US envoy's visit to strengthen partnership relations in Pacific

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has expressed hope that the United States will recognize Vietnam as a market economy and further tighten the bilateral relations between the two countries.

He made the statement at the March 7 reception for the US Under Secretary of Commerce Francisco Sanchez, affirming Vietnam's negotiations on efforts for the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement.

Sanchez said his visit was aimed at boosting US exports and strengthening partnership relations in the Pacific, and discussing infrastructure development investment in Vietnam, opportunities and challenges for investor in the market approach.

On the same day, Deputy PM Hai received Michel Wormser, Vice President of Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, a member organisation of the World Bank Group.

He wished that the agency would continue supporting Vietnam's infrastructure development projects.

Lao NA leader receives HCM City delegation

The Lao National Assembly Chairwoman Pany Yathotou received Chairwoman of the HCM City People’s Council Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam in Vientiane on March 7. 

Mrs Tam informed the Lao NA leader of the results of her talks with the delegation of the NA in Vientiane and Champassak province. 

She said HCM City will organise HCM City Days in Vientiane and Champassak province and invite the two localities to organise the Lao Culture Days in HCM City. 

During the talks, she said both sides discussed practical measures to enhance the exchange of delegations and information and expertise sharing to increase the efficiency of the operation of the People’s Councils. 

The Lao NA leader Pany Yathotou highlighted the results of cooperation between HCM City and Lao provinces and said that the Lao NA is organising a number of large conferences and many other activities this year to serve the Year of Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship. 

She said she hoped that both sides will increase cooperation and exchange information and experiences to fulfill the tasks assigned by the NA.

Vietnam, Laos boost judicial cooperation

Lao PM Thongsing Thammavong receives Justice Minister Ha Hung Cuong. (Source: VNA)

During the talks between leaders of the two Justice Ministries on March 7, Minister Ha Hung Cuong highlighted Vietnam’s remarkable performance in judicial work last year and devised a future cooperation plan between Laos and Vietnam.

Lao Justice Minister Nhiapaoho said there remain limitations in his country’s judicial work, especially in dealing with civil cases. He expressed his wish for continually closer cooperation with Vietnam’s judicial sector to resolve some issues arising among people living in border areas.

On the occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in training and scientific research was signed between the Vietnam Law University and the Law School under the Lao Ministry of Justice.

The focus of the MoU is on training Lao students in the law, sharing experiences, and improving the professional skills of Lao lecturers and managers.

During the visit, leaders from the Hanoi Justice Department and its Laos counterpart also discussed issues of common concern regarding the signing of a cooperation document between the two departments in the future.

Quang Binh, Khammuon enhance cooperation between procuracy institutes

On March 7, the People’s Procuracy Institutes of Vietnam’s Quang Binh province and Laos’s Khammuon province held talks and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to elevate their cooperation to a new height.

The two sides agreed to strengthen friendly cooperation toward effectively implementing the agreement reached by the Supreme People’s Procuracy of Vietnam and its Lao counterpart.

They will also promote the exchange of delegations of cadres from the People’s Procuracy Institutes of the two provinces to compare notes on judicial activities and issues of common concern.

Both sides will work together on legal aid activities under the agreement on legal aid for civil and criminal proceedings which came into force in 1998 to combat crime in each locality.

The two People’s Procuracy Institutes will coordinate with local administrations in stepping up the dissemination of information on legal education for people in border areas, ensuring territorial sovereignty and social order and safety, thus contributing to socio-economic development in the two provinces.

Over the last few years, the two institutes have worked together closely in the fight against trans-national crime related to the border shared by the two provinces.

This was the first time the two institutes held talks on the signing of a MoU to boost future cooperation.

VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA