Public security force urged to uphold President Ho’s teachings

NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan at the House of Tradition of the relic site 

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan has urged the public security force to continue uphold the teachings of President Ho Chi Minh on the virtues of a revolutionary public security officer at a ceremony in Bac Giang on March 11.

Addressing the ceremony, which was held to mark the 70th year since the President mentioned the virtues in a letter sent to the chief of the public security force of Zone XII Hoang Mai, the NA Chairwoman said the six virtues listed by the President is a precious spiritual asset and the lodestar for the force.

The teachings also set the ethical standards and the principles for the lifestyle and work of every member of the force, she said. 

On behalf of leaders of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the State, the top legislator commended the accomplishments that the public security force has made over the past year.

She said the force should continue to popularise President Ho Chi Minh’s teachings to every member of the force, which require them to be hard working, frugal and truthful; be kind and helpful to colleagues; be absolutely loyal to the government; be respectful and polite to the people; be devoted to work; and be firm and smart against the enemy.

On the occasion, the Ministry of Public Security in coordination with Bac Giang authorities inaugurated a memorial site devoted to President Ho Chi Minh’s teachings in Nha Nam commune, Bac Giang’s Tan Yen district.

Dien Bien facilitates streamlining apparatus

Politburo member and Head of the Party Central Committee's Organisation Commission Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the working session with the Dien Bien authorities on March 11. 

Dien Bien province is accelerating the streamlining of its administrative apparatus to achieve the target of further reducing the total regular personnel members in its Party and mass organisations from 10-12% in the next few years.

The information was reported by the province’s authorities in a working session with Politburo member and Head of the Party Central Committee's Organisation Commission Pham Minh Chinh, on March 11.

The senior Party official paid a working visit to the northwestern locality from March 10-11 to inspect the local implementation of important political tasks in 2017 and the Party Resolution on staff downsizing and restructuring.

Secretary of Dien Bien provincial Party Committee Tran Van Son affirmed that last year Dien Bien continued to accelerate Party and government building work, with tasks on defence and security and foreign affairs achieving positive results.

Dien Bien has effectively maintained the comprehensive friendship and cooperation relations with the northern Lao provinces, northeastern Thai localities and China’s Yunnan province.

In 2017, the province also developed Party networks in 20 villages formerly without any Party members and dissolved 104 sub-Party committees that did not qualify under the Party guidance.

With regards to the streamlining of staff, from 2018, Dien Bien will pilot the merger of the Party Committee’s Office and Offices of the People's Council and People's Committee at the district level in Muong Lay town and Dien Bien district. The merger then will be reviewed and replicated in the whole province in 2019.

Speaking at the meeting, Politburo member Chinh urged the local authorities to facilitate Party building and the construction of the political system, as well as effectively implementing administrative reform.

Solutions should be developed in order to turn local advantages into breakthroughs for the province’s socio-economic development, the Party official added.

Earlier, on March 10, Politburo member Chinh and his delegation worked with the Standing Committee of Dien Bien district Party Committee and visited the district’s Thanh Chan commune to present gifts to disadvantaged local households.

Vietnam-Laos friendship meeting celebrates Bunpimay New Year

The Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association (VLFA) hosted a Vietnam-Laos Friendship Meeting to celebrate the Bunpimay New Year festival in Hanoi, on March 11.

At the meeting, the VLFA President Tran Van Tuy conveyed good wishes and congratulations to the staff of the Lao embassy in Vietnam and the Lao students on the Lao traditional New Year festival.

He also emphasised the significance of the Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Friendship and Solidarity Year in 2017 which was considered as a great milestone in their bilateral relations, contributing to reinforcing the traditional friendship between the two countries.

During the year, the two sides celebrated the 55th anniversary of their diplomatic ties and 40 years of the Treaty on Friendship and Cooperation.

The two sides have exchanged 300 delegations, while working together to implement all of the signed agreements and cooperation programmes and plans, thus lifting the ties to a new height.

Speaking at the meeting, Lao Ambassador Thongsavanh Phomvihane thanked the VLFA for organising this meaningful meeting.

Activities held during the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Solidarity Year 2017 have helped educate youths on the close relationship between the two countries and have raised their awareness of the responsibility to preserve and promote the special ties, he noted.

Congratulations to Mauritius on National Day

Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang has extended a congratulatory message to President Ameenah Gurib of the Republic of Mauritius on the 50th anniversary of the country’s National Day.

On the occasion, Deputy PM cum Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh also sent his congratulations to Mauritian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade Lutchmeenaraidoo Seetanah.

Administrative reform needed to facilitate cultural, sport and tourist activities

Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam presides over the meeting with the culture, sports and tourism sector on its operation during the first two months in 2018, Hanoi, March 9. 

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism should accelerate its process of administrative reform and apply information technology in order to promote cultural, sports and tourism activities, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has requested.

The senior government official hosted a working session with the culture, sports and tourism sector this morning, on its operation during the first two months in 2018.

Reporting at the meeting, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Dang Thi Bich Lien said that the sector has hosted a wide variety of cultural activities nationwide to help locals enjoy a heartfelt Lunar New Year (Tet) Festival.

Central-level professional art troops performed 82 sessions to serve local people in remote, border, island and industrial areas. Sixty-four cinema companies and film distributors also sent mobile film teams to ethnic minority communities.

The ministry directed the local authorities to organise mass physical training and sports activities on the occasion of Tet, while gathering national sport teams to prepare for important upcoming events, such as ASIAD 18 in Indonesia, the Summer Youth Olympic Games in Argentina, and qualification for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

In the past two months, the number of international tourists arriving in Vietnam continued to grow at an impressive rate at 2.8 million, up 29.7% over the same period last year. Tourist arrivals reached 15.6 million, up 21.6% annually. Total revenue from tourists was estimated at VND118.8 trillion, up 21.6% over the same period in 2017.

Acknowledging the positive results, Deputy PM Dam asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to strengthen its efforts in accelerating its operations in the coming months, with a focus on promptly submitting a master plan to the Government on developing tourism into a spearhead economic sector and revising the planning on national tourism complexes.

He also called for the acceleration of the extension for e-visas to lure more tourists to the country, while addressing the inadequacies in training human resources for the tourism industry and raising the quality of accommodation establishments.

VN, Russia continue to beef up economic linkages

Deputy PM Trinh Dinh Dung (R) and Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party on International Relations Leonid Kalashnikov, Ha Noi, March 12, 2018 - Photo: VGP/Xuan Tuyen

Deputy PM Trinh Dinh Dung hosted a reception for Mr. Leonid Kalashnikov, the Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party on International Relations on March 12 in Ha Noi. 

Deputy PM Dung affirmed that Viet Nam always treasured the support for Russia in national independence and construction. 

So far, Viet Nam and Russia have formulated and implemented the strategic partnership for six years with huge achievements, having made important contributions to the respective economic growth. 

Cooperation within the Viet Nam-Russia Intergovernmental Committees has flourished in various aspects especially in economic, trade, investment, and energy. Since the Viet Nam-Eurasia Economic Union Free Trade Agreement (VN-EAEU FTA) took effect on October 5, 2016, the two-way trade turnover surged sharply, touching about US$ 3.56 billion, representing a year-on-year growth of 29%. 

The host leader highlighted the contribution of political determination and new approach to the comprehensive strategic partnership. 

Regarding investment, Russia had 117 projects in Viet Nam worth over US$ 982 million, making it the 22nd largest investor out of countries and territories doing business in Viet Nam. On the other hand, Viet Nam had 18 valid projects in Russia with a total value of US$ 2.4 billion. 

According to Deputy PM Dung, the impressive figures failed to catch up with respective potentials and aspiration. He suggested the two sides spare no effort to facilitate comprehensive economic cooperation. 

In reply, Mr. Leonid Kalashnikov expressed his impression on socio-economic development in Viet Nam especially in recent years. 

The guest leader promised to do his utmost to nurture the relations among the two Parties; broaden cooperation in all areas particularly economics, trade, cultural exchanges, education, and people-to-people. 

On this occasion, the two leaders discussed measures to cement and deepen cooperation in the automobile industry, banking, and tourism.