Portuguese Communist Party chief visits Vietnam

Politburo member and standing member of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC)’s Secretariat Le Hong Anh, has stressed his desire to strengthen friendship and cooperation between the Parties, countries and peoples of Vietnam and Portugal.

CPVCC ’s Secretariat Le Hong Anh (left) receives General Secretary of the Portuguese Communist Party Jeronimo Carvalho de Sousa. (Photo: VNA)

Receiving General Secretary of the Portuguese Communist Party Jeronimo Carvalho de Sousa in Hanoi on March 4, Anh hailed Sousa’s visit as a vivid manifestation of the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two Parties and peoples.

Informing the guest of the country’s renewal, socialism building and its diplomatic policy of independence, self-mastery and openness, Anh affirmed that the CPV treasures ties with fraternal and traditional friendly countries.

Sausa pledged to make every effort to promote close relations and trustworthy links between the two Parties in the time to come.

During his visit to Vietnam from March 1-4, Sausa also held talks with head of the CPVCC’s Commission for External Relations Hoang Binh Quan, during which, the two sides discussed measures to bolster ties between the two Parties, thus contributing to consolidating the friendship and cooperation between the two States and peoples.

Working with leaders of the CPVCC’s Theory Council, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the Portuguese side learnt about the Vietnamese Party and State’s experience in socio-economic development and Party building, and visited economic facilities in Hanoi.

PM holds talks with Hungarian minister to raise co-operation

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has urged for stronger co-operation between Viet Nam and Hungary, especially in the fields of environmental protection, education and training, science and technology and medical care.

The PM hosted the Hungarian Minister of Human Resources, Zoltan Balog, in Ha Noi yesterday, March 4, to discuss the potential for future partnerships.

The PM requested that Hungary create more scholarship opportunities to allow Vietnamese students to study in Hungary and asked for the initiation of Hungarian-run training institutions.

In response, Balog promised that Hungary would continue to seek further co-operation with Viet Nam both economically and in the areas mentioned by Dung.

He said in the near future Hungary would willingly share with Viet Nam its experiences in agriculture, health care and education.

Dung and Balog shared their appreciation for the developing friendship between the two countries and pledged to work towards a long and fruitful partnership.

Vietnam’s first green hydropower plant operational

The Chiem Hoa green hydropower plant in Tuyen Quang Province, the first of its kind in Vietnam, went operational on March 4.

Funded by International Investment, Construction and Trade Company, construction of the 48MW facility began on October 12, 2009, under the engineering-procurement-construction method. The 1.828 trillion VND (85 million USD) facility has three turbines.

The plant is expected to produce 198.6 million kWh of electricity for the national grid.

Addressing the event, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai requested the investor to work closely with the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to regulate water resources in the dry season, protect dams, cope with floods and devise contingency plans.

The investor was also asked to pay attention to personnel training to help the plant operate smoothly.

Vietnam–Cambodia Friendship Year reviewed

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked relevant sides to further promote all-around cooperation with Cambodia on the basis of equality and mutual benefits, therefore contributing to bolstering Vietnam–Cambodia ties for the sake of the two peoples.

Chairing a ceremony to review the 2012 Vietnam–Cambodia Friendship Year in Hanoi on March 4, Phuc hailed the year’s successful activities, such as the inauguration of a relic site dedicated to National Defence Mission 125, the predecessor of the Cambodian revolutionary armed force, in southern Dong Nai province, and Border Marker No. 314.

The Vietnam–Cambodia investment cooperation conference in Kien Giang province, the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties, and a friendship cooperation conference between the Vietnamese and Cambodian legislatures were also held in 2012.

The highlight of the year were activities to support students, boost cultural and economic exchanges and delegation exchanges between the two countries’ localities.

Events during the 2012 Vietnam–Cambodia Friendship Year were partly to celebrate the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties, and to strengthen the fine neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation and long-term sustainability between the two nations.

VN, Laos defence ministries ink 2013 plan

Defence Ministries of Vietnam and Laos signed a cooperation plan for 2013 in Hanoi on March 3.

The document was inked by Minister of Defence General Phung Quang Thanh and his Lao counterpart Douangchay Phichit, who is also Deputy Prime Minister of Laos.

At the signing ceremony, Thanh stressed that the plan will allow for the consolidation of the traditional friendship between the two nations and their armies. It also marked the special solidarity between the two armies.

Douangchay Phichit said that he highly appreciates the hard work undertaken between the two ministries of defence last year, and believes that the continued cooperation will reap further rewards in the coming years.

VNN/VNS/VNA