G21 emphasises need for nuclear disarmament

Ambassador Duong Chi Dung, head of the Vietnamese mission in Geneva 

Nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament is essential to the world’s peace and security, and the total elimination of nuclear weapons is the only guarantee for countries not to be threatened with or attacked by nuclear weapons.

Ambassador Duong Chi Dung, head of the Vietnamese mission in Geneva, on behalf of G21 nations, made the statement at a plenary meeting of the Conference on Disarmament in Switzerland on June 26.

In his speech, Dung said the G21 raised concern about the dangers posed by nuclear weapons to human survival and underlined the responsibility of nuclear states to dismantle the weapons.

The group recognised and welcomed recent positive developments in the efforts of the international community to build a nuclear-free world, including the establishment of nuclear-free zones and negotiations for the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty 2017.

However, the G21 expressed concern over the fact that many countries still give prominence to nuclear weapons in security theories while some break the consensus of establishing the Middle East region without nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. The elimination of nuclear weapons remains a slow process.

The group proposed nuclear states reaffirm their clear commitment to the total elimination of nuclear weapons, remove the role of nuclear weapons in security theories and enact measures to mitigate nuclear risks.

It called for negotiations on a general, unconditional and legally binding instrument to ensure that nuclear-free countries are not threatened or attacked by nuclear weapons, and on a treaty on the prohibition of development, production, stockpiling, use or threat to use nuclear weapons.

Vietnam is playing the role of G21 coordinator at the Conference on Disarmament (CD) from June 25 to August 19, 2018. 

The G21 is one of the four regional groups of the CD with 33 member countries from the Non-Aligned Movement. The other three groups include Eastern Europe (six members), the western group (25 members) and the Group of One (China).

The coordinator of the G21 group rotates following the alphabetical membership list. 

Vietnam will chair the conference from late June 2019 to mid-August 2019. The country played this role from January to February 2009.

NA Chairwoman receives WB Vice President for East Asia & Pacific

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (R) receives WB Vice President for East Asia and Pacific Victoria Kwakwa in Hanoi on June 26 

National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan received Victoria Kwakwa, the World Bank (WB)’s Vice President for East Asia and Pacific, in Hanoi on June 26.

The host highly valued the WB’s role and activities in Vietnam, stressing that it is an important development partner and policy advisor of the Vietnamese Government, greatly helping with local socio-economic development.

The programmes and projects funded by the WB have matched Vietnam’s development orientations in the new period, Ngan said, noting that they focus on promoting macro-economic stability, sustainable development and competitiveness of the country.

Kwakwa, who is in Vietnam to attend the 6th Global Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly, said the country’s hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) events in 2017 and the GEF-6 in Da Nang city demonstrates its increasing role in the world.

Congratulating Vietnam on the recent economic achievements, including the good macro-economic balance and the declining ratio of public debt to GDP, she said the Vietnamese NA has made important contributions to these outcomes.

As the environmental issue affects each country’s development, the WB wants to assist Vietnam in dealing with environmental challenges such as hazardous waste, plastic waste and environmental protection in businesses.

Applauding the NA’s role in keeping public debt within a safe level, Kwakwa emphasised that to support Vietnam in this issue, the WB is tightening the management of its cooperation projects with Vietnam to ensure that resources in these projects are used effectively. It is also reviewing the list of cooperation projects and considering reducing and cancelling unnecessary parts.

She asked the Vietnamese parliament to consider raising the capital disbursement ceiling in the medium-term public investment plan so that projects funded by concessional loans of the WB’s International Development Association (IDA) will be carried out on schedule.

Chairwoman Ngan said the NA has always paid attention to fine-tuning policies and laws on environmental protection and implementing relevant international commitments.

She added that the Vietnamese parliament has approved the revised Law on Public Debt Management with many regulations on debt and re-lending amended. 

Vietnam prioritises disbursing capital for programmes and projects financed by foreign preferential loans. Therefore, it will consider lifting the disbursement ceiling so as to help disburse the WB’s concessional loans, she noted.

The top legislator asked the WB to continue helping Vietnam to perfect policies and legal framework to boost macro-economic stability, promote growth, especially in the private economic sector, develop human resources, and ensure social harmony and sustainable natural resources and environment.

Regarding the country’s IDA graduation, which means it will no longer be eligible for the IDA’s concessional loans, Ngan called on the WB Vice President to give further transitional support for the country, thus helping Vietnam sustainably maintain development and poverty reduction accomplishments.

Kwakwa said the WB will help Vietnam seek technical support and non-refundable aid while providing it with policy advice, especially experience in avoiding the middle-income trap.

If Vietnam is well prepared for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, it can steer clear of the middle-income trap, she added.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc commends Viettel’s achievements

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (front, middle) and representatives of Viettel 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc lauded achievements obtained by the State-run Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group over the past years during a working session with its leaders in Hanoi on June 26. 

Speaking at the session, PM Phuc hailed Viettel as an exemplary model of good governance and qualified workforce. 

Viettel Chairman Major General Nguyen Manh Hung said with nearly 100 million subscribers, Viettel has become one of the world’s 15 largest telecom providers. The group has expanded its operations to telecom electronic industry, high-tech weapon industry and cyber security industry, he said.

Its telecom electronic and high-tech weapon industries have brought home 12 trillion VND (528.6 million USD) in revenue, he said, adding that Viettel also built a national firewall to screen spams and launched a round-the-clock cyber security surveillance system. 

Hung said Viettel is striving to become a strong telecom corporation with an annual growth of 10-15 percent by 2020, earning 350-400 trillion VND (15.4-17.6 billion USD) and pre-tax profit of 50-55 trillion VND and becoming one of the top 10 telecom firms in the world.

The PM described Viettel as a model example that has encouraged the Vietnamese business community to develop, especially in the context of the fourth industrial revolution. 

He lauded the group’s efforts in personnel development, particularly high-quality human resources, saying Viettel has created breakthroughs in development programmes. 

The outcomes and successes reaped by Viettel are vivid evidence for the important role of State-owned enterprises in the socialist-oriented market economy, the government leader stressed, praising the group’s fulfillment of its social responsibility with many social welfare programmes. 

PM Phuc urged Viettel to continue affirming its leading role in the telecommunication industry and contribute more to national construction and development. 

On the path towards a famous group in the region, Viettel should pay attention to protecting its brand name as a national asset, he reminded. 

The Government, the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence will create the best possible conditions for Viettel to develop further, he affirmed.

RoK province wants to establish relations with HCM City

A corner of Ho Chi Minh City 

Jeollabuk-do province of the Republic of Korea wants to set up friendship relations with Ho Chi Minh City to facilitate bilateral cooperation, proposed Deputy Governor of the province Park Noh-wan.

The official, who is former RoK Consul General in HCM City, made the statement in a meeting with Tran Vinh Tuyen, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee on June 26. 

Park Noh-wan said the relations will lay a favorable basis for bilateral exchanges and cooperation, particularly in spheres of their strengths like culture, tourism, technology, and human resources training.

Returning to the city half a year after concluding his Consul General tenure, Park Noh-wan said he considers HCM City his second hometown and pledged to do his best in boosting its friendship and partnership with RoK localities, including Jeollabuk-do.

On behalf of HCM City authorities, Tuyen praised the proposal of relations establishment.

He stressed that HCM City welcomes the idea and is willing to work with Jeollabuk-do to speed up the process toward the signing of an agreement for their relations establishment.

Tuyen said he believes Park Noh-wan, with years of experience in foreign diplomacy and understanding about HCM City, will make active contributions to collaboration between the city and Jeollabuk-do and its capital Jeonju.

HCM City wants to cooperate with Jeonju in the fields of culture, science, climate change adaptation, technological transfer, tourism and sports, he noted. 

HCM City’s Police presented with Lao Development Order

At the Order-presenting ceremony 

Ho Chi Minh City’s Police have received the third-class Development Order of the Lao President for its assistance to the Lao side. 

The honour was presented to the municipal Police by the Director of Vientiane’s Police at a ceremony in HCM City on June 26. 

HCM City’s Police have provided technical support for Laos, significantly contributing to promoting the friendship, solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the Parties, States and people of the two countries. 

In 2017, apart from technical support, HCM City’s Police organised training courses for Vientiane’s Police, helping them fight crimes and protect security and order in the capital city. 

Lieut. Gen. Le Dong Phong, Director of HCM City’s Police, thanked the Lao Party and State for the noble award, and described this as a symbol of solidarity and fraternity between the police force of the two cities in particular and the two countries in general. 

Following the award ceremony, representatives of the police force of the two cities had a working session, during which they discussed issues regarding security and order protection, and mutual support. 

Vice President urges Fukuoka to increase investment in Vietnam

At the working session 

Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh has asked Governor of Japan’s Fukuoka prefecture Hiroshi Ogawa to boost its investment in Vietnam in auto manufacturing, digital technology, renewable energy, environmental protection, climate change adaptation, and clean agriculture. 

During a reception in Hanoi on June 26 for the Fukuoka governor, Thinh lauded the official’s working visit to Vietnam which took place at a time when the two countries are celebrating the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties. 

Japan is now the biggest provider of official development assistance (ODA) of Vietnam, she said, adding that Japan ranks second among foreign investors in the Southeast Asian country  and is its third biggest tourism partner. 

Speaking highly of the effective cooperation between Fukuoka and Vietnamese localities, especially Hanoi over the past years, the Vice President thanked the prefecture authorities for assisting the Vietnamese Consulate General in Fukuoka in serving as a bridge linking Fukuoka with Vietnamese localities. 

Thinh wished that both sides would reinforce collaboration across human resources training and education, and Fukuoka would receive more Vietnamese trainees to improve their skills. 

The two sides should effectively carry out exchanges between the two countries’ students to further deepen people-to-people diplomacy and their mutual understanding, she added.

Ogawa, for his part, said his visit aims to mark the 10th anniversary of the signing of a friendship cooperation agreement with the capital city of Hanoi. 

He pledged to further step up economic and people-to-people exchanges between Fukuoka and Vietnamese localities in the coming years.

Int’l integration in politics-defence-security progresses

Scene at the meeting 

International integration in politics-defence-security has helped Vietnam establish more strategic and comprehensive cooperation frameworks, and deepen relations with important partners, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said.

Minh made his assessment at a meeting of the inter-sectoral steering committee for international integration in politics-defense-security held in Hanoi on June 26. The committee is one of the three committees under the National Steering Committee for International Integration led by PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Speaking at the function, the Deputy PM, also head of the inter-sectoral steering committee, praised coordination by relevant agencies and sectors to implement external policies on extensive international integration issued by the Party’s 12th National Congress. 

The policies have been translated into specific projects, including the national master plan on international integration by 2020 with a vision toward 2030, and Resolution 06/QH-TW on effective implementation of international economic integration and ensuring socio-politic stability amid the country’s participation in new-generation free trade agreements.

The official said international friends have spoken highly of Vietnam’s hosting of the APEC Year 2017, the 26th Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum, the 6th Greater Mekong Subregion Summit and the 10th Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Summit.

He added that active foreign and defence-security diplomacy has contributed to protecting the country’s sovereignty in the East Sea.

He praised Vietnam’s participation in the UN peacekeeping mission and new ideas in bilateral cooperation and at multilateral forums and dialogues.

He also pointed to complicated and rapid changes in the region and the world in the past six months, which directly affected Vietnam’s security, development and international integration.

He said the situation requires relevant agencies to make prompt assessment and forecast, and take suitable measures to carry out international integration in regard to the world, regional, and East Sea affairs.

Minh tasked members of his committee with taking the lead in elevating multilateral diplomatic activities and building multilateral mechanisms via specific initiatives.

He requested them to step up preparations for Vietnam’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council in 2020-2021 as well as its ASEAN Chairmanship in 2020 and building of a post-2020 APEC vision.

The country’s further involvement in the UN peacekeeping mission and collaboration to fight trans-national crimes are also important, the Deputy PM stressed.

Vietnam, Lao armies boost finance cooperation

Scene at the meeting between Deputy Minister of National Defence of Vietnam Sen. Lieut. Gen. Tran Don (R) and Colonel Sisavan Kommamuong, deputy director of the department for planning – finance under the Lao People’s Army (Photo: qdnd.vn)

Defence cooperation forms an important part of the relations between Vietnam and Laos, affirmed Deputy Minister of Defence of Vietnam Sen. Lieut. Gen. Tran Don.

Don made the statement at his reception for Colonel Sisavan Kommamuong, deputy director of the department for planning – finance under the Lao People’s Army, in Hanoi on June 26.

He stressed that the Vietnamese Government, army and people always treasure the special solidarity with Laos.

Defence collaboration helps boost security and political stability in both nations and strengthen their armies against hostile forces, the official noted.

He requested the finance department under the Defence Ministry of Vietnam and its Lao partner to work closely together for effective implementation of their agreements.

For his part, Sisavan Kommamuong informed his host on outcomes of a working session between his delegation and the Vietnam Defence Ministry’s finance department.

According to the Lao official, the two departments discussed their mechanisms on the distribution and management of the State budget.

They signed a memorandum of understanding on experience exchange and works related to the army’s finance.