Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has recommended that the northern mountainous province of Thai Nguyen should develop its economy on three pillars of hi-tech agriculture, tourism-service and clean agriculture. 

At a working session with officials of Thai Nguyen province's Party Committee on June 30, the PM said the province has achieved comprehensive development across the fields, from economy, social affairs to national defence-security and external relations. Thai Nguyen is also a bright example in the northern mountainous region in attracting foreign investment. 

However, the private sector in the province  is small in scale and weak in competitive capacity, PM Phuc said, noting that the province also needs to improve its indices of market participation and enterprise development.

In particular, agro-forestry processing industry is the weak point of Thai Nguyen, as is tourism, despite the great potential of the locality, which is a former revolutionary base with many historical relics along with beautiful landscapes. 

Thai Nguyen should pay attention to promoting tourism and services in order to fully tap the local advantages and potential, the PM said.

A political and economic centre of the northeastern mountainous and midland region, Thai Nguyen has six large-scale industrial parks with an occupancy rate of 65 percent. In 2017, the province posted an average growth rate of 12.75 percent, nearly double the country's average. Local per capita income reached 68 million VND (2,978.4 USD), higher than the national average. In the first six months of this year, the local economy expanded by 9.85 percent.

HCM City marks 95th anniversary of President Ho’s first arrival in Russia
 
Delegates visit the exhibition "Uncle Ho with beloved Russia" on the occasion of the 95th anniversary of President Ho’s first arrival in Russia. 

A get-together was held in Ho Chi Minh City on June 29 to mark the 95th year since President Ho Chi Minh (then Nguyen Ai Quoc) set foot in Russia for the first time (June 30-1923-2018).

Addressing the function, Than Thi Thu, head of the municipal Party Committee’s Commission for Information and Education, Nguyen Ai Quoc’s landing in Petrograd city (now Saint Petersburg) on June 30, 1923 was a choice of history and an unfadable millstone.

As a place where patriotic youth Nguyen Tat Thanh made a stop before boarding a ship to find the way to save the nation, HCM City has made tireless efforts to develop itself into a civilised and modern city with good living conditions, she said.

The city has continuously enhanced cooperation and friendship with countries around the world, including Russia, she said, adding that the people of Vietnam and HCM City in particular are always grateful to the Russian people for their great and wholehearted assistance during the past struggle for national liberation as well as the current national construction and defence. 

Maria Mizonova, Acting Consul General of Russia to HCM City, President Ho Chi Minh laid the first bricks for and made every effort to consolidate and develop the friendship and cooperation between Russia and Vietnam.

Now, that relationship has become a comprehensive strategic partnership which is thriving in all fields from politics, economy and trade to culture and people-to-people diplomacy, he noted.

Katanandov Sergey Leonidovich, special envoy of the governor of Saint Petersburg on issues regarding national building and development and cooperation with Russian agencies, said his city is proud to be the place President Ho Chi Minh selected to set foot when arriving in Russia.

Saint Petersburg is also the only locality outside Vietnam having an institute on Ho Chi Minh thoughts named Ho Chi Minh Institute, he stressed.

Saint Petersburg and HCM City have been implementing an array of cooperative activities in various areas, contributing to tightening and developing the friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations, he added.

On the occasion, HCM City opened an exhibition entitled “Uncle Ho with beloved Russia”, showcasing hundreds of paintings and photos on President Ho Chi Minh and people of the Soviet Union (now Russia) as well as the friendship between HCM City and Russia.

HCM City Party Secretary receives Saint Petersburg officials

Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan received a delegation from Saint Petersburg city of Russia on June 29, describing their working visit as an illustration of the cities’ respect for the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Russia.

He thanked Saint Petersburg’s administration for creating favourable conditions for HCM City officials’ working trip last May, which opened opportunities for bilateral cooperation in many potential areas.

He said HCM City and Saint Petersburg should step up implementing the cooperation roadmap for 2018-2020, including prioritising the establishment of a cultural-economic centre of HCM City in Saint Petersburg and a similar centre of the Russian city in the southern hub of Vietnam.

Nhan also called on Saint Petersburg to bolster ties in health care, grant scholarships for ballet and symphony music students of Vietnam, and organise a week of HCM City goods in the city.

Regarding educational cooperation, the HCM City leader asked for more attention to teaching Vietnamese in Saint Petersburg and Russian in HCM City. He also suggested Russian be taught at high schools and universities toward adding Russian studies to the curricula of local universities.

He welcomed the initiative to connect the two cities’ youths, noting that youth exchanges are necessary as they will boost mutual understanding, solidarity and friendship between future generations of Vietnam and Russia, helping strengthen the time-tested amity between the two countries and between HCM City and Saint Petersburg in particular.

For his part, Katanandov Sergey Leonidovich, special envoy of the governor of Saint Petersburg on issues regarding national building and development and cooperation with Russian agencies, said their working visit from June 27 to 30 aims to realise the roadmap for bilateral cooperation for 2018-2020, which was signed last May.

Their working sessions with local departments, sectors and agencies obtained positive outcomes, especially in cooperation in cyber security, youth-related work, people-to-people diplomacy, education-training, and health care.

He added that he is proud to represent Saint Petersburg leaders to attend the programme marking 95 years since President Ho Chi Minh, known as Nguyen Ai Quoc then, set foot in Russia for the first time. The late leader’s arrival in Petrograd, now Saint Petersburg, was an important milestone laying a foundation for the cooperation and friendship between Russia and Vietnam, including between the two cities.

Earlier, the Saint Petersburg delegation visited some relic sites in HCM City and laid a wreath at the Ho Chi Minh statue in front of the municipal People’s Committee headquarters.

Int’l seminar highlights Party building experience of Vietnam, China

The Hanoi-based Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and Chinese Embassy in Vietnam, on June 29, held a seminar on experience from Vietnam and China in Party building in the new period.

Opening the seminar, Vice President of the academy Le Quoc Ly stressed major achievements in national revolution and construction are results of renovations in Vietnam’s Party building work based on the Communist Party of Vietnam’s consistent policy toward socialism and building the socialist rule of law state of the people, for the people and by the people.

Charge d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam Yin Haihon said what characteristics a ruling party should have and how to build such party are key contents both Vietnam and China need to care about in their construction of ruling parties with long-term leadership with close attachment to the development of the nations and people’s lives.

The event attracted the participation of more than 100 managers, scientists and experts from both countries.

Their discussion revolved around the building of party organisation, discipline, and personnel work as well as improvement of Party members’ ethics.

Deputy PM hails overseas Vietnamese businesses’ efforts

Standing Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh applauded efforts and robust achievements made by the overseas Vietnamese businesses, especially the role of the Business Association of Overseas Vietnamese (BAOOV) in the national construction and protection.

Attending the BAOOV’s congress for its 2018-2023 term, Deputy PM Binh affirmed that the Party and State have paid special attention to the Vietnamese people community in foreign countries, including the overseas Vietnamese enterprises.

As they are an inseparable part of the Vietnamese nation and touted as a driving force of the country’s development, mechanisms and policies will be refined to help them to stabilise their livelihoods, integrate into the host nations and branch out business operation, he said.

He asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs, and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) to grant more support for the overseas Vietnamese firms in their business operation and investment. 

The Government and relevant organisations will continue working to remove bottlenecks for the companies so that they can expand their business in the homeland, he noticed.

He expressed his hope that the BAOOV will expand its network and take full responsibility for defending legitimate rights and benefits of its members while serving as a catalyst to bolster cooperative ties and friendship between Vietnam and international friends.

At the event, VCCI President Vu Tien Loc asked the overseas Vietnamese businesspeople to recommend measures to the Government to improve the business climate and set up a rational economic institution for the development of the companies.

He wished that the overseas Vietnamese businessmen will play the role as “economic ambassadors” to make contributions to trade and investment promotion activities and step up economic relations between Vietnam and countries and territories worldwide.

Regarding the BAOOV’s orientation for its new tenure, the association will organise various activities to enhance exchange among its members to share information, step up cooperation and seek investment opportunities. It will give priority to media work to branch out the network to join in the national development process.

Since its establishment in 2009, the association’s network has been present in many countries and territories. It has channeled focus on building a sound business climate for overseas Vietnamese firms, provided information on projects and investment opportunities inside and outside Vietnam, given consultations on regulations, administrative procures and State’s policy to its members.

Programmes have been held to connect overseas Vietnamese companies and domestic enterprises.

A new executive board with 33 members was chosen at the congress. President of My Lan Group Nguyen Thanh My was elected as Chairman of the BAOOV during 2018-2023.