Vietnamese leaders on March 17 sent congratulatory messages to their Chinese counterparts who were elected during the first session of the 13th National People’s Congress.

President and Chairman of the National Defence and Security Council Tran Dai Quang extended a message of congratulation to Xi Jinping, who was elected as President of China and Chairman of the Chinese Central Military Commission.

Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan congratulated Li Zhanshu, who was elected as Chairman of the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee.

Li Zhanshu was elected as Chairman of the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee. (Photo: XinhuaVNA)

Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh cabled a congratulatory message to Wang Qishan on his election as Vice President of China.

HCM City wishes for JICA support in key projects

Ho Chi Minh City wants to receive further assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in a number of key infrastructure projects, said Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong. 

Phong made the wish at a reception for outgoing JICA Vietnam Chief Representative Yasuo Fujita and his successor Tetsuo Konaka on March 16.

The city leader asked JICA to provide more Japanese official development assistance (ODA) for a project on flooding prevention and water treatment, and a number of transport infrastructure projects such as the Metro Lines No 1, 3a and 3b, and Ben Thanh Station.

Phong said the local authorities will clear all hurdles to ensure the Metro Line No 1 to operate on schedule.

He also suggested JICA offer technical assistance to a project on improving water quality in the area of Tham Luong cannal – Ben Cat – Nuoc Len ditch.         

He lauded Yasuo Fujita’s contributions during his tenure and expressed his expectation that Tetsuo Konaka will build on good outcomes recorded in joint projects between JICA and HCM City.

At the reception, both JICA officials praised the city’s effective use of Japanese ODA and its collaboration with their agency.

Yasuo Fujita said he expects the local authorities to fulfill their commitment to implementing the Metro Line No1 and water environment projects on schedule.

Top legislator visits National Press Festival 2018

Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan on March 16 visited the National Press Festival 2018, which opened the same day at the Hanoi Museum.

After her tour of different stalls, Ngan lauded the Vietnam Journalists’ Association (VJA)’s idea to organise a diverse and interesting festival, which can help boost exchanges among press agencies and journalists, and attract public engagement.

She acknowledged significant contributions of press agencies in promptly covering the country’s political-diplomatic and socio-economic activities as well as international affairs.

Also on March 16, as part of the event, the VJA held a gathering to honour ten 90-years-old journalists, who have joined hands to make Vietnam’s revolutionary press history. They included journalists Phan Quang, Ha Dang, Thai Duy, Dang Minh Phuong, Dao Nguyen Cat, Nguyen Khac Tiep, Pham Phu Bang, Nguyen Tran Thiet, Ly Thi Trung and Vo The Ai.

The Vietnamese revolutionary press made its debut in 1925, witnessing a generation of war reporters who also took part in revolutionary activities since 1945.

Sharing their thoughts at the get-together, journalists Phan Quang and Ha Dang urged young journalists to build on their predecessors’ good traditions and nurture their skills to make quality products meeting demand of readers in the modern age.

On the occasion, the Hanoi Museum screened a documentary film about the 90-years-old journalists.

Party, Gov’t leaders pay tribute to Archbishop Paul Bui Van Doc

A Government delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh on March 16 paid homage to Archbishop of Ho Chi Minh City Archdiocese and former President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam Paul Bui Van Doc, who passed away in Rome on March 6 (Rome time).

Deputy PM Binh showed his deep sorrow of the passing of Archbishop Paul Bui Van Doc, who he described as an outstanding dignitary with important role in building and developing the Church.

The same day, President Tran Dai Quang, former Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, and leaders of ministries, sectors, localities and domestic and foreign organisations also sent wreaths in tribute of the Archbishop.

Earlier, a delegation from the Party Committee, People’s Council, People’s Committee and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City led by Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan also paid last tribute to Archbishop Paul Bui Van Doc.

Writing on the funeral book, Nhan declared that the passing away of Archbishop Paul Bui Van Doc is a great loss of the Catholic Church of Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City. 

“The city loses an excellent citizen who always sacrificed for the Church and the happiness of the people,” wrote he.

Also on March 16, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and head of Party Central Committee’s Commission for Mass Mobilisation Truong Thi Mai, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Tran Thanh Man, Minister of Home Affairs Le Vinh Tan, and head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs Vu Chien Thang, and many delegations from central agencies and localities also came to see Archbishop Paul Bui Van Doc for the last time.

Venerable Thich Tri Quang, head of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s chapter in Ho Chi Minh City, and representatives from many religious organisations, parishes of Ho Chi Minh City Archdiocese and neighbouring localities also paid tribute to the dignitary.

Archbishop Paul Bui Van Doc’s funeral will take place on March 17.

HCM City hopes for IMF’s further support

Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan expressed his wish that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will continue support for the city in addressing issues arising from the urban development.

While receiving Alex Mourmouras, Chief of the IMF’s Asia and Pacific Department, on March 16, Nhan said HCM City is facing difficulties in preparing capital resources for urban infrastructure building.

Defining the private sector’s engagement in transport infrastructure development as a need, the city wants to get IMF help in organising seminars and studies related to public-private partnership (PPP), he said.

Sharing the plan to develop HCM City into a smart city and an economic-financial hub of the country and the region, he suggested the IFM provide consultancy and assistance for the city to make a plan for building its financial centre, while sharing experience in mobilising resources from the private sector, businesses and scientists for its socio-economic development.

For his part, Alex Mourmouras affirmed that the IMF attaches importance to cooperation with Vietnam, including HCM City.

The fund is willing to provide expert and technical support to help HCM City organise seminars and studies on urban transport infrastructure development, and deal with issues related to public investment, budget management, local income increase and State budget spending.

Expressing his interest in HCM City’s smart city building programme, the IFM official said the city and his organisation can coordinate with the State Bank of Vietnam, universities and institutes to hold workshops on high-quality human resources development, support for innovative startups, cyber security and impacts of automation on labour force and development of the economy.

PM congratulates Angela Merkel on re-election

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, on March 16, sent a congratulatory message to Angela Merkel on her re-election as Chancellor of Germany.

Merkel has held the post for the fourth consecutive term.

The same day, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh cabled his congratulations to Heiko Maas, who has just become Foreign Minister of Germany.

Vietnam and Germany established diplomatic relations in 1975 and a strategic partnership in 2011. 

Germany is Vietnam’s top trade partner in the EU, with two-way trade hitting 9 billion USD in 2016, or 20 percent of Vietnam-EU trade. 

Since the Goethe Institute opened in Hanoi in 1997, bilateral cultural exchanges have been strengthened, with more than 100,000 Vietnamese graduating from German universities.

Life improvement needed for relocated people: Deputy PM

Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng on Friday urged for more efforts to create a better life for people who had to relocate for the construction of the Sơn La Hydropower Plant in the northwestern province of Sơn La.

Sơn La Hydropower Plant is one of the key national projects to supply electricity for socio-economic development, industrialisation and modernisation. It went into operation in 2012 and has also played a significant role in preventing floods during the rainy season and providing water in the dry season for the country’s northwest region. 

Fifteen years since the project started, a total of 20,340 households from three provinces of Sơn La, Điện Biên and Lai Châu have been relocated to make lands for the plant’s construction, said a report delivered to Dũng and other Government officials during their working trip to the province on March 15-16 to review the results of the relocation plan.

The relocated people were all offered new houses in planned residential areas with synchronised infrastructure.

However, many problems remain unresolved.

Despite some improvements in terms of living standards and average income, people are still struggling with many difficulties, the number of poor household remain high while those who had escaped poverty risk falling back into the poverty trap.

A majority of people are farmers without professional training. As a result, the ratio of labourers shifting from agriculture to other jobs likes services, home craft or tourism remains low while the building of programmes to support their job shifting has been slow-paced.

Secretary of Sơn La Province’s Party Committee Hoàng Văn Chất attributed the problems to the fact that a planned project to stabilise inhabitants’ lives and boost socio-economic development of the relocation zone has not been approved.

He, therefore, asked for the Government’s quick approval of the project.

Acknowledging the importance of the project, Deputy PM Dũng asked all related ministries, sectors and localities accelerate its compilation to submit it to the Government.

He asked the three provinces of Sơn La, Điện Biên and Lai Châu to continue reviewing the socio-economic development of their localities to carry out appropriate economic restructuring, develop economic zones and key products to serve as the driving force for development.

Earlier on Thursday, Dũng visited and offered gifts to households in relocated Tú Quỳnh Hamlet in Yên Châu District, Sơn La Province.