Vietnam, Cuba customs share experience

A delegation from the General Department of Vietnam Customs led by Director General Nguyen Ngoc Tuc paid a working visit to Cuba from August 9-12 to exchange experience with the host country in customs practices.

During talks with Head of Cuba’s General Customs Pedro Miguel Perez Betancourt, Tuc briefed the host on the operations and development of Vietnam ’s customs in recent years, especially the application of the Japan-funded Vietnam Automated Cargo and Port Consolidated System.

Both sides discussed measures and techniques for exchanging prior information notices in customs declarations for trade goods, as well as cooperation possibilities in training police dogs.

They also reaffirmed their determination to fully implement the memorandum of understanding on customs cooperation signed in 2013 while considering the signing of an agreement on exchanging prior customs information.

During their stay in Cuba , the Vietnamese delegation also visited a number of Cuban customs bodies as well as major local cultural and economic facilities.

Employment law conference opens

The 9th Law Association for Asia and the Pacific (LAWASIA) Employment Law Conference opened yesterday in Ha Noi.

The two-day event, which is focusing on legal issues and complications for Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and transnational employment, was organised by the LAWASIA with assistance from the Viet Nam Bar Federation (VBF). It brought together about 50 experienced jurists from Viet Nam and the Asia-Pacific region.

In his remarks at the conference, Deputy Minister of Justice Nguyen Khanh Ngoc said that FTAs liberalised transnational trade of services and investments, and always came along with free cross-border movement of labourers.

It had become a challenge for any government joining an FTA, he said. He added that he hoped the conference would provide insight into the impacts of labour market access commitments on FTA members.

This was the first time the annual LAWASIA Employment Law Conference had been held in Viet Nam since the country's VBF officially became a LAWASIA member in July 2010, VBF Vice President Do Ngoc Thinh said.

The two-day event is focusing on a number of key issues, including FTA impacts on regional employment, immigration issues in transnational employment, employment obligations in host countries, liability for workplace injuries to transnational employees and cross-border taxation.

LAWASIA is an international organisation of legal associations, individual lawyers, judges, legal academics and others, which focuses on the interests and concerns of the legal profession in the Asia Pacific region. Established in 1966, it has more than 40 member organisations and individual members from more than 50 countries

President gets involved

Also yesterday, President Truong Tan Sang urged the Vietnam Lawyers' Association (VLA) to get more involved in the law making process and to uphold its role as a political, social and occupational organisation of legal experts.

President Sang, who is also Head of the Central Steering Committee on Judicial Reform, pledged to facilitate the association's stronger participation in judicial reform.

Sang praised the association for fulfilling its tasks, particularly in providing legal assistance to the public. He spoke highly of the association's role in social criticism and law enforcement monitoring.

The association has strived to improve the quality of legal support available to groups, corporations and businesses as Vietnam accelerates negotiations of major global economic agreements, he said.

He suggested that the association increase professional training programs, foreign language classes for its members and expand international cooperation. This, he said, would help the country greatly during this period of extensive development and integration.

Six decades after its foundation, the VLA's membership has grown to more than 46,000 from an initial 40.

The association provides legal consultations and assistance, and participates in settling complaints and reconciliations at the grassroots level.

Most beneficiaries of their consultations and public communications are disadvantaged groups, the impoverished and ethnic minority groups.

Deputy PM urges stronger financial sector reform

The financial sector should push ahead with reform in line with the country’s development objectives so as to successfully implement the set plans for sustainable development and international integration, said Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh.

Addressing the financial sector’s ceremony in Hanoi on August 14 to celebrate the 70th founding anniversary, Deputy PM Ninh hailed the sector’s operation over the last 70 years, stressing that the sector should lead the way in modernising itself and promoting administrative and customs reform through applying advanced technology, thus improving the nation’s business climate and competitiveness.

He asked the sector to keep strict financial disciplines towards ensuring financial policy and law transparency and efficiency and contributing to implementing the Party and State's policy on thrift and anti-wastefulness and corruption .

The financial sector has been an effective tool of the State in managing the national macro-economy, significantly contributing to promoting the country’s reform process and restructuring the economy, developing infrastructure as well as in reducing poverty reduction and strengthening national defence and security.

Minister of Finance Dinh Tien Dung said the sector will expedite the building of financial mechanisms and policies to create driving forces for development, strengthen the management of the State budget and public debt while developing financial markets and services, among other tasks.

He highlighted that the State budget will prioritise education, science- technology and health care while an upswing of investments are planned for the agricultural sector.

On the occasion, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung presented the Ho Chi Minh Order – the noble award of the Party and State – to the sector in recognition of its important services to the national revolutionary, construction and development cause.

Police force nationwide celebrate traditional day

An exchange programme was held in Hanoi on August 14 to celebrate the 70th traditional day of the Vietnam People’s Police Force (August 19).

The participants recalled the force’s golden historic pages as well as their close coordination with the Vietnam People’s Army in national construction and defence.

They shared experience in mass mobilisation in areas inhabited by ethnic minority groups and investigation into criminal cases, with the most worthy of note being the fight against the FULRO reactionary organisation in the Central Highlands, which saw joint efforts of the two forces.

The programme also honoured border police and guards who scarified their lives during the drug combat at the peaceful time.

A broad range of activities were also organised in localities across the nation to mark the force’s traditional day and the 10th anniversary of the “All people protect national security” festival.

At a conference in the Mekong Delta province of Can Tho on August 14 to review the outcomes of the campaign in the 2005-2015 period, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Van Tam considered all people’s protecting national security a fundamental and long-term strategy.

Over the past decade, the festival has been integrated into other campaigns, attracting the participation of people from all social strata, he said.

The same day, the Mekong Delta province of An Giang honoured outstanding collectives and individuals in implementing the drive over the past ten years.

A meeting in the southern province of Binh Duong heard that since the foundation of the province, local police detected 6,295 criminal cases and revoked nearly 109 billion VND (4.9 million USD) for the State.

On this occasion, four units and individuals of Binh Duong received the “Hero of People’s Armed Forces” title while the three others got the Independence Order, third class, for their contributions to the campaign.

Congratulations to India’s Independence Day

President Truong Tan Sang and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung have sent congratulations to their respective Indian counterparts Pranab Mukherjee and Narenda Modi on the 68th anniversary of Independence Day of India (August 15).

Also on August 14, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh also extended a message of congratulations to Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Ho Chi Minh City ceremony marks Indian Independence Day

The 68th anniversary of India’s Independence Day was marked in Ho Chi Minh City during a ceremony on August 14, jointly held by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations and the Vietnam-India Friendship Association (VIFA) in the city.

Addressing the event, Vice Chairwoman of the VIFA in Ho Chi Minh City Nguyen Thanh Xuan noted that Vietnam and India share traditional ties and many cultural, art and religious similarities.

The ties have been expanded comprehensively with stronger mutual support at regional and international political and economic forums, she said.

She also expressed her hope for stronger collaboration with the Indian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City in organising activities to foster cultural, art and people-to-people exchanges and connect enterprises of both countries.

Meanwhile, Indian Consul General in the city Smita Pant said she is delighted at the firm foundation of bilateral relations, which were initiated and have been nurtured by leaders of both countries over the years.

She revealed that India has held numerous activities to enhance mutual understanding between the two peoples, especially the youth, while promoting tourism and introducing the investment potential of Vietnam.

Indian Jet Airways’ opening of direct air routes linking New Delhi, Mumbai and Ho Chi Minh City is expected to increase trade and tourism cooperation between the two countries, she added.

VOV delegation visits Cambodia

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on August 14 welcomed General Director of the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) Nguyen Dang Tien, who is on a working visit to the country from August 12-16.

At the reception, PM Hun Sen highly valued the support and assistance of the Vietnamese Government and people to Cambodia and the country’s radio and television industry in particular.

In 1978, with the assistance of the VOV, Cambodia sent out radio news in the Khmer language, helping the country win the struggle against the Pol Pot genocidal regime, he said.

Thanks to the support of the Vietnamese side, Cambodia has broadened the radio network across its cities and provinces, he added.

PM Hun Sen suggested the VOV and the National Radio of Cambodia (NRC) cooperate in adjusting and delimiting their broadcasting frequencies at shared border areas to ensure the quality of their programmes.

Informing his host about the implementation of a cooperation programme between the VOV and the NRC, Tien said since 2008, the VOV has installed 15 radio stations with capacities ranging from 2 KW to 20 KW across Cambodia.

Earlier on the day, Tien and his entourage had working sessions with leaders of the NRC and the National Television of Cambodia.

High-level People’s Court debuts in HCM City

The High-level People’s Court in Ho Chi Minh City made its debut on August 14 in the presence of Chief Judge of the Supreme People's Court Truong Hoa Binh.

Authorised by the President, Binh granted a decision to appoint Tran Van Chau, Deputy Chief Judge of the Appellate Court under the Supreme People’s Court in Ho Chi Minh City as the court’s Chief Judge.

The appointment decisions were also presented to three deputy chief judges and 34 high-level judges.

The High-level People’s Court was established under the National Assembly Standing Committee’s Resolution No. 957/NQ-UBTVQH13 dated May 28, 2015, exercising jurisdiction over 23 southern cities and provinces, from Ninh Thuan southward.

The agency is tasked to handle appeals over first-instance judgments by provincial people’s courts that have yet to take effect, in line with regulations of the Procedure Code.

It is also responsible for reconsidering and conducting retrials over legally valid judgments and decisions by people’s courts at all levels according to the Procedure Code as they are appealed.

Exhibition on Laos, Vietnam police cooperation opens in Laos

A photo exhibition on the cooperation between the public security forces of Vietnam and Laos opened in Vientiane, Laos on August 14 to honour the 70th anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Public Security Forces.

The exhibition is arranged in eight subjects, introducing the activities of the forces and their cooperation across personnel training, professional joint work, mutual assistance in infrastructure building, and the milestones in the relations such as official working visits.

Colonel Vanhuang Namthachanth, Head of the Science and History Studies Department of the Laos Ministry of Public Security, said the event aimed to foster the special relationship between the two Parties, States and peoples in general and the two ministries in particular.

According to the colonel, the Vietnam People’s Public Security Forces have aided the Laos security sector since its early days, particularly in personnel training.

He went on to assert that the two forces will continue to work closely together to ensure political security and social order in each country.

The event will run until August 21, 2015.

HCM City sets example in national security protection

Ho Chi Minh City is a bright spot in implementing and spreading the “All people protect national security” movement, which received a warm response from city dwellers, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said at a conference in the city on August 14.

Given the complicated global situation and domestic order and security developments, the movement plays a crucial role in ensuring social safety and peace, he said, adding that the municipal People’s Committee should continue to expand and renew the drive across the city.

He asked police forces to focus on mass mobilisation as a basic measure and long-term strategy. The police should also serve as consultants for municipal leaders while closely coordinating with the Vietnam Fatherland Front and relevant units to promote the movement, he said.

Deputy Director of the municipal Police Department Dinh Thanh Nhan reported that over the past 10 years, city dwellers have provided over 612,000 pieces of information relating to social order and security, including nearly 400,000 valuable tips that helped the police investigate 65,000 cases, handle over 100,000 violators and reclaim property worth over 220 billion VND (9.9 million USD).

People in the city have also coordinated with police forces to arrest over 28,000 violators and persuade nearly 3,000 offenders to give themselves up to the police, Nhan said.

The city has built 122 people-based models for social order and security protection, such as “anti-crime street worker group” and “camera monitoring social order”.

On the occasion, the city’s Police Department granted certificates of merit to three collectives and one individual in recognition of their significant achievements in the movement.-

Information-communications sector’s attainments praised

Politburo member and standing member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Le Hong Anh has hailed the achievements of the information and communications sector, which have helped boost the country’s socio-economic growth, industrialisation and modernisation.

The annual telecommunications growth in recent years has reach up to 50 percent on average, he noted at a ceremony held by the Ministry of Information and communications to mark the sector’s 70th founding anniversary.

Total revenue in the area hit nearly 305 trillion VND (14.5 billion USD) in 2014, contributing about 26 trillion VND (1.23 billion USD) to the State budget.

The sector’s infrastructure system has also been significantly upgraded, expanding service coverage across the entire country’s territory and many regional countries, said Anh.

Currently, postal services are provided at 12,642 points nationwide with an average distribution of one post every 2.82 kilometre, in line with the Party and State’s directions and serving the information demand of the people.

Progress has also been seen in publication and journalism, helping popularise the Party and State’s policies as well as major national events and timely reporting the country’s political, security-defence and socio-economic situation.

At the event, Anh asked the ministry to realise the Politburo’s resolution on speeding up information technology (IT) development and application to meet the country’s demand for sustainable growth and international integration.

The sector should also continue improving its infrastructure, making Vietnam a strong country in IT regionally and globally, he requested.

Along with improving its management efficiency and service quality, the ministry should also coordinate with other ministries and localities to enhance information safety and security, timely responding to Internet attacks, requested Anh.

He also asked for more efficient management policies on the press, publications, radio, television as well as external relations information, working to counteract inaccurate and distorted arguments.

On the occasion, the ministry published a special stamp collection to mark the 70th anniversary of the postal sector. The collection, designed by painter Vo Luong Nhi, reflects the development process of the sector over the past 7 decades as well as Vietnam’s desire to become a strong IT nation.