PM hails journalists’ contributions to creating public trust

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc lauded journalists for having helped create public trust and rally forces to build a constructive and service-oriented government. 

He made the remark at his meeting with leaders of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education, the Ministry of Information and Communications, the Vietnam Journalists’ Association (VJA) and press outlets. 

The event saw the participation of Politburo member and head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education Vo Van Thuong, deputy head of the Commission for Information and Education Thuan Huu, who is also VJA Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of the Nhan Dan (People) newspaper. 

At the event, the PM expressed his most sincere thanks to the Vietnam revolutionary press for its immense, multi-dimensional contributions to the government’s achievements over the past year. 

He said the media has left a significant imprint on the dissemination of the Party and State’s guidelines and the government’s directions.

“The press has contributed greatly to creating and consolidating people’s trust in the implementation of Party guidelines and State laws, especially when there is now intense competition with social networks in terms of information,” he said. 

The PM expressed his wish that press agencies will continue to building the nation, firstly accomplishing socio-economic tasks for 2018 and successfully realising the Resolution adopted by the 12th National Party Congress.

North central provinces seek to reform People’s Council meetings

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan speaks at the meeting of the People’s Councils of north central provinces on January 23 

National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan attended a meeting on January 23 of the People’s Councils of north central provinces which looked to reform and improve the meeting quality of the councils. 

The event in Thanh Hoa city was attended by representatives from Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien-Hue provinces.

NA Chairwoman Ngan took note of changes in the direction of better effectiveness in the organisation of regular sessions of People’s Councils at different levels in many localities. However, there remain a number of shortcomings attributable to both objective and subjective causes.

She asked officials, especially standing members of the People’s Councils, to work out measures to address those shortcomings.

The NA leader noted that regular sessions of People’s Councils are the most important activity of the local state power agencies as they make decisions on key issues relating to socio-economic development, political security, social order and safety, and people’s living standards.

Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the sessions’ quality and effectiveness, she noted, adding that the reform of People’s Councils sessions must suit local reality while adhering to the 2015 Law on Organisation of Local Administrations.

The top legislator asked People’s Councils to spend more time of their sessions on discussing contentious issues instead of presenting reports.

The effectiveness and quality of the sessions greatly depends on the performance of People’s Council deputies, especially full-time deputies. Therefore, deputies themselves need to improve their sense of responsibility and capacity so as to fulfill their duties.

Meanwhile, People’s Councils also have to step up communications before, during and after each session to attract people’s attention and have their resolutions implemented smoothly, Chairwoman Ngan added.

The event in Thanh Hoa was the third meeting of standing members of People’s Councils in the north central provinces, 2016-2021 tenure. The fourth meeting will be held in Nghe An province in late 2018.

State Audit asked to do more in preventing loss of public assets

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has urged the State Audit Office of Vietnam (SAV) to work harder to figure out the root causes behinds wrongdoings in the use of State resources to trigger loss and misspending of public assets, thus devising prompt and efficient preventive solutions. 

For the wrongdoings found by the SAV, ministries and sectors should soon stringently deal with violated individuals and organizations, the PM said during a working session with the SAV staff on January 23.

He highlighted the close coordination between the SAV and the Government in amending and abolishing backward institutions, policies and laws as well as in preventing, handling and recovering lost State budget and assets.

He asked for closer collaboration between the SAV and the Government Inspectorate in the auditing work, towards avoiding overlapping in inspection and audit activities. 

PM Phuc also underlined the need to timely build plans for auditing big projects, thus preventing them from facing losses or committing wrongdoings. 

He expressed his belief that along with the building and perfecting the rule of law in Vietnam, the SAV will operate more effectively.

According to reports from the SAV, the agency carried out 257 audits in many ministries, sectors, localities and enterprises, from which it detected mistakes in budget collection and expenditures, as well as in recruitment of civil servants.

HCM City shares urban development experience with Vientiane

Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith (R) and Secretary of the HCM City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan

Ho Chi Minh City’s authority shared experience in urban and smart city building, economic development, and investment attraction with Laos’s Vientiane at a conference in the Lao capital on January 23. 

Addressing the event, Secretary of the HCM City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan pointed out lessons learnt and experience gained from the locality’s construction and development process over the last 40 years. 

Accordingly, the city did not have forecast in population development and paid no due attention to science research and technology application, as well as works related to socio-cultural affairs and education-training, among others.

However, he also revealed that the municipal authority has devised specific measures to realise its set targets. 

The city will strictly implement seven breakthrough programmes that were set forth at the municipal 10th Party Congress’ Resolutions; and effectively implement specific mechanisms for economic development and a project to develop the city into a smart city in 2017-2020, with a vision to 2030.   

Secretary of the Party Committee and Governor of Vientiane Sinlavong Khoutphaythoune affirmed the experience shared by HCM City is very practical and helpful, saying that the Vientiane authority will consider applying these in the future.

He expressed his belief that with its implemented measures, HCM City will continue developing in the coming time, contributing to Vietnam’s development.

Ho Chi Minh City leader reiterates priority to ties with Laos

Politburo member and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party’s Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan (L) and Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith 

Politburo member and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party’s Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan has reiterated Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City’s consistent policy of giving high priority to upholding special solidarity with Laos. 

He made the statement during receptions hosted by General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President Bounnhang Volachith and Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith in Vientiane on January 23.

Nhan stressed the establishment of friendly cooperative ties between Ho Chi Minh City and the Lao province of Savannakhet as well as between the city’s District 5 and Vientiane’s Sikhottabong district during his current visit is a vivid evidence for the policy. 

Informing the Lao leaders about the outcomes of cooperation between Ho Chi Minh City and Lao localities, Nhan said the city stepped up a project on improving cow breeding in Vientiane, provided 49 scholarships for Lao students during the 2017-2018 academic year, inaugurated a reading room for children in a library in Xieng Khouang province, handed over a master plan on Parksong town in Champasak province and held investment promotion conferences in three central Lao provinces. 

Nhan said he will share experience with Lao leaders and officials about dealing with issues faced by the city during the visit. 

Ho Chi Minh City will offer scholarships to students in Vientiane – Ho Chi Minh City Friendship School, the Laos – Vietnam Friendship High School and Champasak Friendship Elementary School in order to increase ties with Lao localities, he said. 

The Lao leaders their expressed hope that Ho Chi Minh City will continue supporting and sharing development experience with Lao localities in diverse areas, especially in education, tourism, cultivation, animal husbandry, trade and investment. 

Earlier in the morning, Nhan visited the Vientiane – Ho Chi Minh City Friendship School and the Laos – Vietnam Friendship High School and pledged to grant two or three university scholarships for students per year in the next decade. 

The Vietnamese guest asked for facilitating the exchange of visits and twinning between Ho Chi Minh City and Vientiane’s schools.

In the afternoon the same day, Nhan is scheduled to share the city development experience with around 300 leaders of Lao localities before paying working visits to the central Lao province of Savannakhet and the southern Lao province of Champasak from January 24-25.

Vietnam, Australia celebrate 45th anniversary

The official logo of the 45th anniversary of Vietnam - Australia diplomatic ties was debuted on January 17.

Visitors to the Temple of Literature now understand more about the vestiges of Vietnamese history thanks to a system of introductory panels in Vietnamese, French and English languages.

Each introductory panel is a concise brief on a section of the temple. Together, they tell the whole story about the invaluable historical site and will help tourists make the most of their visit to one of Hanoi’s top attractions.

The panels are a gift from Australia to mark the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The celebration started on January 17 with the launch of a 45th anniversary commemorative logo and presentation of nine introductory panels to the Temple of Literature vestige.

The winning logo was selected from a competition organised by the Australian Embassy and the Hanoi University of Industrial Fine Arts, in collaboration with the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in November last year. The competition received over 150 entries from designers across the country.

The logo features Australia’s iconic Sydney Opera House and the star of the Vietnamese flag. The logo’s designer Nguyen Viet Hung, 24, said that creation of the logo was inspired by his first memories of Australia and the participation of the Vietnamese sporting team at the Sydney Olympic Games 2000. Hung graduated from the University of Technology and Economics in Budapest in Computer Engineering and now he is a Hungarian language teacher and interpreter for a language centre in Hanoi. This is the first time he has participated in a major graphic design contest.

When he read the announcement on the Australian Embassy’s Facebook page, he immediately decided to join with aim to challenge himself, increase his knowledge and to learn from others.

“I was seven back then, and I keep remembering the fireworks display over the Sydney Opera House at the opening ceremony,” said Hung of his Olympic memories. “And it was great that at the Sydney Olympics, Vietnam won its first Olympics medal. The image of martial artist Tran Hieu Ngan wrapped in the Vietnamese flag and running in joy and happiness marked an amazing milestone in Vietnamese sports’ history right there in Australia. The image impressed me until now whenever I think of Australia.”

“From the above-mentioned memory, I decided to draw the Sydney Opera House with some slim strokes using the navy blue colour found on the Australian flag. I believe that the Sydney Opera House is the easiest feature for Vietnamese people to recognise from Australia.”

“The most important symbol for Vietnam is a star which I rendered with the red colour taken from the national flag. It represents Vietnam being a star in the region and how step by step Vietnam has overcome many obstacles; just like what Ngan did for Vietnamese sports in Australia.”

Australia will celebrate the 45th anniversary of bilateral ties throughout 2018 with a programme including cultural, trade and economic events. The highlights include the opening of the Cao Lanh Bridge and the Australian Government’s third Taste of Australia event.

“Vietnam is one of Australia’s most important partners in the Indo-Pacific. Over the past 45 years our two countries have built a strong partnership which now encompasses political exchange, economic development, security cooperation and innovation collaboration,” said Australian Ambassador Craig Chittick.

"Based on a strong foundation and building on concrete activities (particularly those in this anniversary year), Vietnam-Australia’s Enhanced Comprehensive Partnership will be further advanced in the coming time, both bilaterally and at the regional and international level, towards a Strategic Partnership; meeting the desire and the interests of our peoples and for peace, co-operation and prosperity in Asia-Pacific and the world," said Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Dinh Quy. 

HCM City Party Committee Secretary visits Vientiane

Ho Chi Minh City has been doing its best to deepen ties with Vientiane, making practical contributions to traditional friendship and special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos, said Secretary of the municipal Party’s Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan. 

He made the statement during talks in Vientiane on January 22 with Politburo member and Governor of Vientiane Sinlavong Khoutphaythoune. 

Khoutphaythoune, for his part, expressed his sincere gratitude and thanks to the Vietnamese Party, State and people as well as authorities and people of Ho Chi Minh City for providing invaluable support for Vientiane over the past years.

Both sides expressed their delight at the signing of the cooperation agreement for 2017-2020 to create a framework for bilateral ties in the future. 

Ho Chi Minh City welcomed five Vientiane students to Saigon Tourism Vocational College and actively launched a project on improving cow breeding in Vientiane. 

They affirmed that the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the establishment of friendly and cooperative ties between Ho Chi Minh City’s District 5 and Vientiane’s Sikhottabong district following the talks will contribute to Vietnam-Laos relationship in the future. 

Host and guest agreed to continue promoting the cow breeding project in Vientiane, and provide support for Vientiane in the organisation of the Lao Tourism Year 2018 and several other events within the framework of the conference of mayors of tourist cities and the festival of tourism ambassadors of Mekong River downstream countries to be hosted by the Lao capital city. 

Concluding the talks, they witnessed the signing of the MoU between District 5 and Sikhottabong district.

Cambodian Prime Minister receives Vietnamese ambassador

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen (R) receives Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Vu Quang Minh.

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen received new Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Vu Quang Minh in Phnom Penh on January 22, during which he thanked Vietnam for valuable support for Cambodian people in toppling the genocidal regime Khmer Rouge and reviving their country.

Ambassador Minh presented his credentials to Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni in Phnom Penh on January 4.

The diplomat conveyed greetings from General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Nguyen Phu Trong, President Tran Dai Quang, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan to Prime Minister Hun Sen and his spouse.

He took the occasion to congratulate the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) on the success of its extraordinary congress which took place from January 19-21 and Prime Minister Hun Sen on his nomination for the PM post for the 6th tenure.

PM Hun Sen expressed his delights over the sound development in the bilateral friendship and multi-faceted cooperation in the past years, expressing his hope that Ambassador Minh and the Vietnamese Embassy will continue collaboration with relevant ministries and branches from both sides to bolter cooperation efficiency, particularly in economy and trade, bringing benefits to the two peoples.

He believed that Minh will have a successful tenure and wished Vietnamese people a warm Tet holiday.

Ambassador Minh will meet with Chairman of the Cambodian National Assembly Samdech Heng Samrin and President of the Senate Samdech Say Chhum.

Vietnam and Cambodia celebrated the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties in 2017.

Prime Minister hails statistics sector’s performance in 2017

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has hailed the statistics sector’s performance in 2017, while asking the sector to improve forecast work. 

Addressing a conference of the General Office of Statistics (GSO) in Hanoi on January 22, the PM said statistics provided by the sector help the Government steer and run the national economy. 

Based on socio-economic statistics, the Government can grasp the situation of the country, each sector and each locality, measure the effectiveness of policies and mechanisms, and pinpoint important issues for each specific period, he said. 

PM Phuc also appreciated the GSO’s quarterly reports along with analysis on subjective and objective causes for the growth rate at different points of time. 

The Government leader urged the sector to improve it forecast work and promote the application of IT for faster and more accurate data processing.

GSO Director General Nguyen Bich Lam reported that the sector conducted one general economic census and 28 other surveys on smaller scale in 2017. The general economic census for the first time collected data on the subcontracting operations of enterprises and foreign non-governmental organisations operating in Vietnam. 

The GSO built economic growth scenarios for each quarter in 2017 and made recommendations accordingly to the PM and Deputy PMs. 

The Office also coordinated with ministries in the adjustment of prices of State-controlled commodities such as petrol, electricity, and health care and education services, contributing to fulfilling the goal of inflation control.

Lam said the GSO will continue to research and develop socio-economic growth scenarios to serve management work and improve the quality of its forecast and analysis of macro-economic situation. 

An important task for the sector is to make preparation for switching to the base year of 2020 from the current 2010. 

VNA