Socio-Economic Subcommittee convenes to prepare for 13th Party Congress

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the first session of the Socio-Economic Subcommittee in preparation for the Party's 13th National Congress in Hanoi on November 9 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc chaired the first session of the Socio-Economic Subcommittee in preparation for the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam in Hanoi on November 9.

PM Phuc, who is also a Politburo member, said that the eighth plenum of the 12th Party Central Committee approved the establishment of five subcommittees on the congress’s documents, socio-economic issues, Party statutes, personnel matters, and organisational work.

He underlined the important task of the 51-strong socio-economic subcommittee in building a socio-economic development strategy for 2021-2030, and a socio-economic report for 2021-2025 to serve the 13th National Party Congress.

These documents should put forward strategic orientations for the country’s development in the new era, Phuc suggested, adding that the orientations need to connect closely with global trends such as digital economy and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Requiring subcommittee members to exert efforts to fulfil their mission, Phuc emphasised it was essential that they assess the country’s current situation and reality, including shortcomings and weaknesses, in order to get to the root of any problems that may arise. 

Attention should be paid to encouraging scientists to get involved in the document making process, the leader stated, adding that people’s ideas are also important to this process.

Netherlands keen on sharing experience with Vietnam in high-tech agriculture

Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman addresses the conference 

The Netherlands is keen on cooperating with the Mekong Delta region and Vietnam in general in boosting commercial agriculture growth in a manner beneficial to both humans and the environment, stated Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman on November 9.

The diplomat noted that the Netherlands and Vietnam share many similarities in geography, such as a coastal delta where the majority of the population live on agriculture. As such, the two countries face similar challenges with flooding, water pollution, saltwater intrusion, and the protection of coastal ecosystems and wetlands, she added.

Dutch experts, including Martijn van de Groep, Arjo Rothuis, and Tanya Huizer, cited the joint research by scientists from the Netherlands and Can Tho University as saying that the Mekong Delta region is depressing with increasingly rapid speed.

The major reason behind the situation is the overexploitation of underground water resources, the pumping of water, the construction of tall buildings, the deforestation, and the building of hydropower dams, they noted.

The experts underscored the need to strengthen the development of high-technology agriculture which can make more effective use of water resources and combine agricultural production with services, ecotourism, and support industries.

Sustainable agricultural production must be friendly to the environment and farmers, they said, stressing the significance of ceasing the use of environmentally-harmful chemicals in farming and developing value chains to minimise losses during the harvest and processing procedures, producing safe food from the fields to the dining table.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese experts gave solutions to applying science and technology in agriculture and orientations in developing agriculture to adapt to climate change.

They underlined the need to build systems to treat industrial and household wastewater and develop build-operation-transfer projects to attract investment from the private sector in building treatment plants. 

Netherlands, Can Tho work to develop sustainable agriculture

Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Truong Quang Hoai Nam speaks at a Vietnam - Netherlands seminar on agriculture held in Can Tho on November 9 

Authorities of Mekong Can Tho city and Ambassador of the Netherlands to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman discussed the development of hi-tech agriculture and response to climate change during their working session on November 9.

Ambassador Akkerman spoke highly of farming potential of Can Tho and said the Netherlands wants to establish a partnership in the field with the city. 

She said the efforts made by the local government and businesses to increase the value and quality of farm products drew interests of many agricultural businesses from the Netherlands, including De Heus, Friesland Campina, and Nova Exhibitions.

However, Dutch experts found the application of scientific and technological advances and mechanization in agriculture in Can Tho have yet been optimized so the commercial prices of farm products there face a decline of 15-20 percent.

According to Akkerman, a productive and sustainable hi-tech agriculture requires the immediate support of complete legal documents and land and investment attraction policy, while the planning of farming areas needs to take into account supply and demand.

The competitiveness of hi-tech farm products must be improved, and the training of human resources and the transfer of technology to businesses should receive due attention, she said.

Representatives from the Netherlands Embassy suggested working with the local government to connect Can Tho businesses, breeders and farmers with Dutch partners and said the Netherlands will send post-harvest experts to Can Tho to transfer technology.

Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Truong Quang Hoai Nam said he believes in the prospect of cooperation between Can Tho and the Netherlands.

He pledged that the city authorities will assist farmers to invest in post-harvest preservation and processing machinery through non-interest lending programme.

The most preferential treatments will be offered to Dutch businesses when investing in Can Tho, he said.

Deputy PM bids farewell to outgoing Italian Ambassador

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh hosted a farewell reception in Hanoi on November 9 for Italian Ambassador Cecilia Piccioni (Source: baochinhphu.vn)

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh hosted a farewell reception in Hanoi on November 9 for Italian Ambassador Cecilia Piccioni who wrapped up her working term in Vietnam.

On November 8, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Phuong Nga presented the Friendship Order of the Vietnamese State to the Ambassador for her important contributions to the Vietnam-Italy strategic partnership development.

Vietnamese, Australian parliaments urged to work to foster bilateral ties

Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Craig Chittik

The friendship parliamentarian groups of Vietnam and Australia should promote activities linking the two nations and help boost bilateral ties, stated Nguyen Hanh Phuc, General Secretary and Chairman of the National Assembly Office and President of the Vietnam-Australia Friendship Parliamentarian Group.

Addressing a meeting between the group and Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Craig Chittik in Hanoi on November 9, Phuc said that the relations between the parliaments of Vietnam and Australia have grown thanks to agreements reached between the two sides.

The two sides have maintained experience sharing in parliamentary activities, while coordinating and supporting each other at multilateral forums.

Amidst the sound development between the two countries, the two sides should continue exchanging legislative experience and support the governments of the two countries to implement action plans in the 2016-2019 period, he said.

For his part, Ambassador Chittik spoke highly of the strong political trust between the two countries, especially the elevation of bilateral relationship to strategic partnership this year which, he said, opens up a new development period in bilateral ties.

He expressed his delight that the Vietnamese NA will consider the ratification of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), describing the deal as a great chance for the businesses of both sides to expand their partnership and create more jobs.

The diplomat said that he hopes the two countries will further foster their political trust, while promoting the implementation of the agreements signed during the high-level meetings between the two countries, and creating more favourable conditions for people-to-people contacts and the enhancement of friendship parliamentarian groups in each country.

He affirmed that Australia will support Vietnam in optimising benefits from the CPTPP.

HCM City pledges support for Japan-Vietnam festival

Standing Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Thanh Liem (L) and Special Advisor of the Japan-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance Tsutomu Takebe

Ho Chi Minh City pledges to create favourable conditions for the organisation of the 6th Japan-Vietnam Festival, contributing to strengthening bonds between the city and Japan, Standing Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Thanh Liem said.

Hosting a reception on November 8 for Tsutomu Takebe, Special Advisor of the Japan-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance, Liem underlined that the festival is among important cooperative activities between the two sides.

He spoke highly of Tsutomu Takebe’s contributions to the Vietnam-Japan ties in general and Ho Chi Minh City-Japan relations in particular, especially in cultural, economic and environmental cooperative programmes.

Liem expressed his hope that Tsutomu Takebe will continue his efforts to branch out Ho Chi Minh City-Japan collaborative activities, including the annual Japan-Vietnam festival.

For his part, Tsutomu Takebe said both sides should enhance coordination to address emerging issues during preparation and organisation of the festival, thus ensuring its success.

He informed the host that the event will take place at different venues in Ho Chi Minh City from January 18-20. It will feature a line-up of activities like tourism seminar, exhibitions, trade fairs, cultural exchange and art performances, among others.

Vietnam, Cambodia step up friendship, cooperation

President of the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association Vu Mao speaks at the event 

The Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association held a ceremony in Hanoi on November 9 to mark the 65th Independence Day of Cambodia (November 9, 1953 - 2018).

President of the association Vu Mao congratulated Cambodian people on their attainments across the board and expressed his belief that the new Cambodian Government will guide Cambodia to new achievements. 

He said Vietnam and Cambodia have enjoyed the time-honoured solidarity, friendship and cooperation fostered by their people and generations of leaders and their relations have been growing across fields.

The two countries successfully organized the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year 2017 with many significant activities held across localities, he said. 

The Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association has over the past 40 years played as a bridge connecting people of the two countries and worked closely with relevant agencies to launch practical and meaningful activities to enhance mutual understanding, friendship, and all-faceted cooperation between the two countries.

Cambodia’s Ambassador to Vietnam Prak Nguon Hong said under the visionary reign of King Norodom Sihamoni and the dynamic leadership of the Cambodian Royal Government led by Prime Minister Hun Sen, Cambodia posted a stable GDP growth rate of around 7 percent a year in the past decade and Cambodians earned an average annual income of 1,435 USD each as by 2017.

The diplomat said he is happy with the growing friendship and cooperation between the countries, emphasising that the noble sacrifice of the two nations made their traditional friendship and solidarity an invaluable heritage that is constantly consolidated for the robust development and prosperity of each country.

On behalf of the Cambodian Royal Government, Ambassador Prak Nguon Hong offered profound thanks to the Party, Government, army and people of Vietnam for their wholehearted assistance and sacrifice to free Cambodians from the Pol Pot genocidal regime in 1979 and bring independence, happiness, and prosperity to Cambodia today.

Conference highlights Vietnam’s efforts in human rights protection

Nguyen Manh Cuong, head of MoLISA’s Department of International Cooperation (Source: http://baodansinh.vn)

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs (MoLISA) held a conference in Hanoi on November 9 to discuss progress in human rights work during 2018 and the implementation of relevant recommendations in line with the second cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

Nguyen Manh Cuong, head of MoLISA’s Department of International Cooperation, said that the ministry hopes to listen to opinions, feedback, and proposals from agencies and organisations specialising in labour rights and rights of vulnerable groups, towards completing a national report for the third cycle of the UPR in Geneva, Switzerland in January 2019.

The ideas will also help the ministry better ensure and promote human rights in the future, he said.

Delegates highlighted Vietnam’s efforts in completing policies and a legal system to fulfil international commitments in human rights.

After 18 years of issuing a directive on human rights, the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat has released Directive No.44-CT/TW on human rights in the new context. The Government also issued a decision promptly afterwards on plans to implement the directive effectively.

Vietnam is on its way to institutionalising the 2013 Constitution, in which many human rights are enshrined, while also negotiating, signing, and ratifying a range of new generation free trade agreements with high commitments in labour rights.

Together with other regional countries, Vietnam has actively integrated human rights in all pillars of the ASEAN Community, they noted, adding that Vietnam has also seen practical progress in bilateral dialogue and cooperation in issues related to human rights.

UN members, including Vietnam, are working to make national reports ahead of the third cycle of the UPR.

Over the past few years, the MoLISA has launched 44 out of the 182 recommendations in seven areas, including raising awareness of human rights; considering and ratifying international conventions regarding human rights; implementing international obligations on human rights; and completing a legal system on human rights.

So far, Vietnam has implemented all the 182 recommendations of the UPR.

The country has showed strong commitments to strengthening practical dialogue and effective cooperation with all countries and UN mechanisms on human rights on the basis of equality and respect to international law, not interfering with the domestic affairs of other states, and ultimately bringing about practical benefits and strengthening people’s enjoyment of human rights.

Vietnam’s top priority is to build a law-governed State and promote judicial reform to reinforce the foundation of institutions and policies related to human rights observation and promotion. The country has also pledged to strengthen sustainable development, ensure rights to education, and enhance education on human rights.

The UPR is an inter-governmental mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council with the aim of reviewing issues related to the human rights of all UN member countries. Vietnam first implemented the UPR in May 2009.