Laos pledges to facilitate Vietnamese firms’ investment in agriculture

At the reception

Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith has pledged to create favourable conditions for Vietnamese firms to continue investing in agricultural development in Laos. 

At a reception in Vientiane on January 24 for Chairman of Truong Hai Auto Corporation (THACO) Tran Ba Duong and Chairman of Hoang Anh-Gia Lai Group Doan Nguyen Duc, the Lao PM appreciated the two companies’ strategy on sustainable investment in agriculture in Laos. He urged Hoang Anh Gia Lai and THACO to transfer technology to local people, helping Lao people to access modern agricultural production methods. 

He also praised the companies’ commitment to complete and hand over the Nongkhang airport in Houaphanh province on the occasion of Laos’ National Day on December 2 this year. 

The Hoang Anh-Gia Lai executive reported to the Lao PM that the group’s investment in Laos had been affected by the steep fall in the prices of rubber latex in the world market, which made the group unable to fulfil its commitment in building the Nongkhang airport. 

He added that his group had signed a strategic deal with THACO in August last year,  under which THACO provided financial support for Hoang Anh Gia Lai to restructure and pay debts. Thanks to the assistance, Hoang Anh Gia Lai has overcome the most difficult period, stabilized its finance, and continued to invest in agriculture. 

THACO Chairman Duong said his firm will supply agricultural machines and mechanization solutions for Hoang Anh Gia Lai’s farm in the southern Lao province of Attapeu.

The company will also open a transportation route from Attapeu to the THACO agro-forestry-industry park and Chu Lai port in Quang Nam province through the Bo Y border gate in Kon Tum province. 

Duong affirmed that THACO and Hoang Anh Gia Lai will work for the common target of developing fruit tree cultivation in Laos. THACO will build a closed value chain in the field, expand the large-scale cultivation model and transfer technology to Lao farmers for the goal of developing sustainable and high-value agriculture in Laos.

According to Duong, THACO will advance 12 million USD to Hoang Anh Gia Lai to complete the remaining items at the Nongkhang airport. It will assign its subsidiary Dai Quang Minh to help with the management and supervision of construction, so that the airport will be completed on schedule as committed by the Hoang Anh Gia Lai group to the Lao PM.

HCM City leaders applaud expats’ contributions to homeland

Secretary of the HCM City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan speaks at the event. (Photo: voh.com.vn)

About 800 Vietnamese expats who come back home from 26 countries and territories worldwide for Tet celebrations gathered at a programme in Ho Chi Minh City on January 24 night. 

The annual event was jointly held by the municipal Party Committee, People’s Council, People’s Committee and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee. 

In his remarks, Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan, extended his Tet greetings to overseas Vietnamese and lauded their great contributions to the construction and development of Vietnam and the city in particular. 

He called on them to contribute their brainpower and workforce to the building of sub-projects of the project on smart city construction. 

Nguyen Thanh Phong, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, also acknowledged the valuable support of Vietnamese expats to the city’s socio-economic development over the past years. 

Peter Hong, Permanent Vice President of the Business Association of Overseas Vietnamese, stressed that achievements Vietnam and its southern hub have reaped across fields are not only the pride but also favourable conditions to attract Vietnamese talents from across the world. 

Professor and Doctor Dang Luong Mo, an expat from Japan, noted his wish to contribute to turning HCM City into a smart city, deserving the position of the country’s economic locomotive. 

Tet (Lunar New Year) is the most important traditional festival in Vietnam, during which overseas Vietnamese often return home for family gatherings and ancestor worshipping.

Vietnam values economic cooperation with Japan: Deputy PM

Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung (R) receives Kaoru Iwasa, Senior Managing Executive Officer at Japan’s Marubeni Corporation 

Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung asserted that Vietnam extremely values its economic cooperation with Japan while hailing efforts of the Government and businesses of Japan in maintaining their country’s position as the top investor in Vietnam in 2017 and 2018.

He made the statement while hosting a reception for Kaoru Iwasa, Senior Managing Executive Officer at Japan’s Marubeni Corporation, in Hanoi on January 24.

He said the Vietnam-Japan friendship and cooperation are enjoying sound, practical and comprehensive developments in all spheres, with high political trust, describing Japan as Vietnam’s top economic, trade and investment partner.  

In 2018, the two nations organised more than 200 exchange activities to celebrate the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties, helping promote mutual understanding, trust, economic cooperation and people-to-people exchange.

In the year, Japan’s investment in Vietnam hit 8.59 billion USD, accounting for 24.2 percent of total investment.

Dung added that Japanese businesses operating in Vietnam have greatly contributed to the country’s socio-economic development. 

In the coming time, he said he expects the Japanese firms would bolster investment and technology transfer in the fields of infrastructure, energy, electronics, agricultural machinery, agro-fishery product processing, high-tech agriculture, and the environment. 

He pledged that the Vietnamese Government will continue measures to improve the business climate, thereby further facilitating successful operation of foreign investors in Vietnam, including those from Japan.

He also voiced his hope that the Japanese firms and Marubeni Corporation in particular will take advantage of new opportunities from the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and free trade agreements to boost investment and expand business in the Vietnamese market.

For his part, Iwasa thanked the Vietnamese Government and competent agencies for creating optimal conditions for the operation of Marubeni Corporation in Vietnam, notably its large-scale energy projects.

He said the corporation hopes to continue long-term investment in Vietnam in the time ahead, notably in power supply, liquefied natural gas projects, water for daily activities, and wastewater treatment, among others.

Marubeni also seeks cooperation with Vietnamese partners in numerous spheres, Iwasa noted.

The Japanese corporation specialises in exports-imports and infrastructure development. Marubeni joined in the construction of 11 thermal power plants in Vietnam with total capacity of 4,000 MW, along with other industrial plants, foodstuff processing and garment-textile factories.

Vietnam, Canada promote defence ties

Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh (R) receives Derek Joyce, Director General of International Security Policy at Canada’s Department of National Defence (Photo: qdnd.vn)

Vietnam is ready to establish a defence policy dialogue mechanism at deputy ministerial level with Canada, Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh said at his reception for Derek Joyce, Director General of International Security Policy at Canada’s Department of National Defence, in Hanoi on January 24.

Vinh stressed that there is great potential for defence cooperation between Vietnam and Canada, and suggested enhancing bilateral partnership in training, settlement of war consequences, United Nations peacekeeping activities and defence industry, which he said will not only help strengthen both countries’ security and defence but also contribute to maintaining security in Asia-the Pacific. 

The Vietnamese Deputy Defence Minister also affirmed that Vietnam support Canada’s participation in the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+). 

Joyce informed his host of the outcomes of his working session with the Vietnamese Defence Ministry’s Foreign Relations Department, and expressed his hope that the defence cooperation between the two countries will continue to see positive development in the time ahead. 

He thanks the Vietnamese Defence Ministry and Deputy Minister Vinh for supporting Canada’s participation in the ADMM , and pledged to do his best in his capacity to foster the Canada-Vietnam defence relations.

NA Vice Chairwoman pays pre-Tet visit to Son La

Standing Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Tong Thi Phong presents Tet gifts to locals in Son La 

Standing Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly of Vietnam Tong Thi Phong made a pre-Tet visit to authorities and ethnic minority people in Van Ho district, the northern mountainous province of Son La, on January 24.

She hailed the local authorities, soldiers and people of ethnic minority groups in Van Ho for joining hands to weather difficulties to accomplish assigned political tasks and unceasingly improve the spiritual and material living conditions for local people.

“The Party and State always care for and have policies supporting the ethnic minorities, and policy beneficiaries,” she said.

She extended Tet greetings and wishes to families of policy beneficiaries and victims of Agent Orange.

She asked the local administration and party committee to pay more care to families of policy beneficiaries so they can enjoy a better life.

On this occasion, the Vice Chairwoman and her entourage presented 200 Tet gift packages and 100 jackets to policy beneficiaries, disadvantaged people, and AO victims in Van Ho and Long Luong communes.

They also handed over 400 million VND sourced from the Fund for the Poor to Van Ho district representatives to buy jackets for disadvantaged children in the district.

NA Chairwoman asks Hau Giang to focus on agricultural development

NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan presents Tet gifts to policy beneficiaries, poor households and Agent Orange/dioxin victims in Hau Giang

National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan has advised Hau Giang province to continue transforming its economic structure with special attention given to developing agriculture.

At a working session with the Standing Board of the Party Committee of the Mekong Delta province of on January 24, the top legislator said that the province should promote its signature agricultural products by applying science and technology in production, building trademark, and expanding market.

She noted that although the agriculture-driven province is coping with many difficulties, it still recorded an economic growth of 6.93 percent in 2018.

Local infrastructure system has been developed, while new-style rural area building programme has seen practical progress with 27 out of 54 communes and a district completing all criteria of the programme.

Along with ensured social security, the locals’ living conditions have been improved with poverty rate dropping 2.5 percent from 2017, she said. She also lauded the performance of the NA deputy delegation of Hau Giang at the NA.

However, the NA leader reminded the province to deal with pressing matters arising from the local level to maintain social security and order.

Earlier, NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and her entourage visited and extended Lunar New Year (Tet) greetings to Hero of People’s Armed Forces Le Hien Tai and two local wounded veterans.

On the occasion, the NA leader attended a programme to present 170 Tet gift packages worth 1 million VND each to policy beneficiaries, poor households and Agent Orange/dioxin victims in Hau Giang.

Vietnamese, Cambodian localities enhance friendship

A delegation of officials from Cambodia’s Kampong Speu province visited the southern province of Vinh Long on the occasion of the upcoming Tet (Lunar New Year) festival. 

Sor Soputra, Deputy Governor of Kampong Speu province, extended New Year greetings to the Party Committee, authorities and people of the Vietnamese locality. 

He recalled Vietnam’s great assistance to Cambodia during the past struggle for national liberation, and thanked Vinh Long province for its material and spiritual support to Kampong Speu over the past time. 

Tran Van Ron, Secretary of the Vinh Long Party Committee, highlighted the solidarity and traditional friendship between Vietnam and Cambodia, and the twinning relationship between the two localities. 

Host and guest expressed their hope for the tightened relationship, for the development of both sides.

Diplomatic officials seek measures to boost Vietnam-Uganda ties

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Cuong (R) greets Ugandan State Minister for Foreign Affairs Henry Oryem Okello in Hanoi on January 24 (Photo: vov.vn)

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Cuong had talks with Ugandan State Minister for Foreign Affairs Henry Oryem Okello in Hanoi on January 24, discussing measures to promote bilateral cooperation.

Cuong highly valued Okello’s official visit to Vietnam, saying that this is the first governmental-level delegation exchange between the two countries since they set up their diplomatic ties in 1973.

He thanked Uganda for supporting Vietnam’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council for 2020-2021.

The Ugandan official said he is delighted to visit Vietnam and have a chance to learn more about Vietnam’s history, including its heroic fight for national independence. He affirmed that the struggle was a great source of inspiration for African countries, including Uganda, to fight for their independence.

He pledged Uganda will continue coordinating closely with Vietnam at international and regional organisations and multilateral forums, especially the UN, the Non-Aligned Movement and the South-South cooperation framework.

At the talks, the two sides informed each other about their respective countries’ situation and discussed several international and regional issues.

They looked into ways to enhance bilateral connections, focusing on some areas matching both sides’ strength and demand like politics-diplomacy, trade-investment, defence and agriculture.

As bilateral cooperation remains modest, the officials agreed to increase delegation exchanges at all levels and encourage mutual visits by Vietnamese and Ugandan parliamentarians and people-to-people exchange.

Deputy Minister Cuong said to help step up ties with Uganda, Vietnam assigned an honorary consul in the African nation in 2017. It hopes Uganda will also appoint an honorary consul or open a trade office in Vietnam so as to create more channels for connecting the two countries’ business circles.

The Ugandan State Minister for Foreign Affairs is paying an official visit to Vietnam from January 24 to 27. He is accompanied by State Minister for Defence Charles Okello Engola and Honorary Consul of Vietnam in the country King Ceasor.

During his stay, the Ugandan guest will pay a courtesy call to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and have working sessions with the Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of Industry and Trade.