The two sides discussed measures to implement agreements signed between high ranking leaders of the two Parties, to bring their relations to a new level.

NA Deputy Chairwoman receives German foundation representative

Germany is now Viet Nam's largest trade partner within the European Union, with an average bilateral trade turnover of over US$4.1 billion, said National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan in Ha Noi yesterday.

Speaking to Rabea Bauer, a representative of the German political foundation Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), Ngan also mentioned the contributions that KAS made to the two countries' co-operation in legislation and justice.

She asked the two sides to continue working together, saying that the National Assembly of Viet Nam was willing to support and join in such co-operative programmes.

The German representative discussed KAS's plans for Viet Nam in 2012-14. A main focus of 2012 would be to enhance the legislative abilities of the Vietnamese national assembly deputies as well as improve co-operation between the two parliaments.

After the world holds its breath, the East Sea remains peaceful

Efforts have been made to keep the East Sea "basically peaceful and stable," although the threat of "open conflict" seemed apparent over the past year, said president of the Viet Nam Diplomatic Academy Dang Dinh Quy at an international event in Ha Noi this morning.

"At times, regional and international communities had to hold their breath," he said at the opening session of the workshop entitled "The East Sea: Co-operation for Regional Security and Development."

Tensions rose when Viet Nam accused Chinese fishing boats of damaging cables from an oil exploration vessel inside its exclusive economic zone last May.

But issues on the regional, long been known as "one of the most complicated hotspots in the world," had been discussed in a constructive way, the Vietnamese diplomat said.

According to him, "numerous efforts to prevent confrontations and foster co-operation" have been made, including an agreement on implementation guidelines for the Declaration on the Conduct of parties in the East Sea (DOC) between the ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) and China. This deal was brokered to diminish the threat of war or military clashes.

There have also been many diplomatic endeavours between states directly involved in the disputes, particularly between Viet Nam, the Philippines and China. Regional meetings have also been held on the issue.

According to Professor Geoffrey Till from King's College London, the issues are being increasingly regarded as a global concern.

Dr Bronson Percival, a visiting fellow at the East-West Centre in Washington said that the East Sea would "remain a significant foreign policy issue for the United States for the foreseeable future."

Professor SU Hao and Dr Ren Yuan-zhe from China Foreign Affairs University said the international community should have a clear picture of historical facts and international law, and understand the claims and standpoints of China and other claimant countries to address the issues.

The East Sea is seen as a lifeline for all countries in the region because up to 85 per cent of energy sources for East Asian nations, including China, Japan and South Korea, come from or through Southeast Asia.

The dispute involves the maritime-borders of six parties, including China, Viet Nam and other ASEAN members.