Party mass mobilisation commission delegation visits Netherlands

The delegation of the Party Central Committee's Commission for Mass Mobilisation led by its deputy head Tran Thi Bich Thuy has paid a working visit to the Netherlands to review work related to Vietnamese people in the European country.

During its stay, the delegation had a working session with representatives from the Vietnamese Embassy and community in the Netherlands. 

Vietnamese Ambassador Ngo Thi Hoa briefed the guests on the situation of Vietnamese expats in the Netherlands and its policies for Vietnamese people and students living, working and studying in the country, as well as the embassy’s citizen protection work for Vietnamese citizens. 

Representatives from the Vietnamese community in the Netherlands informed the delegation about achievements made by and difficulties facing the Vietnamese Association, stressing the need to learn Vietnamese language and Vietnamese culture for young Vietnamese people in the Netherlands. 

They highly valued the State’s efforts to hold exchange programmes for enhancing linkage between Vietnamese expats and the homeland, such as “Xuan Que Huong” and Vietnam youth summer camp programmes. 

For her part, Thuy applauded work related to the Party, and mass mobilisation implemented by the embassy, and noted the information provided by the embassy and organisations. 

The Vietnamese delegation visited Poland before arrived in the Netherlands. It is on a working visit to France.

Vietnam, Namibia enhance relations in fields

Deputy Foreign Minister Vu Hong Nam have working sessions with representatives from many ministries of Namibia to discuss possibility of fostering economic and trade cooperation between the two nations in the future. 

At the meetings during his recent working visit to Namibia, the Deputy FM recalled valuable support of the Namibian Government and people for Vietnam’s struggle for national liberation in the past, and hoped the country will successfully assume the position of presidency of the Southern African Development Community. 

He also affirmed Vietnam’s support for the 4th National Development Programme of Namibian President Hage Geingob. 

The two sides stressed the need to boost economic links on a par with the political relations between the two countries. 

They agreed to further push connection between the two countries’ chambers of commerce, and push exchange of goods, especially those of strength such as beef, cattle meat, minerals of Namibia; and agricultural machinery, fertilizer, textiles, machinery components, and telephone of Vietnam. 

The Namibian side expressed their desire to attract Vietnam’s investment and cooperate with the Southeast Asian nation in tourism , energy, cotton growing and processing, breeding, and technical vocational training. 

Namibia pledged to soon ratify the agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders signed between the two countries in 2013.

Nam took the occasion to hand over a letter of President Tran Dai Quang to Hage Geingob, which suggested Namibia support Vietnam's candidacy for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council in 2020-2021 tenure. 

The Namibian side promised to consider its support for Vietnam in the next year’s election for the seat. 

The two sides compared their notes of regional and international issues of common concern, and agreed on the importance of international law, dialogue and peaceful settlement of disputes. 

The Vietnamese official also informed the Namibian side of the history of disputes in the East Sea, recent relevant developments, and viewpoints of concerned parties.

President Ho Chi Minh’s revolutionary career highlighted in Russia

Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City’s Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan attended a workshop on late President Ho Chi Minh in St. Petersburg, Russia, on May 19 on the occasion of the 128th birthday of the Vietnamese leader and the 95th anniversary of his first visit to Russia. 

In their speeches at the event, delegates from Ho Chi Minh City, central Khanh Hoa province, and northern Hai Phong city of Vietnam, and those from St. Petersburg authority and the Ho Chi Minh Institute of St. Peterburg State University recalled President Ho Chi Minh’s journey to seek for the path for national salvation.

 They highlighted the event 95 years ago as President Ho Chi Minh visited Russia, which laid a foundation for the friendship between Vietnam and Russia. 

Participant stressed Ho Chi Minh's ideology and its value.

The same day, the Vietnamese official visited St. Peterburg State University.

During a meeting with Director of St. Peterburg State University Nikolay Mikhaylovich Kropachev, Nhan spoke highly of successes made by the educational institution in training, and thanked St. Petersburg’s authority in general and the university in  particular for  their remarkable contributions to training thousands of Vietnamese personnel.  

He appreciated the important role played by the director in proactively establishing the Ho Chi Minh Institute - the only research institute on President Ho Chi Minh outside Vietnam.

Despite differences in socio-economic conditions, Russia and Vietnam have always considered education as the top priority in their development strategy, Nhan stressed, noting that strengths in the training of basic and application science such information technology, and health of the university are also the areas that HCM City is interested in.

He expressed his belief that on the basis of the newly-signed cooperation roadmap in 2018-2020 between HCM City and St. Petersburg, the two sides’ education link will be a highlight and pillar of their cooperation in the future. 

For his part, Kropachev hoped to promote collaborative activities in the field of education between the two sides, especially in training Vietnam studies and Vietnamese language. 

After the working session, the Vietnamese official witnessed the signing of cooperation agreement between St. Peterburg State University and National University - Ho Chi Minh City, which mainly focuses on exchange of lecturers and students; organisation of academic activities; experience sharing in higher-education administration; cooperation in scientific research, training Vietnam studies and Vietnamese language for Russian students, and teaching Russian language for Vietnamese students.

Nhan is on a working visit to Russia from May 16-21.

Previously, he attended a ceremony hosted by St. Petersburg authority to celebrate the 95th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s first visit to Russia. 

He has also attended programmes to enhance friendship between HCM City and St. Petersburg.

Ambassador wishes for growing Vietnam – Moldova ties

Vietnamese Ambassador to Ukraine and Moldova Nguyen Anh Tuan has expressed wish that traditional ties between Vietnam and Moldova will further grow via the State, National Assembly and Government channels and people-to-people exchange. 

While presenting a letter of credentials to President of Moldova Igor Dodon in Chisinau capital city on May 18, Tuan congratulated Moldova on its achievements since economic reform in 2015 and receiving observer status at the Eurasian Economic Union. 

The ambassador expressed his wish that the President and ministries and agencies of Moldova will assist Vietnamese nationals and students in the European country to serve as a bridge between the two nations. 

The guest hoped that the President and Government of Moldova will create favourable conditions for him to fulfil assigned tasks. 

Dodon, for his part, said Moldova always treasures ties with Vietnam – a promising partner in the Asia-Pacific region. 

Highlighting the important role of bilateral economic, health care and education, he said Moldova has welcomed many Vietnamese students to Chisinau and hoped that both countries will further strengthen education collaboration in the near future. 

The host committed all possible support to the ambassador to fulfill assigned tasks and contribute to bilateral ties. 

Both sides vowed to fully tap potentials of cooperation in diplomacy, politics and economy, at international organisations, the United Nations and multilateral forums. 

They expressed their interest in strengthening bilateral legal framework, stepping up political dialogue and consular consultation, agreed to facilitate the exchange of high-level visits to diversify joint work in fields of shared concern. 

Earlier on May 17, Tuan met and presented a copy of credentials letter to Secretary of State for Bilateral and Multilateral Affairs Tatiana Molcean. 

The host hoped that the two countries will enter a new period in their ties as well as promote initiatives to reinforce bilateral and multilateral ties. 

In the afternoon of the same day, the ambassador held a working session with Director of the Department of Asian-Pacific Affairs Emil Jacota to discuss measures to boost bilateral links across economy, trade, education and national defence. 

On the occasion, he also met Vietnamese nationals and students in the country.

PM asks Ha Nam to improve business climate

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked northern Ha Nam province to continue improving business climate to attract more enterprises at a working session with local authorities on May 19.

The PM expressed his wish that Ha Nam will tap its strength as a southern gateway of the capital city on the way toward industrialisation and modernisation in combination with urbanisation and new rural development. 

In the near future, the province needs to achieve 2018 socio-economic goals, continue with administrative reform, pilot models to lure investment in high-tech agricultural production, including in milch cow farming, he said. 

About the development of industrial parks, he asked for creating jobs for workers, devising proper trade union mechanisms and not building more cement plants. 

Speaking at the event, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Nguyen Dinh Khang said the province’s gross domestic product surpassed 32.3 trillion VND (1.43 billion USD) in 2017, up 10.84 percent annually while revenue to the State budget reached 6.259 trillion VND, up 33 percent year-on-year and 24 percent of the estimate. 

Its export surged 61.9 percent annually to over 2 billion USD. Industry, construction and services accounted for 89.4 percent of its economy while agriculture made up 10.6 percent. 

The new rural development campaign has proved effective with 78 out of 98 communes and two districts meeting criteria for new-style rural areas. 

Khang asked the Government and PM to assist the province in land accumulation policies and mechanisms, enhance personnel quota for medical stations in communes, and direct Hanoi mitigate water pollution on Nhue river, adding that Ha Nam suffers 10-12 sewage discharges in the basin of Nhue and Day rivers each year, affecting the lives of residents living on the riverside. 

Before the working session, the PM inspected the progress of devising a trade union area at Dong Van II Industrial Zone, visited workers’ dormitory in Bach Thuong commune, Duy Tien district and presented gifts to workers at the industrial zone. 

The Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) began construction of the first components in the Dong Van II Industrial Zone in May 2018, starting a series of 50 projects in support of trade unionists in localities between now and 2020. 

Among 976 apartments in Ha Nam, the VGCL will offer 208 ones, each 30 sq.m for rent at 250,000 VND per person each month, and the remaining for sale, each 30 – 45 sq.m at 150 million - 350 million VND. 

Once completed, the project will benefit 4,000 – 4,500 workers in the industrial zone. The sale will be launched in the first quarter of 2019 and the first apartments will be transferred to workers in the fourth quarter 2019. 

Other facilities such as a 500-seat sporting hall, a square accommodating 500 people, supermarkets, health clinics, pharmacies and entertainment areas are expected to improve workers’ lives.

Vietnam, Mexico build new partnership in 21st century: Ambassador

For over four decades, the traditional friendship and all-round cooperation between Vietnam and Mexico have been reinforced and developed in many fields from politics-diplomacy, economy-trade to culture, education and health care, stated Vietnamese Ambassador to Mexico Nguyen Hoai Duong.

Addressing a ceremony on May 18 to celebrate the 43rd anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam-Mexico diplomatic relations with nearly 100 guests, the Ambassador noted that Mexico was among the first Latin American countries to set up diplomatic relations with Vietnam at a time when the Southeast Asian country just won the victory in the fight for national independence and reunification.

The diplomat stated that Vietnamese people will forever keep in mind the support of millions of justice- and peace-loving people in the world, including those from Mexico, during the struggle.

He expressed his delight at the strengthening of the political-diplomatic partnership between the two sides through meetings between senior leaders of both sides as well as among leaders of ministries, parliaments and localities of the two countries.

Particularly, the bilateral meeting between President Tran Dai Quang and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting 2017 in Vietnam’s Da Nang in November last year created a new political momentum for the further growth of the Vietnam-Mexico relations, heading to the building of a new partnership between the two sides in the 21st century, said Duong.

The ambassador noted that along with the regular and effective political consultation mechanism between the two Foreign Ministries, the two sides have launched the Joint Committee on Economic, Trade and Investment Cooperation, and the Joint Committee on Cultural-Educational Cooperation. 

He added that Vietnam and Mexico have coordinated effectively at international organisations and multilateral forums, including the United Nations, APEC, Forum of East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), and the ASEAN - Pacific Alliance framework, while supporting each other in running for positions in important UN agencies.

Mexico is now the third largest trade partner of Vietnam in Latin American region, while Vietnam is the seventh most important partner of Mexico in Asia, noted the ambassador.

He declared that Vietnam always creates optimal conditions for foreign investors, including those from Mexico, to run long-term and stable business in Vietnam.

For his part, Alfonso de María y Campos, Director General for Asia-Pacific at the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressed his belief that the sound friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Mexico will continue to thrive for the benefit of both sides, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the two regions and the world.

He held that the bilateral economic and trade ties will be elevated through the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in which both countries are signatory members.

On the occasion, the Vietnamese Embassy also launched a photo space introducing the nation and people of Vietnam to local and international friends.

HCM City learns from St. Petersburg’s wastewater treatment experience

Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan visits Cruiser Aurora 

Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan on May 18 visited several water management facilities in St. Petersburg city within the framework of his working visit to Russia from May 16-25.

During the tour, Nhan was introduced to advanced wastewater treatment technologies which are friendly to the environment, and clean water and wastewater management of St. Petersburg city

He showed his interest in the operation of the State Unitary Enterprise Vodokanal of St. Petersburg which is in charge of treating 98.5 percent of waste and wastewater of the city.

The Secretary also spoke highly of community activities to raise public awareness, especially that of young people, of effective water use and water and environmental protection through the establishment of the Youth Environmental Centre and “The Universe of Water” Museum complex.

Water management is one of the four main cooperation fields of a roadmap on bilateral cooperation for 2018-2020 signed by HCM City and St Petersburg on May 17.

Earlier on the occasion of the 313th founding anniversary of the Baltic Fleet, the leader of Ho Chi Minh City visited the Aurora cruiser which is the symbol of the October Revolution. The ship fired a deafening warning shot launching an attack on the Winter Palace in Petrograd on November 7, 1917.

He also attended a ceremony to mark 95 years from the date President Ho Chi Minh first arrived in Petrograd, and the late President’s 128th birthday (May 19, 1890).

Vietnam backs ASEAN – Russia ties

Vietnam values the ASEAN – Russia partnership and is making efforts for the substantive and effective development of the ties, stated Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung. 

Dung made his statement while attending the 15th ASEAN-Russia Senior Officials' Meeting in Moscow on May 17 and 18.

Speaking on behalf of ASEAN member countries on farming and energy cooperation between the bloc and Russia, the Vietnamese official said both sides are interested in the sectors which have potential for partnership.

With its strength in terms of technology, Russia can strengthen affiliations with ASEAN in gas and oil, electricity, atomic energy for civilian use and renewable energy, and energy security.

Concerning agriculture, he said both sides should facilitate the trade of produce of their strength, such as Rusia’s meat, butter, and temperate climate fruit, and ASEAN countries’ tropical fruit, nuts, tea and coffee.

Dung recommended ASEAN firms invest in Russia’s agricultural processing industry, following the examples of Vietnam’s TH True Milk company and Thailand’s CP Foods.

Talking about regional and international affairs, Dung underscored positive changes but acknowledged potential security risks, including the East Sea issue.

He called on ASEAN and Russia to boost engagements at ASEAN-chaired frameworks and make efforts to build an open, transparent and rule-based regional architecture.  

He mentioned ASEAN and China’s efforts in conducting result-oriented negotiation for an effective and legal binding Code of Conduct in the East Sea, and expressed the hope that Russia will work with ASEAN in handling challenges to regional peace and stability.

At the meeting, ASEAN member countries and Russia noted with satisfaction positive developments in bilateral cooperation, particularly the outcomes of implementing the ASEAN – Russia Action Plan for 2016 – 2020.

They reiterated the importance of their progressive and comprehensive partnership and agreed to bolster joint efforts to elevate the ties to a strategic partnership.

Russia said that ASEAN is among the most successful regional blocs and affirmed its support for the bloc’s central role in the region. The Russian side pledged to involve deeper in ASEAN mechanisms, like the East Asia Summit, ASEAN Regional Forum, and ASEAN Plus Defence Ministers Meeting.

The ASEAN side said they believe in Russia’s consistent diplomatic policy toward the Asia-Pacific and Southeast Asia, and welcome the country’s contribution to peace, stability and cooperation in the region.

The sides agreed to enhance their coordination at ASEAN-led frameworks and forums and build mutual trust to address emerging challenges.

They said they will stimulate affiliation in a number of sectors, including trade-investment, regional connectivity, infrastructure development, tourism, education, people-to-people exchange, and anti-terrorism.

As such, they planned to organise the ASEAN-Russia Youth Summit in the Philippines this year as well as a business dialogue and ASEAN- Russia education forum as part of the Eastern Economic Forum in Russia’s Vladivostok in September. 

Courses in Russia on capacity building for the prevention of terrorism, drug and cybercrime, which train security officers in ASEAN, were also scheduled to take place.