Three resolutions of National Assembly announced

General Secretary of the National Assembly (NA) Nguyen Hanh Phuc has announced three resolutions which were passed by the 14th National Assembly Standing Committee (NASC).

The resolutions include:

Resolution No. 574 / NQ-UBTVQH14 dated September 13, 2018 on the establishment of supervision over the implementation of policies and laws on implementing the national target programme on sustainable poverty reduction in ethnic minorities and mountainous areas in the period from 2012-2018.

Resolution No. 575 / NQ-UBTVQH14 dated September 13, 2018 on the establishment of supervision team over the implementation of policies and laws on the management and use of state budget funds outside the state budget period of 2013- 2018.

Resolution No. 577 / NQ-UBTVQH14 dated September 17, 2018 on appointing the Deputy Head of the NASC Committee for People’s Aspirations for the 2016-2021 term.

National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (R) receives Chairman of the Council of the Republic of Belarus Mikhail Myasnikovich 

Vietnam treasures the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Belarus, stated National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan when receiving Chairman of the Council of the Republic of Belarus Mikhail Myasnikovich in Hanoi on September 25.

At the reception, the guest offered the Belarusian parliament’s condolence to Vietnam over the passing of President Tran Dai Quang. 

In conveying President Alexander Lukashenko’s condolence, he said the Belarusian leader keeps good impressions of his Vietnamese counterpart during President Quang’s official visit in 2017 and their meetings on the sidelines of various international conferences and forums.

The NA Chairwoman thanked the chairman of the Belarus upper house for coming to Vietnam to attend President Tran Dai Quang’s funeral.

Mikhail Myasnikovich took the occasion to discuss Vietnam – Belarus cooperation potential with Ngan, stressing the fact that Belarus is among five member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which signed a free trade agreement with Vietnam. 

Increased cooperation between the two countries’ law-making bodies is key to push for effective implementation of the pact, he added.

He said bilateral economy – trade ties expanded significantly in recent years but still can attain better outcomes.

According to Myasnikovich, in addition to traditional goods like footwear, apparel, and farm produce, Vietnam now exports phones and computers to Belarus. He suggested Vietnamese firms set up joint ventures with Belarusian peers to gain a foothold in the European market. 

For her part, Ngan said Vietnam attaches importance to the implementation of bilateral commitments agreed between Vietnamese and Belarusian leaders, including cooperation documents signed during President Tran Dai Quang’s official trip last year.

She noted Vietnam wants stronger ties with Belarus in economy-trade, defence, science-technology, culture-education, tourism, and cooperation between localities.

The sides should also capitalise on advantages brought about by the EAEU – Vietnam free trade agreement to expand their economic, trade and investment cooperation, she said.

The top legislator stressed the Vietnam National Assembly is willing to work with the Belarusian parliament in creating favourable legal conditions for their enterprises to boost investment and trade.

Expressing her satisfaction with effective joint work between the two law-making bodies, Ngan expected the sides to continue their coordination at multilateral parliamentary forums, consultation sessions concerning issues of common interest, and legislative experience exchanges. They should also increase the role of their groups of friendship parliamentarians in boosting bilateral relations, she said.

Mikhail Myasnikovich took the occasion to invite the NA Chairwoman to make an official visit to Belarus.

Condolences sent to Iran over deadly terror attack

Acting President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh. 

Acting President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh on September 25 extended her condolences to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani over a recent deadly terror attack in the southwestern city of Ahvaz.

The same day, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh also sent his sympathy to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif over the tragedy.

Twenty-five people were killed in a terror attack on a military parade in Ahvaz city on September 22, making it the deadliest attack in Iran in nearly a decade.

Hanoi pledges to accompany European investors

Hanoi stands ready to aid European investors and will offer them more preferential policies, said Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung. 

The official made the commitments at a dialogue between the European Chamber of Commerce (EuroCham) in Vietnam and the municipal People’s Committee on September 25 in the capital. 

Chung reviewed Hanoi’s development since its administrative boundary expansion 10 years ago.

He told the delegates that the city is stepping up infrastructure building towards the smart city model, administrative reform, personnel training and environmental protection.  

Chung expressed his hope that these efforts will help Hanoi improve its business environment and consolidate confidence of foreign investors, including those from Europe. 

European partners are leading foreign investors in Vietnam, with total investment of nearly 25 billion USD, and the continent is the country’s biggest provider of non-refundable aid, while two-way trade rose five times in 2006-2017, exceeding 50 billion USD last year.

Party leader tasks trade unions to raise operational efficiency

Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng speaks at a session of the 12th Congress of the Việt Nam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) for the 2018-23 tenure which is now underway in Hà Nội on Tuesday. 

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyễn Phú Trọng on Tuesday urged all-level trade unions to renew and improve the efficiency of their operations.

The Party leader made the request while addressing a session of the 12th Congress of the Việt Nam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) for the 2018-23 tenure which is now underway in Hà Nội.

"The Vietnamese Party, State and people always give special attention and care to the working class," he said, highlighting different economic sectors and their pioneering role in the national industrialisation and modernisation.

"Therefore, developing a strong working class in the context of intensified industrialisation and modernisation is an important and urgent actions of the Party, State, the entire political system, each citizen and the whole society, especially the trade unions," Party leader Trọng said.

He asked trade unions at all levels to take care improving political awareness and the will of labourers, and educate them about patriotism which, he said, should be transformed into efforts to improve knowledge and skills in order to meet requirements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The leader also urged trade unions to improve their role of representing and protecting legitimate rights and interests of their members and employees, and pay more attention to policies on salary, social and health insurance, occupational safety and hygiene, and health of labourers.

He also said unions must raise the quality of negotiations, signing and implementation of labour agreements, while intensifying welfare programmes for members, focusing on employment, housing, kindergartens, electricity and water supply, and health care.

They were also asked to coordinate with agencies, organisations and businesses to promptly address the concerns of workers.

Party General Secretary Trọng highlighted the role of trade unions in building the Party and administration, fighting corruption, wastefulness and other negative deeds, and preventing the degradation of political ideology, morality and lifestyle, “self-evolution” and “self-transformation”.

He assigned all-level Party Committees, organisations, authorities, Việt Nam Fatherland Front chapters and political and social organisations to focus on institutionalising and materialising the Party’s policies and guidelines towards the working class.

 Executive Board 

The 12th Congress of the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) for the 2018-2023 tenure on the same day elected an Executive Board with 161 members.

This is a major political event, a big festival of the working class and trade union organisations of Viet Nam which determines important issues related to employees and trade union activities over the next five years.

The congress is scheduled to discuss and adopt various reports of the VGCL, including reviews of the last five years in implementing the 11th Congress’s resolution and missions for the 2018-2023 tenure, and the amendment of the Charter of the Vietnam Trade Union, among others.

Participants will work to pass the resolution of the 12th Congress, with missions, solutions, and breakthroughs in the 2018-2023 tenure.

A forum themed “The VGCL accompanying the Government to improve the nation’s competitiveness and sustainably develop the country” will be held today, creating opportunities for participants to express their wishes and affirm their determination in joining hands with the Government to boost socio-economic development.

Deputy PM approves adjustment of Nam Dinh city construction plan

Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung recently agreed on the overall adjustment of the general construction plan for Nam Dinh city in the northern province of Nam Dinh.

The deputy PM asked the provincial People’s Committee to work with relevant agencies to establish and submit the tasks and blueprints of the master adjustment of the general planning for approval.

On that basis, the Ministry of Construction will organise the appraisal of the adjustment tasks and blueprints in accordance with legal regulations on urban planning.

Earlier on November 22, 2011, the Prime Minister approved the adjustment of the general construction plan for Nam Dinh city until 2025.

Accordingly, the adjustment scope covers around approximately 18,500 hectares within Nam Dinh city’s current administrative boundaries, featuring My Loc district; Vu Ban district’s Dai An, Thanh Loi and Tan Thanh communes; and Nam Truc district’s Nam My, Nam Toan, Hong Quang, Dien Xa and Nghia An communes.

By 2025, Nam Dinh city will have a population of roughly 570,000.

The development directions for Nam Dinh city will focus on developing the urban areas from the north of Dao River to Vinh Giang River, and developing a number of centralised urban functional areas, intermingled in the agro-ecological urban space to the south of the Dao River.

Nam Dinh city will feature administrative centres at the provincial and municipal levels, in addition to centres for cultural, sports and healthcare activities.