Ambassador highlights progress in Vietnam-Russia ties in 2018

Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Ngo Duc Manh speaks at the meeting with the two countries' press agencies in Moscow on January 30 

Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Ngo Duc Manh highlighted developments in the two countries’ relations last year at a meeting with representatives of Russian and Vietnamese media agencies in Moscow on January 30.

He said bilateral ties have been flourishing in all fields, from politics, economy, defence-security and science-technology to education and people-to-people links.

In politics, mutual trust was enhanced thanks to frequent delegation exchanges last year, including a Russia visit by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and trips to Vietnam by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Chairman of the State Duma Viacheslav Volodin.

One of the highlights in bilateral connections is the growing cooperation in defence-security, Manh said, noting that for the first time, Vietnam took part in army games in Russia and vessels of Russia’s Pacific Fleet visited Cam Ranh Port of Vietnam.

Capitalising on the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union, to which Russia is a party, the two countries’ businesses have bolstered economic, trade and investment partnerships, the diplomat said.

According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, bilateral trade reached 4.57 billion USD in 2018, up 28.6 percent from the previous year.

Building on positive energy exploitation cooperation, the two sides have been promoting key joint projects, especially the centre for nuclear science and technology and urban transport development projects in Vietnam. 

Manh added they have also expanded collaboration to digital technology, e-government, renewable energy and the production of seeds, pesticides, medical equipment and pharmaceuticals.

Regarding tourism, the number of Russian visitors to Vietnam hit a record of more than 600,000 in 2018, ranking first among European nations and sixth among all sources of tourists to the Southeast Asian nation, he said, adding that more and more Vietnamese have also visited Russia.

Locality-to-locality ties have been reinforced and become substantive, focusing on economic, trade, investment, cultural and educational links. Many localities have sought trade and investment partnership opportunities and set up twin relations.

In terms of cooperation in 2019, Ambassador Manh said this year, the two countries will mark the 25th anniversary of the signing of the treaty on basic principles of the Vietnam-Russia friendship and prepare to mark 70 years of bilateral diplomatic ties in 2020.

They will organise the Russia Year in Vietnam and the Vietnam Year in Russia, which are important to strengthening their comprehensive strategic partnership. Accordingly, a variety of activities will be held throughout 2019 and 2020, from high-ranking visits, workshops, exhibitions to trade, investment and tourism promotion events, arts performances and youth exchanges.

He expressed his belief that the Friendship Year will be successful and boost the countries’ partnership.

Consolidating macro-economic stability the leading task this year: PM

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (centre) chairs the Government's meeting on January 31 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked ministries, sectors and localities to continue consolidating macro-economic stability and promoting growth, calling this the most important task for 2019.

He made the request at the Government’s monthly meeting in Hanoi on January 31.

Assessing the socio-economic situation in January, he said the positive trend has been sustained, which is a great opportunity that sectors and localities must stay ready to grasp.

The PM asked ministers and heads of sectors to pay special attention to realising the targets of their fields, adding that they need to have regular revisions of their performance and work out suitable and timely responses to domestic and international developments.

Giving detailed directions to each sector, he told the State Bank of Vietnam to keep steering the monetary policy, exchange rates and interest rates in a flexible manner and in harmony with the fiscal and other macro policies. Its moves must be consistent with the inflation control, macro-economic stabilisation and growth promotion targets, the PM stressed.

Credit provision should be focused on prioritised fields that are working as growth engines so as to curb loan sharking. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance needs to further tighten financial discipline in the use of the State budget and enhance the budget use inspections.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has to take concerted and effective measures to bolster export and control import, PM Phuc said, noting that he had assigned this ministry to build a plan on responses to trade disputes.

At the meeting, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development was asked to soon announce the completion of new-style rural area building in some provinces. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Information and Communications was also told to augment efforts to ensure cyber security and strictly deal with actions that take advantage of the freedom of speech and the press to violate interests of the State, organisations and citizens.

As for the coming lunar New Year festival (Tet), the most important to Vietnamese, the Government leader stressed that the top task of the ministries and localities is to ensure a safe, joyful but thrifty Tet for every people. “Efforts must be made to ensure that not even a single people is left without Tet”, he ordered.

HCM City leader welcomes newly-accredited Chinese ambassador

Politburo member and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan (R) and Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo 

Politburo member and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan on January 31 hosted a reception for newly-appointed Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo. 

Nhan congratulated China on great achievements the country has obtained after 40 years of reform, especially in economic development and improvement of people’s living conditions.

He briefed the guest about HCM City’s development orientations in the coming time, stressing that the city wishes to learn from experiences of developed cities over the world, including those in China, in terms of residential management, transport system organization, water management, housing development, and startup and innovation encouragement.

Nhan hoped that Xiong will promote economic cooperation in a practical and effective manner between Vietnam and China, and contribute to enhancing people-to-people exchanges between the two sides. 

For his part, Xiong highlighted the strong development of the friendship and cooperation between the two countries, saying that the bilateral relationship is increasingly consolidated. 

The Chinese diplomat stressed that China and HCM City hold great potential to boost cooperation in developing technologies and a high-quality economy, adding that with its dynamic development, HCM City has various opportunities to become a leading locality in applying high and smart technologies in production. 

He said the Chinese Embassy and Consulate General in HCM City pledge to strictly supervise and remind Chinese enterprises to comply with regulations on environmental protection in Vietnam.

These agencies also want to coordinate with HCM City to organise exchange programmes for Chinese students studying in Vietnam and their Vietnamese counterparts to further promote their role as friendship ambassadors, he added.

Party-State leader congratulates new Malaysian King

Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, who was sworn in as the 16th King of Malaysia on January 31 (Photo: New Straits Times/VNA)

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President Nguyen Phu Trong has sent a congratulatory message to Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, who was sworn in as the 16th King of Malaysia on January 31.

Sultan Abdullah, the Sultan of Pahang, was elected king by the Conference of Rulers on January 24. He replaced Sultan Muhammad V, who resigned on January 6 after over two years on the throne.

Vietnam and Malaysia established diplomatic relations in 1973 and lifted their ties to strategic partnership in 2015.