Criteria for socialist-oriented market economy discussed

Criteria of the socialist-oriented market economy in Vietnam were discussed from both theoretical and realistic angles at a workshop held in Hanoi on September 19.

The event was held by the Economic Commission of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPV CC), the Central Theoretical Council and the Communist Review. 

In opening the function, member of the CPV CC’s Politburo and head of the Economic Commission Nguyen Van Binh stressed that the Party has always defined economic reform and development as a central task with utmost importance. At the core of the task is to shift from the centrally-planned model to the socialist-oriented market economy, and gradually develop the socialist-oriented market economy in conformity with each development stage of the country.  

He said building a set of criteria for the socialist-oriented market economy will assist with the implementation of the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress and the resolution of the fifth plenary session of the 12th Party Central Committee on perfecting the socialist-oriented market economy. 

Participants agreed that such a set of criteria is of utmost importance and necessity to the unity in awareness and ideology within the Party and society about the socialist-oriented market economy. 

The set of criteria will help enhance the effectiveness of management and governance work and serve the communication campaigns for the recognition of Vietnam’s market economy, they said, stressing that the criteria must clearly demonstrate that the socialist-oriented market economy fully follows the rules of the market economy while ensuring the socialist orientation. 

Papers and opinions at the workshop analysed criteria of the market economy as defined by several countries and international organisations, which can serve as reference when building the criteria for Vietnam’s socialist-oriented market economy. 

A number of criteria were proposed for some aspects of the socialist-oriented market economy, such as ownership, economic sectors, the organisation of management and regulation of the economy (the role of the Market and the State), mechanisms for mobilization and allocation of resources and distribution of gains from economic activities, market factors and types of markets; factors that ensure the socialist orientation of the economy, and international economic integration. 

The workshop also looked into proposals on criteria on the State’s interference into the economy, trade liberalization and market participation, transparency, healthy competition, monopoly, price manipulation and dumping.

Vietnam, Malaysia promote friendship, cooperation

The Vietnam - Malaysia Friendship Association (VMFA) under the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) hosted a friendship exchange in Hanoi on September 19 as part of activities to mark the 61st anniversary of Malaysia’s National Day. 

At the event, Vice President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee cum Chairman of the VMFA Ngo Sach Thuc sent his congratulations to Malaysian Ambassador to Vietnam Zamruni Khalid, and asked the diplomat to convey his best wishes to Malaysian leaders and people on the occasion. 

While expressing his joy at great achievements across fields of Malaysia, stressing that Malaysia has enjoyed high economic growth of about 5 percent. The country’s economic growth in 2018 is likely to reach 5-5.5 percent. 

The country also recorded positive development in terms of culture, education, science-technology and social security, while the local people’s living conditions have been improved, and the nation’s position and international prestige has been raised. 

Over the last 45 years, the Vietnam-Malaysia friendship and multifaceted cooperation have been bolstered across fields from politics, trade, security-defence, culture, labour and tourism. 

As the key forces in promoting the friendship between the two countries’ people, the VUFO, the VMFA and Malaysian partners have made positive contributions in recent years. 

Many practical activities such as exchange and art performance have been organised by the two organisations, contributing to enhancing mutual understanding between the two people, thus promoting the bilateral relations. 

Thuc hoped for closer coordination and more effective support of one another between the VMFA and the Malaysian Embassy in Vietnam in the coming time, contributing to pushing the friendship and cooperation between the two nations. 

For his part, Malaysian Ambassador Zamruni Khalid was pleased to announce that Vietnam and his country have reached important milestones in economic ties, especially in investment, trade and tourism cooperation. 

Malaysian is the seventh largest investor in Vietnam with a total investment of 12.2 billion USD. Malaysian firms mainly invest in real estate, production, banking and oil and gas sectors. 

Two-way trade between Vietnam and Malaysia hit over 11 billion USF in 2017. Vietnam’s key exports to Malaysia are mobile phone, electronic products and rice. 

Regarding tourism links, over 480,000 Malaysians visited Vietnam in 2017, ranking tenth among the largest tourism markets of Vietnam. 

Ambassador Zamruni Khalid said with the increasing number of flights between the two countries, the number Malaysian tourists to Vietnam will increase. 

He believed that the Vietnam-Malaysia Strategic Partnership would be closer in the time to come. 

ASSA 35: members share experience in social, health insurance

The 35th ASEAN Social Security Association (ASSA) Board Meeting continued on September 19, with members sharing practical outcomes in carrying out social and health insurance policies.

Delegates from Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines and Vietnam presented their views and lessons drawn from the implementation of the policies.

A representative from the Lao National Social Security Fund talked about the country’s method to improve coverage of voluntary social insurance. Accordingly, Lao citizens aging between 18 and 60 and capable of working are eligible to join voluntary social insurance. The premiums are equivalent to nine percent of their monthly salaries and can be paid via banking applications or at the insurance’s office. Benefits under the voluntary social insurance are more diverse than those in Vietnam. 

Many ASSA members reported that they took advantage of information and technology in reforming social welfare procedures. For example, Thailand has employed a smart phone application that allows users to select and change hospitals for their health insurance, and manage insurance payments and claims. The method has helped cut time and cost for insurance participants.

At the session discussing health insurance, ASSA members praised Vietnam’s achievement in developing an assessment and multiple-level payment system. The assessment database, which connects all medical facilities covered by health insurance with the Vietnam Social Security (VSS) via the internet, was put into use in 2016. The database consists of more than 81 million profiles of insurance card holders and hundreds of millions of health records needed to be accessed annually. The system has helped the VSS increase its management of health insurance fund, and prevention of fund abuses.

The session also delved into difficulties in expanding the coverage of social and health insurance in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, among others. 

The ongoing 35th ASSA Board Meeting, hosted by the VSS, opened on September 18 in Nha Trang, the resort city of Khanh Hoa in central Vietnam. It brought together about 170 delegates, including the ASSA President, leaders of national social security institutions and diplomats from ASEAN member states. 

The event’s main theme is the challenges and opportunities of ASEAN social security institutions in the context of the 4th Industrial Revolution and free flow of labour.

The ASSA was found in 1998 following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement in Bangkok, Thailand on February 13 that year, involving heads of social security institutions from five countries - the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Representatives from Laos and Vietnam also attended the signing ceremony as observers. Later the year, the VSS became a member of ASSA.

ASSA members now comprise 19 social security institutions from ten ASEAN nations.

This is the fifth time the VSS has chaired the ASSA Board Meeting. It undertook the chairmanship during the 2002 – 2003 term and successfully organised the ASSA Board Meeting in 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2010.

Politburo mulls schemes to be submitted to Party Central Committee’s 8th meeting

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong chaired the Politburo’s meeting in Hanoi on September 18-19 to acquire feedback on schemes to be submitted to the eighth meeting of the Party Central Committee (12th tenure). 

They include a review of 10-year implementation of the Resolution adopted by the fourth meeting of the Party Central Committee (10th tenure) on Vietnam’s maritime strategy until 2020; the socio-economic performance in 2018 and plan for 2019; and regulations on the responsibility of officials and Party members, firstly Politburo members, members of the CPV’s Secretariat and CPV Central Committee, for setting good examples; and other important issues. 

Speaking at the event, the Party chief said lauded the Government’s Party Committee and Party Central Committee’s commissions for thoroughly preparing for schemes. He asked agencies to prepare schemes to gather opinions of Politburo and Secretariat members as well as feedback from ministries, agencies and sectors concerned to continue refining them to submit to the coming eighth meeting of the CPV Central Committee (12th tenure).

NA Standing Committee applauds improvement in Gov’t performance

The ongoing 27th meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee 

The National Assembly Standing Committee has commended the improvement in the Government’s handling of issues raised in the NA resolutions and Question-&-Answer (Q&A) sessions. 

The committee examined reports of the Government, the Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuracy on their implementation of the NA resolutions on specialized supervision and Q&A sessions from the beginning of the NA’s 14th tenure to its 4th session.

The resolutions required the Government to intensify work to improve food safety, accelerate reform of the State administrative apparatus, and solve problems in industry-trade, natural resources-environment, education-training, home affairs, agriculture-rural development, culture-sport-tourism, health care, planning-investment, finance-banking, information and communication. 

The NA also required the Government to instruct the enhancement of inspection quality and crime control, especially in serious corruption and economic cases. 

Head of the NA Ombudsman Nguyen Thanh Hai said all Government members, from the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Ministers to ministers, have paid attention to issues raised in the NA resolutions. 

It is noteworthy that Government members have showed responsibility in keeping their promises during Q&A sessions, with almost 100 percent of voters’ questions collected before and after the NA’s 5th session receiving replies from relevant ministers, Hai said. 

The Government’s report said the Prime Minister and other Cabinet members had worked out specific plans and assigned concrete tasks, thus creating uniformity and transparency in responsibility. 

Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung added that all replies to questions of NA deputies and voters made by the Government and ministries are published on the Government portal. The Government Office and ministries have coordinated with the NA to conduct regular review of the handling of issues raised by the NA, voters and enterprises. 

The report admitted unsolved shortcomings including lower-than-expectation quality of institution building, slow issuance of documents guiding the implementation of laws and decrees, ineffective coordination among ministries and sectors, and inefficient management in some sectors. 

A report of NA agencies on the Government’s implementation of the NA’s Resolution 43/2017/QH14 on promoting food safety noted that the decentralization of power in the field has become more rational, inspection work has been intensified and educational activities have been promoted, resulting in reduction in the trading of goods of poor quality and obscure origin. However, the control of fake and low quality food products still shows limitation, with cross-border food smuggling remaining a complicated problem. The forgery of licences by authorized food quality control agencies is still prevalent. 

Regarding the implementation of Resolution 56/2017/QH14 on reforming the State administrative apparatus, the report said the Government had made drastic instructions on the work, but the streamlining of the apparatus’ workforce had mainly focused on quantity with little attention paid to job performance and work quality. 

On the fields under the management of the Supreme People’s Court and Supreme People’s Procuracy, reports of NA agencies acknowledged that the Supreme People’s Court had paid special attention to building documents guiding the implementation of laws and resolutions. Major cases, particularly those involving corruption and serious economic crimes, have been handled in an urgent manner, with drastic measures taken to recover assets for the State. Argument has received more attention during trials. The number of civil cases settled through People’s Courts at all levels has increased, with fewer sentences annulled or corrected. 

Nevertheless, the transfer of documents by some People’s Courts has failed to meet time requirements, and the trial of administrative cases continues to face many difficulties. The ratio of annulment and correction among administrative sentences has dropped but still failed to meet target set by the NA.  

NA agencies also took note that the Supreme People’s Procuracy had taken many measures to meet requirements set by the NA resolutions, such as enhancement of prosecution’s role in investigation and combination of prosecution and investigation. The quality of investigation and the control of investigation and prosecution continue to be improved.  

However, the NA agencies pointed to limitations in the practice of public prosecution and control and supervision of justice activities in criminal matters. There are still a large number of cases where files were returned for further investigation.

President hosts Chinese Chief Justice

President Tran Dai Quang (R) receives Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court of China Zhou Qiang in Hanoi 

President Tran Dai Quang hosted a reception for Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court of China Zhou Qiang in Hanoi on September 19.

The President highlighted the rapid and comprehensive growth of Vietnam-China cooperation in all fields, which has been mutually beneficial for people of both sides.

The senior leaders of the two nations have regularly met and signed several cooperation agreements, laying the legal foundations for long-term partnership between the two sides, he noted.

The President held that the affiliation between the Supreme People’s Courts of Vietnam and China has been reinforced, bringing about specific and practical benefits to the development of each nation as well as further tightening the traditional cooperation between Vietnam and China.

Throughout Vietnam’s socio-economic development, judicial reform has been a key task for its relevant agencies. During the process, agencies and the Supreme People’s Court must stay in close coordination to share experience with courts around the world, including the Supreme People’s Court of China, he said.

He also lauded the signing of a memorandum of understanding on judicial cooperation between the Supreme People’s Courts of Vietnam and China during Vietnamese Chief Judge of the Supreme People’s Court Nguyen Hoa Binh’s visit to China last May, which marked a new milestone in the partnership between the two agencies.

He stressed that the deal is a foundation for the courts to continue sharing experience and information on court organisation, operation, and management as well as judge training.

He affirmed that the Party and State of Vietnam will continue to support the two courts in deepening their collaboration, stressing his hope that the Supreme People’s Court of China will share more experience with Vietnam in judicial reform, thus enhancing its people’s access to justice, while also making court operations more transparent and open.

For his part, Zhou Qiang expressed his admiration of Vietnam’s socio-economic growth, as well as the comprehensive development of bilateral partnership, including the ties between the two court sectors.

He briefed his host on the outcomes of his talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Hoa Binh, during which both sides agreed on the need to further bolster collaboration in personnel training, IT application, legal precedent research, and mutual judicial support.

State audit agencies of Vietnam, Kazakhstan seek stronger ties

Deputy Auditor General of the State Audit Office of Vietnam (SAV) Nguyen Tuan Anh has voiced his hope that Vietnam and Kazakhstan will increase the sharing of experiences in auditing in the coming time.

The plenary session of ASOSAI 14 in Hanoi on September 19

Deputy Auditor General Anh expressed the wish during a meeting with his Kazakh counterpart Talgat Zhakan on the sidelines of the 14th Assembly of the Asian Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI 14) in Hanoi on September 19.

Anh briefed his guest about the SAV’s apparatus and outstanding activities in the recent past, saying that it has well performed auditing tasks assigned by the National Assembly, focusing on public audit, and budget spending of ministries, sectors and localities.

During the process of international integration, the SAV has joined organizations such as the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), ASOSAI, and the ASEAN Supreme Audit Institutions (ASEANSAI), he said, adding that the SAV has also exchanged experiences with State Audit Institutions (SAI) and sent auditors to go abroad to study advanced auditing models, especially IT and environmental auditing models.

Zhakan said the Accounts Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan were admitted to INTOSAI and ASOSAI in 2000 and became a member of the European Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (EUROSAI) in 2003.

In addition, it has also cooperated with supreme audit institutions in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and the Economic Cooperation Organisation Supreme Audit Institutions (ECOSAI), he said.

The Accounts Committee has already signed memoranda of understanding (MOU) with many ASOSAI members and it hoped to ink a similar agreement with the SAV in order to improve the quality of auditing activities of both nations, Zhakan said.

He also expressed his hope that the SAV would support the Accounts Committee’s candidacy for a seat in the ASOSAI Audit Committee for the 2018-2021 term.

Anh promised to support and recommend the Accounts Committee of Kazakhstan to the post through the vote at ASOSAI 14.

Vietnam, China court sectors enhance collaboration

The talks between Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court of Vietnam Nguyen Hoa Binh and his Chinese counterpart Zhou Qiang in Hanoi on September 19 

Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court of Vietnam Nguyen Hoa Binh held talks with his Chinese counterpart Zhou Qiang in Hanoi on September 19.

The leaders of the two countries’ court sectors informed each other of their agencies’ achievements in judicial reform and judgment experience.

They expressed their delights at the great attainments recorded in judicial reform in each nation as well as the development of the judicial collaboration between the two countries over the past time.

Binh said that the visit by the high-raking delegation of the Supreme People’s Court of China helps further tighten the affiliation between the two countries’ court sectors, actively contributing to deepening the Vietnam-China solidarity and friendship.

On the basis of the signed memorandum of understanding, the two sides should enhance cooperation in various judicial areas such as personnel training, information technology application, legal precedent research, and mutual judicial assistance.

For his part, Zhou said he is impressed at Vietnam’s socio-economic development as well as the comprehensive development of bilateral ties, affirming that the relationship between the two courts will further develop in the future.

The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in judge training, set up and promote partnership between the Vietnam Court Academy and the China National Judicial Academy, and share experience in IT application and smart court building.

Vietnam-France ties thrive: ambassador

The year 2018 holds special significance for Vietnam – France relations, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Nguyen Thiep said during a ceremony in Paris on September 19 marking the 73rd anniversary of National Day of Vietnam (September 2). 

He said 73 years since President Ho Chi Minh delivered the Independence Declaration on September 2, 1945, Vietnam has become an active member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with a 91 million population and an average income per capita of more than 2,000 USD each year. 

Vietnam has established diplomatic ties with most UN member states and maintained economic and trade ties with nearly 230 countries and territories. This year, Vietnam and France mark the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and the fifth anniversary of their strategic partnership, playing a key role in promoting relations between ASEAN and the EU. 

Highlighting the importance of France visit by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong last March, Thiep said it had created a strong driving force for the development of bilateral ties across politics, economy, culture, education, healthcare and national defence. 

Vietnamese officials also paid working trips to France, including those by Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung in April, Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien and Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung in June and Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich in September with the signing of a Joint Vision Declaration on defence cooperation for 2018-2028. 

Secretary of State to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne arrived in Hanoi in January to chair a Vietnam – France economic dialogue. The first Vietnam – France dialogue on security and defence strategy recently held in Paris also opened up opportunities for collaboration. 

Major Vietnamese firms such as Viettel, FPT and Vietnam Airlines are also present in France. 

On the occasion, the ambassador noted Vietnam will join the Paris Motor Show in October for the first time, presenting VinFast automobiles manufactured by Vietnam’s Vingroup. 

Cultural and art activities are planned to celebrate the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties throughout the year.

ASOSAI 14: Environmental theme strongly supported

Delegates to 14th ASOSAI Assembly 

Delegates from regional and international audit institutions expressed their strong support for the environmentally focused theme that Vietnam selected for the ongoing 14th Assembly of the Asian Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) in Hanoi.

The event, hosted by Vietnam for the first time, has been held under the theme “Environmental Auditing for Sustainable Development”.

With this in mind, participants are expected to make suggestions on how to use environmental auditing as an efficient tool for sustainable development, thus introducing important and useful policies, solutions and efficient tools to solve environmental problems.

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, Archana Shirsat, a representative from the INTOSAI Development Initiative, highlighted environmental protection as part of the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development’s key goals.

The theme reflects ASOSAI members’ commitments and contributions to the UN’s pursuit of sustainable development in general and global environmental protection in particular, she said.

Shirsat also stressed the need for supreme audit institutions (SAIs) worldwide to respond to emerging issues, such as the technological revolution and digital destruction that is happening to the environment.

“SAIs would need to adopt innovative audit approaches to address such issues as environmental protection and sustainable development,” she said.

Hu Zejun, head of China SAI, praised the event’s theme, saying that it is not only significant for sustainable development in Asia, but also for the protection of the global eco-system and sustainable development of humankind.

Zejun, Auditor General of China’s National Audit Office, who is also in charge of the ASOSAI Secretary General for 2018-2021, stated that the Chinese Environmental Audit Institution was established in 1998 to enforce the Government’s policy on environment protection and ensure a sustainable economic development.

China SAI is willing to share with Vietnam its experience in organising methods to ensure synchronous implementation at all levels, technology application in the field and enhancing staff capacity in environmental auditing, Zejun said.

“Being neighbouring countries, Vietnamese and Chinese SAIs have developed a comprehensive cooperation and continue to share information with each other in all fields,” said Hu Zejun.

Likewise, Sirin Phankasem, vice head of Thailand SAI and a member of the ASOSAI Governing Board, expressed his belief that the 14th ASOSAI Assembly will be a success, particularly with the key agenda focusing on green issues.

According to Phankasem, Thailand has been carrying out numerous water auditing activities. The country also has great experience in environmental auditing training.

“Thailand is willing to provide support for Vietnam in audit capacity training and activities of the ASOSAI in Vietnam’s chairmanship term,” said. Phankasem.

ASOSAI gathers 46 member organisations with diverse legal statuses, culture, politics, and development level, leading to varying viewpoints on public auditing and generating interest among members.

The ASOSAI Assembly, which is held every three years, is the venue for all heads of ASOSAI member supreme audit agencies to discuss and decide on major issues, necessary documents, regimes, and policies to achieve the association’s objectives and further its development.

It will also serve as a forum for sharing experience in the field of state audits.

This year’s event sees the largest ASOSAI gathering to date, with the participation of around 250 delegates from 46 supreme audit institutions in Asian countries.

Representatives from the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) and a number of other international organisations are also attending as observers.

Vietnamese officer receives Russian, Lao guests

Major General Ngo Minh Tien, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army (R) and Russia’s Sverdlovsk Oblast led by Major General Iuri Dmitrievich Sudakov (Source: http://www.qdnd.vn)

Major General Ngo Minh Tien, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army on September 18 hosted a reception for a delegation of veterans from Russia’s Sverdlovsk Oblast led by Major General Iuri Dmitrievich Sudakov.

During the reception, Major General Tien expressed his gratitude for the friendship and support given by the people and military of the former Soviet Union and the current Russia to Vietnam in its struggle for independence. 

Generations of Vietnamese people are grateful for the precious help of the Russian people, he said, asserting his commitment to making the relations stronger. 

For his part, Major General Sudakov said the delegation is glad to return to Vietnam and witness the country’s renewal and development. 

He expressed his belief that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Southeast Asian nation will develop even further. 

In the same day’s afternoon, Major General Tien received a delegation from the Military Science and History Department under the Lao Ministry of Defence, led by its General Director Major General Viengsay Somvichith. 

Tien affirmed the Vietnamese Ministry of Defence appreciated the results of science research projects performed by the Military History Institute of Vietnam and Laos’ Military Science and History Department, including the “Ho Chi Minh trail in Laos” project. 

These projects have contributed to educating young people of both countries, and assisting the scientific research on war history in the two nations. 

Tien suggested the two sides continue to consult the two defence ministries in the field, while underlining the need for them to promote exchange of delegations and enhance cooperation in personnel training and science research. 

Somvichith said he hopes Vietnam will support Laos in searching for war materials, thus helping the Military Science and History Department perform the task assigned by the Lao Ministry of Defence. 

US vows to deepen ties with Vietnam

An overview of the ceremony in Washington DC 

US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan on September 18 (local time) affirmed his country’s commitment to deepening relations with Vietnam.

Speaking at a ceremony in Washington DC held by the Vietnamese Embassy in the US to mark the Southeast Asian nation’s 73rd National Day (September 2), Sullivan congratulated Vietnam on its achievements during the renewal and international integration process.

He appreciated development of the US-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership in bilateral aspects and in regional and international issues of mutual concern.

He noted the two countries still hold much potential for development cooperation, especially in trade, security and defence.

Vietnamese Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc highlighted the significance of National Day to Vietnamese people.

Ngoc confirmed that since bilateral diplomatic ties were set up in 1995, relations have developed strongly on the basis of mutual understanding and respect for each other’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political institutions.

The establishment of the comprehensive partnership in 2013 has contributed to deepening cooperation both bilaterally and multilaterally, he added.

The diplomat also expressed his belief that bilateral ties will grow further, for the benefits of the two peoples and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

On the same day, the Vietnamese Embassy in Germany also hosted a gathering to celebrate Vietnam’s 73rd National Day.

VN and Bulgaria to boost trade co-operation

     

Viet Nam and Bulgaria should promote co-operation in trade and investment, especially in hi-tech agriculture, enabling Vietnamese products to access the Bulgarian market, said Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue in Ha Noi on Tuesday.

Speaking at a meeting with Bulgarian Minister of Economy Emil Karanikolov, who is on a working visit to Viet Nam from Monday to Friday, Hue said the two countries’ trade co-operation was developing but two-way trade had only reached about US$100 million a year.

Hue also asked Bulgaria to support the implementation of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and organise the 24th session of the Viet Nam-Bulgaria Inter-Government Committee on Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation, working on specific measures on trade and industry policies in order to boost economic co-operation in the future.

Minister Emil Karanikolov said the Bulgarian Government attached great importance to the socio-economic achievements made by Viet Nam over the past 30 years (1986-2016), the period of Viet Nam’s doi moi (renewal).

With the co-operation mechanism between the two countries, the minister said Bulgaria wanted to be a gateway for Vietnamese goods to enter Europe.

On the same day, Karanikolov also attended the Viet Nam – Bulgaria Business Forum in the capital. More than 20 Bulgarian businesses and Vietnamese enterprises attended the event to exchange experiences and seek co-operation opportunities to develop businesses in the two countries.

At the meeting, Karanikolov said Bulgaria was willing to support specific initiatives for business and co-operation with Vietnamese enterprises to promote trade and investment between the two countries.

He said Bulgaria was positioned as a strategic gateway connecting the European market to the Mediterranean and Asian countries. Therefore, it would create best conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to open warehouses and develop exports in Bulgaria before reaching out to the EU market.

Bulgaria is considered one of the most attractive destinations for trade and investment in Europe, with tax rates and operating costs at the lowest level in the EU. Vietnamese businesses should take advantage of these opportunities, said the minister.

According to Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Cao Quoc Hung, 2017 trade turnover between the two countries reached $109.16 million, of which Viet Nam’s exports to Bulgaria reached $38.36 million.

In the first eight months of 2018, two-way trade turnover reached over $55 million, of which Viet Nam’s exports to Bulgaria reached $21.6 million.

In investment co-operation, Bulgaria ranks 65th out of 129 countries and territories investing directly in Viet Nam, with nine FDI projects in operation and total registered capital of $30.99 million.

“These results in trade and investment are modest and do not match the potential and expectations of the two sides,” said Hung.

Karanikolov said Bulgaria would help Vietnamese businesses to invest in information technology, agriculture, services, transportation and tourism, especially in the country’s industrial parks and high-tech zones.

On the day same, the Bulgarian delegation worked with the Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh and leaders from Ha Noi’s People’s Committee and the Viet Nam Oil and Gas Group and achieved many positive results to develop co-operation and investment. 

Social security needs to change ahead of the Industry 4.0

Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam tells the 35th ASEAN Social Security Association Board Meeting in Nha Trang on Tuesday the social security mechanism will have to be changed as the fourth industrial revolution and free movement of labour have led to new kinds of jobs and ways of working.

Social security mechanism and regulations will have to be changed since the fourth industrial revolution and free movement of labour have led to new kinds of jobs and ways of working, Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam has said.

Speaking at the two-day 35th ASEAN Social Security Association (ASSA) Board Meeting that opened on Tuesday in Khánh Hòa Province’s Nha Trang City, he said employment has become less stable because more and more people do seasonal and short-term jobs.

Việt Nam has 200,000 freelancers, the Deputy PM said.

“With a computer and the internet, people can work online for companies in other countries without travelling there.”

The rate of self-employment has increased, he said.

These things require regulations, duties of employers and employees and co-ordination between relevant agencies relating to social security to be changed, Đam said.

“The fourth industrial revolution is changing the world. Our responsibility is to make the changes become better. We should pay attention to solving problems the revolution brings about to develop better based on a goal which considers people as the centre of development.”

Many countries like Việt Nam are incorporating this goal into development policies to ensure “no one is left behind”, he added.

ASSA chairman Suradej Waleeittikul said advances in IT and digitisation have had profound impacts across industries, changing the nature of work and affecting the provision of social security.

“The disruptive environment of globalisation has forced workers to become unemployed or look for jobs elsewhere. Many choose to work in the informal economy.”

The resulting mobility of workers requires governments to ensure their welfare, and the fundamental issue is having social security provisions which guarantee their rights and entitlements, even across borders, he said.

“For us, social security administrators, it creates both challenges and opportunities. As we develop policies and deliver services to the country’s labour force, new strategies are required to adapt to these emerging trends.

“In many countries, e-services have been introduced to simplify the administration and increase transparency.

“There is also the need to create a legal framework that can adapt continuously to globalisation. We have to keep up the leadership and understanding of these rapid changes in order to adapt and survive.”

According to Nguyễn Thị Minh, director general of the Việt Nam Social Security, ASSA needs to have a creative approach and long-term vision to fully use the experience and technology of the members.

ASSA should work together as one for sustainable social security for all in the ASEAN Community.

Assoc Prof Dr Trần Đình Thiên, former head of the Việt Nam Institute of Economics, said the country should formulate a digital transformation strategy and manage it intelligently.

“The country should develop digitally-linked infrastructure and cyber security and create digital human resources.”

Gobal digital connections, through the web and smart tools, are bringing great opportunities for people to increase their general income though high risks are not unavoidable.

The need for renovating social insurance activities would become vigorous and urgent, he added.

Jens Schremmer of the International Social Security Association said non-standard work is fast emerging because of the revolution.

Digital platforms are enabling new services, he said.

“But the status of platform workers is often unclear. What are they: Employees? Self-employed? Or new categories? Why does it matter?”

Labour market transformations and social impacts create challenges for social security, he said.

“Social security institutions will make the difference.”

International exchanges between social security institutions would play a key role, he added.

Robert Palacios of the World Bank said traditional social insurance coverage based on payroll tax deductions from formal sector workers would lose the race with populations ageing.

“The approach of subsidising health insurance premiums for the poor, informal sector is helping increase the health insurance coverage and shows the way forward.

“Emerging technologies can help us differentiate those in the formal sector that have more capacity to save or contribute so we can use limited resources more efficiently.”

The line between social assistance and social insurance would increasingly be blurred to achieve universal social insurance coverage that is affordable, he added. 

Cần Thơ, Australia cooperate in sustainable energy and agriculture

A “safe” vegetable farming model in Cần Thơ City. 

Cần Thơ seeks to cooperate with Australia in many fields, especially in sustainable energy and agriculture, said the vice chairman of Cần Thơ City’s People’s Committee at a meeting with Australian Consul General last weekend in Cần Thơ. 

Vice Chairman Trương Quang Hoài Nam pledged to continue improving the business climate to attract more investment, especially from Australia.

Karen Lanyon, Consul General of Australia in HCM City, said that Austalian investors were seeking long-term strategic parternships with Cần Thơ, the economic hub of the Mekong Delta. 

She said she hoped the city and Australia would mutually benefit by giving priority to agriculture, renewable energy, environmental protection and climate-change response. 

The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) has sent agronomists to the city to conduct studies and seek feasibility plans to resolve challenges in agriculture.

The plans focus on food safety, climate change, land-quality improvement and tree nutrition, market connectivity, and value increase for agricultural products and aquaculture. 

ACIAR will also support Cần Thơ in applying cutting-edge technologies to high-tech agriculture, and attracting investment from the private sector, with the aim of helping the poor in both rural and urban areas to benefit from advanced farming models. 

The centre also aims to improve the capacity of Cần Thơ farmers, agriculture officials and scientists from research and training establishments.

Under the co-operation plan, Cần Thơ will work with ACIAR to enhance agricultural product output and quality, protect land and water resources, and ensure food safety and hygiene. 

As for renewable energy, the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) will conduct a full and detailed report on the potential of wind power, solar power and biomass energy, and propose suitable policies. 

AER will also help the city develop a pilot project on renewable energy in hi-tech agriculture and aquaculture processing.

The project could then spread to other cities and provinces in the southwest, making Cần Thơ a pioneer of clean energy development in the Mekong Delta. 

In addition, Cần Thơ and Australia will also cooperate in clean air, greenhouse gas emissions, water drainage management and wastewater treatment projects. 

The clean air project will target inner Cần Thơ areas, including Ninh Kiều and Bình Thủy districts, and Trà Nóc 1 and Trà Nóc 2 industrial and processing zones, focusing on monitoring air quality, reviewing greenhouse gas emissions and building an action plan.

In addition, Australian experts will study water drainage in the locality and work out proper solutions. 

ASSA 35: members share experience in social, health insurance

The 35th ASEAN Social Security Association (ASSA) Board Meeting continued on September 19, with members sharing practical outcomes in carrying out social and health insurance policies.

Delegates from Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines and Vietnam presented their views and lessons drawn from the implementation of the policies.

A representative from the Lao National Social Security Fund talked about the country’s method to improve coverage of voluntary social insurance. Accordingly, Lao citizens aging between 18 and 60 and capable of working are eligible to join voluntary social insurance. The premiums are equivalent to nine percent of their monthly salaries and can be paid via banking applications or at the insurance’s office. Benefits under the voluntary social insurance are more diverse than those in Vietnam. 

Many ASSA members reported that they took advantage of information and technology in reforming social welfare procedures. For example, Thailand has employed a smart phone application that allows users to select and change hospitals for their health insurance, and manage insurance payments and claims. The method has helped cut time and cost for insurance participants.

At the session discussing health insurance, ASSA members praised Vietnam’s achievement in developing an assessment and multiple-level payment system. The assessment database, which connects all medical facilities covered by health insurance with the Vietnam Social Security (VSS) via the internet, was put into use in 2016. The database consists of more than 81 million profiles of insurance card holders and hundreds of millions of health records needed to be accessed annually. The system has helped the VSS increase its management of health insurance fund, and prevention of fund abuses.

The session also delved into difficulties in expanding the coverage of social and health insurance in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, among others. 

The ongoing 35th ASSA Board Meeting, hosted by the VSS, opened on September 18 in Nha Trang, the resort city of Khanh Hoa in central Vietnam. It brought together about 170 delegates, including the ASSA President, leaders of national social security institutions and diplomats from ASEAN member states. 

The event’s main theme is the challenges and opportunities of ASEAN social security institutions in the context of the 4th Industrial Revolution and free flow of labour.

The ASSA was found in 1998 following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement in Bangkok, Thailand on February 13 that year, involving heads of social security institutions from five countries - the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Representatives from Laos and Vietnam also attended the signing ceremony as observers. Later the year, the VSS became a member of ASSA.

ASSA members now comprise 19 social security institutions from ten ASEAN nations.

This is the fifth time the VSS has chaired the ASSA Board Meeting. It undertook the chairmanship during the 2002 – 2003 term and successfully organised the ASSA Board Meeting in 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2010.