VN leaders send congratulatory messages to Australia on 45-year ties

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

Australia comprehensive partnership has been constantly enhanced and grown rapidly across sectors, Vietnamese leaders wrote in their messages sent to their Australian counterparts in celebration of the 45th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relations (February 26, 1973 – 2018).

President Tran Dai Quang has sent a congratulatory message to Australian Governor-General Peter Cosgrove and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc cabled his greetings to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan extended her messages of the same purpose to Australian Speaker of the House of Representatives Tony Smith and President of the Senate Scott Ryan. 

Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh also delivered his congratulations to Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop.

In their messages, the Vietnamese leaders said the upcoming upgrading of bilateral relations to strategic partnership will open up a new chapter in the history of Vietnam-Australia bilateral ties.

They stressed their belief that based on progress made by both sides over the past four decades, and increasing political trust and shared interests between the two nations, the Vietnam-Australia partnership will continue developing strongly, benefiting both peoples and contributing to peace, stability, collaboration, and development in Asia-Pacific and in the world.

Leaders congratulate general Dang Quan Thuy on 90th birthday

Lt Gen Dang Quan Thuy (centre, left) receives flowers from President Tran Dai Quang

President Tran Dai Quang and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc have visited and offered congratulations to Lieutenant General Dang Quan Thuy on his 90th birthday and 71-year membership of the Communist Party of Vietnam. 

The President expressed his admiration of the general’s accomplishments and hailed him as an exemplary model for younger generations. 

The President stressed that the experiences and opinions of elder generations are very useful to the cause of national construction and defence, and pledged to do his best to fulfil the mission assigned to him by the Party, State and people, thus meeting the aspirations of older generations. 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said the example of Lt. Gen. Dang Quan Thuy is valuable in educating young generations about the heroic traditions of previous generations.  

Lt. Gen. Dang Quan Thuy directly participated in many military campaigns in some of the fiercest battle fields during the resistance wars for national liberation and re-unification, including the Dien Bien Phu Campaign and the Spring Offensive and Uprising in 1968, as well as in the fight to defend the country’s northern and southwest border lines. 

He was vice chairman of the National Assembly from 1992 to 1997.

President offers incense at spring festival in Thang Long citadel

President Tran Dai Quang offer​s incense at a spring ceremony held at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel’s Kinh Thien Palace on February 24

President Tran Dai Quang offered incense and released birds at a spring ceremony held at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel’s Kinh Thien Palace on February 24 (the ninth day of the first lunar month).

The incense offering ceremony in early spring aims to commemorate ancestral kings and those who have made contribution to the nation as well as pray for the country’s prosperity.

Various traditional rituals were held during the ceremony, including palanquin procession staged by more than 300 people, a dragon dance, drum performance and folk music performance.

In the past, the early spring ceremony was held by kings to pay tribute to ancestors and pray for peace and happiness for the nation. The ceremony has been revived in recent years to honour the tradition of the old royal capital.

The incense offering ceremony is part of a series of activities celebrating the Lunar New Year organised from the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month to the 15th day of the first lunar month by the Thang Long-Hanoi heritage conservation centre.

The Imperial Citadel of Thang Long was built in the 11th century during the Ly dynasty to mark the independence of Dai Viet, the former name of Vietnam. The central sector of the citadel was listed as a UNESCO’s World Heritage Site in July 2010.

Jamaica leaders affirm willingness to develop ties with Vietnam

Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba and Jamaica Nguyen Trung Thanh has presented his credentials to Jamaican leaders who affirmed that Jamaica is willing to develop its friendship and cooperation with Vietnam, especially in economics.

While presenting his credential letter to Governor-General Patrick Allen, Ambassador Thanh confirmed Vietnam attaches importance to boosting its relations with Jamaica.

He suggested both sides implement several specific cooperative measures, including intensifying delegation exchanges and coordinating more closely at multilateral forums.

At his meeting with Prime Minister Andrew Michael Holness, Thanh congratulated  Jamaica on its latest socio-economic and diplomatic achievements, while briefing the PM on Vietnam’s situation and its Renewal and international integration policies.

He pointed to several fields that the two countries can cooperate in and shared experience in responding to climate change and in sustainable development.

Discussing the regional situation, including the East Sea issue with the Vietnamese diplomat, PM Andrew Holness emphasised the necessity to strengthen collaboration to strengthen peace, stability, security and law supremacy, and to tackle all disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

At a separate reception for the Vietnamese diplomat, Senate President Thomas Tavares-Finson showed his backing for Thanh’s proposals to foster the bilateral ties as well as the application of principles and regulations of international law in multilateral issues.

During his visit to Jamaica from February 19-23, Thanh also met Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith, attended the Diplomatic Day, and had working sessions with leaders of the Chamber of Commerce and the trade and investment facilitation agency JAMPRO.

President launches spring festival in ethnic cultural village

President Tran Dai Quang in the village 

President Tran Dai Quang beat a gong to launch the annual spring festival at the Culture-Tourism Village of Vietnamese Ethnic Groups in Hanoi’s outlying district of Son Tay on February 24 (the ninth day of the Lunar New Year). 

Attending the event were 200 delegates who are village patriarchs and chiefs, intellectuals and artisans representing 21 ethnic groups from 14 cities and provinces nationwide. 

In his speech, the President lauded the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; the management board of the village and ethnic groups living in the village for contributing to the preservation and development of the traditional Vietnamese culture, saying that the festival has attracted tens of thousands of visitors over the past years. 

He wished that village chiefs, artisans, religious dignitaries and prestigious people representing ethnic groups and localities would actively work to raise public awareness of the Party and State policies and guidelines to contribute to national development. 

The State leader asked ministries, agencies and mass organisations from the central to grassroots level to assist ethnic groups in socio-economic development, education, culture and health care. 

On the occasion, he planted a tree in Muong ethnic village and launched the Gau Tao festival of the Mong ethnic group in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang.

Gau Tao, held to thank gods for granting good health to families and villages, is one of the largest traditional festivals of Mong ethnic people. It combines almost all types of folk cultural activities of the group and has been recognised as part of the national intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The spring festival at the ethnic cultural village will feature a wide range of activities, spotlighting the traditions, customs and spring festivals of 54 ethnic groups across the country.

Another major activity will be a praying ceremony where monks from Khmer pagodas will pray for peace and blessing.

US wants to strengthen defence ties with Vietnam: Ambassador

At the meeting between Vietnamese Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh and US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel J.Kritenbrink. (Photo: bqp.vn)

US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel J.Kritenbrink has affirmed that the US wants to strengthen defence cooperation with Vietnam, particularly in the settlement of post-war consequences to enhance mutual trust and understanding. 

At a meeting with Vietnamese Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh in Hanoi on February 23, the Ambassador said security-defence collaboration is a highlight in the US-Vietnam bilateral ties.

Deputy Minister Vinh expressed the wish that the US would continue working with Vietnam to complete the Environmental Remediation of Dioxin Contamination project at Da Nang International Airport.

He also urged for the early start of a similar project at Bien Hoa airport in the southern province of Dong Nai.

Vinh said both nations should make efforts to realise agreements already reached on key issues in bilateral defence ties, while seeking new cooperative fields.

VFF leader advocates leaning society, promotes business development

Chairman of the VFF Central Committee Tran Thanh Man shakes hands with President of the Vietnam Association for Promoting Education Nguyen Thi Doan. 

Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Tran Thanh Man vowed to pay further heed to developing education and nurture the growth of the business society.

He made the statement during visits to the Vietnam Association for Promoting Education (VAPE) and the Vietnam Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (VINASME) in Hanoi on February 23.

Man lauded efforts of the VAPE and its members to promote education and educational reform as well as nurture talents. He also spoke highly of the close coordination between the VFF and the VAPE at all levels, particularly in the movement “All people stay united to build new-style rural areas and civilized urban areas”. The campaign has promoted education and the development of a learning society.

Man asked the association to continue working with the education and training sector to make fundamental and comprehensive educational reform and inspire the passion for learning among people. 

The VFF Central Committee will direct its chapters across the nation to pay greater attention to developing education and the learning society, he pledged.

Meeting with the VINASME, the chairman asked the association to adopt effective solutions to provide its members with easier access to loans and better technology so that their products will gain stronger foothold in the local market and be able to enter foreign markets.

The SMEs needs to learn more about international laws and practices to improve their own capacity, he stressed.

Protecting denouncers of Party members’ degradation a must

Luu Binh Nhuong, a permanent member of the National Assembly’s Committee for Social Affairs

The Party, Government, Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) and organisations must enhance their roles in protecting people who denounce and fight degradation, “self-evolution” and “self-transformation” among Party officials and members.

Luu Binh Nhuong, a permanent member of the National Assembly’s Committee for Social Affairs, made the remark at a conference held by the VFF in Hanoi on February 23.

Giving comments on the project “Mechanisms to protect and encourage people to report on, denounce and actively prevent and combat degradation, “self-evolution” and “self-transformation”", Nhuong said that it should determine the involvement of the Party organisations, authorities, VFF and other organisations in protecting denouncers.

Meanwhile, Bui Xuan Duc, former Director of the VFF’s Centre for Official Fostering and Scientific Research, said it is necessary to have clear and effective mechanisms such as receiving denouncement information via telephones or anonymous letters.

Relevant authorities must publicise information related to the settlement and compensation for physical and spiritual damage of people who bravely fight wrongdoings, he added.

Other recommendations included legalising the denouncer protection mechanisms and enhance social supervision and criticism to prevent degradation, “self-evolution” and “self-transformation” among Party officials and members.

Congratulation to new Nepalese Prime Minister

Nepalese Prime Minister Sharma Oli (right) at the swearing-in ceremony

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on February 23 sent a message of congratulation to the new Nepalese Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli. 

Sharma Oli, who is Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) (CPN-UML), became the 41st Prime Minister of Nepal on February 15.

Thailand pledges to maintain close defence, security ties with Vietnam

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Thailand Prawit Wongsuwan (L) and Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Nguyen Hai Bang 

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Thailand Prawit Wongsuwan has affirmed that Thailand will continue working closely with Vietnam in national defence-security. 

During a reception in Bangkok on February 22 for Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Nguyen Hai Bang, the Deputy PM welcomed joint preparations for the fourth Vietnam – Thailand Joint Cabinet meeting scheduled for the second half of 2018. 

He also informed that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha will attend the Summit of Leaders of the Greater Mekong Sub-region to be held in Hanoi in March 2018. 

Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan affirmed that Thailand will maintain the exchange of all-level delegations and existing mechanisms such as the national defence security dialogue and the joint working group on politics-security. 

The host wished that both sides would continue working closely together to deal with illegal fishing in each other’s waters, pledging that Thailand is ready to partner with Vietnam within ASEAN framework for the sake of peace and stability in the region. 

The Thai government always highly appreciates the Thai community of Vietnamese descent in the country, considering them a bridge of bilateral friendship and economic exchange, he said. 

Ambassador Bang, for his part, suggested that the two nations seriously follow the principle of not allowing any individual and organisation to use one’s territory to sabotage security of the other. 

He thanked the Thai government for creating favourable conditions for overseas Vietnamese living in the country. 

The diplomat urged Thailand to early conduct negotiations for the signing of agreements on extradition and mutual judicial assistance in criminal affairs to implement important agreements reached during Vietnamese PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s visit to Thailand in August 2017.

Party chief meets ASEAN ambassadors on Lunar New Year

General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong (third from right) and his guests. 

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong hosted a reception in Hanoi on February 23 for ambassadors and charges d’affaires of nine ASEAN countries on the occasion of the Lunar New Year (Tet).

The ASEAN diplomats congratulated the Vietnamese Party, Government and people on their great socio-economic development and diplomatic achievements in 2017, particularly the successful organisation of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in the central city of Da Nang.

They said they believe that under the leadership of the CPV led by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the Vietnamese people will reap greater attainments in 2018 and following years, towards the prosperous development of the country.

They also informed the host of the positive development of relations between Vietnam and each ASEAN nation, vowing to do their utmost to consolidate and further enhance the traditional friendship and cooperation with Vietnam in particular and among ASEAN countries in general, contributing to peace, stability and prosperity in Southeast Asia.

For his part, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong attributed the achievements Vietnam made in 2017 to the peaceful and stable environment in the region as well as the effective cooperation and assistance of the international community, including ASEAN countries.

Applauding this year’s theme of “Resilient and Innovative ASEAN” initiated by Singapore as ASEAN Chair, the Party chief expressed his belief that with the joint efforts of member states, ASEAN will continue to make important progresses, enhance intra-bloc solidarity and cooperation, expand relations with external partners, and foster common development goals.

Vietnamese expats contribute to thriving Vietnam-Australia ties

With 300,000 people, the Vietnamese people community in Australia has made significant contributions to the strong bond between the two countries, experts said.

In the Joint Statement on Enhancing the Comprehensive Partnership inked in March, 2015, both nations hailed efforts made by Vietnamese expats in Australia and Australian people in Vietnam in developing socio-economy as well as bolstering friendship and cooperation between the two nations.

In an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency’s correspondents in Sydney on the occasion of 45th anniversary of Vietnam-Australia diplomatic relations, PhD Mark Roberts and Nguyen Ba Khuyen, who have kept close watch on the bilateral ties, noted that the diplomatic relations set up on February 26, 1973 formed the basis for the thriving ties.

Both sides reached consensus on aid programmes based on long-term economic cooperation to support Vietnam’s socio-economic development, hunger elimination and poverty reduction as well as enhance trade links. Thus, an array of infrastructure projects have been carried out in Vietnam, including the Australian-funded My Thuan bridge, which is considered a symbol of the bilateral friendship, and the soon-to-be-inaugurated Cao Lanh bridge, which receives 160 million AUD from Australia, the country’s largest sum of aid for a single project in Southeast Asia.

The experts noted that Australia is one of the leading investors in Vietnam and the two nations are enjoying high growth in bilateral trade, adding that there are many reasons to believe that two-way trade and investment ties will be strengthened as Vietnam is working hard to fight corruption and bureaucracy.

Education is an important part in the partnership, they said, adding that there are some 22,000 Vietnamese students pursuing study in Australia and the Australian Government have granted a large number of scholarships to Vietnamese students.

The two countries lifted their ties to a Comprehensive Partnership in 2009 and agreed to build a framework to to extend politic relations, promote economic growth and trade development, enhance cooperation in technology and step up ties in defence and security.

Six years later, they inked the Joint Statement on Enhancing the Comprehensive Partnership which laid stress on the win-win relationship on economic growth, stability and regional security.

President receives outgoing Mozambican Ambassador

President Tran Dai Quang (R) and Mozambican Ambassador to Vietnam Gamiliel Sepul Veda Joao Munguambe

Vietnam considers Mozambique a loyal friend and priority partner in Africa, President Tran Dai Quang told outgoing Mozambican Ambassador to Vietnam Gamiliel Sepul Veda Joao Munguambe during a reception in Hanoi on February 23. 

The Vietnamese leader lauded the ambassador’s contributions to bilateral ties during his tenure, saying that both sides exchanged more than 30 delegations at all levels and carried out a number of successful projects such as Viettel’s telecom joint-venture in Mozambique and a 2 million USD project on joint research on food crops. 

He wished that the two countries would effectively build on the past achievements to extend ties to farm produce processing, transport, mining and education. 

The host expressed his desire that the ambassador, with his wealth of diplomatic experience and knowledge about Vietnam, would continue introducing business opportunities in Vietnam, thus contributing to boosting ties between Vietnam and African countries in general and with Mozambique in particular. 

He affirmed that Vietnamese ministries, agencies and localities will continue assisting the Mozambican embassy in promoting bilateral ties and creating favourable conditions for the new ambassador to fulfill assigned tasks. 

Munguambe, for his part, expressed his honour to be the first Mozambican Ambassador when the African country opened the embassy in Vietnam in 2012. 

He noted that potentials of the two nations remain huge and there are many opportunities to further raise two-way trade.

Deputy PMs extend congratulations on Vietnamese Doctors’ Day

Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh (R) meets with doctors of the National Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology on February 23

Deputy Prime Ministers Truong Hoa Binh and Vu Duc Dam congratulated doctors and medical workers nationwide on the Vietnamese Doctors’ Day (February 27) while visiting some medical organisations in Hanoi on February 23.

The National Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology held a celebration for the Vietnamese Doctors’ Day which was attended by Deputy PM Truong Hoa Binh and Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien.

Trinh Dinh Hai, Director of the National Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology, said the hospital has continually made efforts and attained a number of achievements over the past years. It has worked to improve examination and treatment quality and apply many advanced techniques comparable to those in developed countries.

It provides treatment for more than 100,000 patients every year while giving free surgeries to tens of thousands of children with cleft lip and cleft palate and low-income patients, he said.

Hai added that the hospital has effectively implemented the school oral health programme and the dental caries prevention programme in the community. Its doctors have also regularly come to different localities to support local dental care networks and help people access dental care services.

At the ceremony, Deputy PM Binh presented a second-class Labour Order to Director Trinh Dinh Hai and a third-class Labour Order to former Director Vu Dinh Minh. He also handed over the Meritorious Doctor title to nine doctors, and certificates of merit to two other doctors of the hospital.

Also on February 23, Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam held a working session with the Vietnam Medical Association (VMA), which gathers 48 specialised organisations and 54 provincial-level associations with hundreds of thousands of members, including many leading experts and doctors.

Deputy PM Dam recognised the VMA’s good coordination with the health ministry in public health care, policy making, and international cooperation. He asked the VMA to improve its role in assessing hospital quality, ensuring manpower for the medical sector, and cooperating with the Government to strongly reform hospital management mechanisms.

Meeting with representatives of the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRC) Central Committee, Dam highly valued the VRC’s accomplishments, especially in working with the health ministry in public health care and providing aid for disadvantaged people.

The Deputy PM told the VRC Central Committee to continue current practical activities, especially the voluntary blood donation movement.

Vietnam mission in Geneva holds early-spring gathering

Vietnamese Ambassador to Switzerland Pham Hai Bang 

The permanent Vietnamese mission to the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation and other international organisations in Geneva, Switzerland held an early spring gathering on February 25. 

Speaking at the event, head of the Vietnamese mission in Geneva, Ambassador Duong Chi Dung said the Vietnamese economy grew by 6.8 percent last year with foreign reserve nearing 60 billion USD and export-import hitting all-high 425 billion USD, 36 billion USD of which was from farm produce export. 

Vietnam’s role on the international arena has increasingly improved, highlighted by the success of the APEC Year 2017, he said. 

The ambassador attributed the growth to contributions of Vietnamese nationals abroad, especially in investment and manufacturing. 

According to him, the Vietnamese mission in Geneva and the Vietnamese Embassy in Berne held two gatherings with Vietnamese intellectuals living and working in Switzerland last year. They planned to establish the Association of Vietnamese Scientists and Economists in Switzerland. 

The number of Vietnamese experts working in Geneva-based international organisations keeps increasing, contributing to strengthening ties between Vietnam and international organisations. 

He wished that overseas Vietnamese in Switzerland would stay united to make practical and active contributions to sustainable national development.

Participants at the event enjoyed traditional Vietnamese food for Lunar New Year.

PM praises 3 Sóc Trăng students for honesty

Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has praised three students in the Mekong Delta province of Sóc Trăng for their honesty in returning a sum of VNĐ40 million (about US$1,760) to its owner.— Photo dantri.com.vn

Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has praised three students in the Mekong Delta province of Sóc Trăng for their honesty in returning a sum of VNĐ40 million (about US$1,760) to its owner. 

The three students of Trần Văn Bảy High School are Đỗ Thanh Bằng, Trần Thanh Mới and Lê Nhĩ Khang, residing in the province’s Thạnh Trị district. On February 19, they discovered a lost wallet with the VNĐ40 million inside and reported it to local police. 

In his letter of commendation sent on Saturday, the PM lauded the students’ honesty while voicing his hope that they will continue to study hard and become exemplary citizens and future masters of the country. 

He instructed the provincial People’s Committee and education sector to reward the students and create optimal conditions for their study.