Duma delegation visits Ninh Thuan power plant site

A delegation from the Russian State Duma Committee for Energy arrived in the southern central province of Ninh Thuan on January 5 to inspect the site where Vietnam’s first nuclear power plant is expected to be built.

The Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Plant project management board briefed the delegation, led by Sergey Levchenko - Vice Chairman of the Russian committee, on the progress of the project. The management board also exhibited the site where a centre for nuclear technical cooperation will be constructed.

The management board hopes the Russian side will provide advanced and safe technology for the power plant, and help Vietnam manage and treat nuclear waste.

Levchenko, who is also President of the Russia - Vietnam parliamentary group, asked the management board to assess the environmental impacts of the plant before commencing construction.

Russia was chosen to partner the first Vietnamese nuclear power plant. The country will provide technology and credit to help build the facility.

Party leader tours Lao Cai Province

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on January 6 visited the border commune of Ban Lau, Muong Khuong District, Lao Cai Province, during his tour of northwest provinces.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong visits residents in Ban Lau Commune, Muong Khuong District as part of his business trip in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai.

Trong praised commune leaders and people’s efforts to implement national programmes and objectives that will create major socio-economic and cultural changes.

He stressed the importance of ensuring security and order, combating cross border crime, as well as the management and use of agricultural land and plantations.

The commune should focus on building a strong Party organization and political system, and implement regulations for grassroots level democracy, Trong said.

Ban Lau commune is home to more than 6,000 people from 11 ethnic minority groups. Food production in the commune grew from 2,800 tonnes in 2010 to 3,150 tonnes in 2012, and the rate of poor households dropped to 18.16 percent.

Party leader visits Yen Bai

The northern Yen Bai province needs to tap its potential and exploit its strength to create products capable of delivering developmental progress.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong gave his assessment during his working visit to the province over January 4–5, examining mineral exploration, business and production, and Party building.

According to a report from the Yen Bai provincial Party Committee, the provincial economy grew at a rate exceeding 12 percent in 2012. The province re-organised mineral exploration activities by revoking 22 mineral exploration permits, addressing administrative violations worth more than VND790 million, and zoning restricted areas for mineral exploration.

Addressing the working session, Trong praised Yen Bai for its socio-economic achievements in 2012 and properly implementing the Party Central Committee’s fourth plenum resolution despite facing obstacles like inadequate infrastructure, slow economic growth, high poverty rates, and a lack of management experience.

The Party chief asked Yen Bai to restructure the local economy and maximise the economic advantages of forest and mineral resources, reducing poverty and improving local living standards.

Regarding Party building, Trong underscored the province’s obligations to conduct criticism, self-criticism, annual confidence votes, proper cadre evaluations, and effective personnel planning.

Increasing the quality of Party cell activities remains imperative, as it is reinforcing solidarity and unity among Party members, he noted.

VNN/VOV/VNA