DPM Minh to visit Philippines

Deputy PM, FM Pham Binh Minh will pay a working visit to the Philippines from January 29-31 at the invitation of Philippine FM Albert Del Rosario.  

During the visit, he will co-chair the first meeting of the Joint Working Committee on Viet Nam-Philippines Strategic Partnership.

No Vietnamese casualties in eastern Ukraine: FM’s spokesman

There has been no report of Vietnamese casualties in the recent fighting in eastern Ukraine, Foreign Minister’s spokesman Le Hai Binh said in response to reporters’ queries in Hanoi on January 28.

He said the Foreign Ministry has instructed the Vietnamese Embassy in Ukraine to closely monitor the situation and take measures to ensure security and safety of the Vietnamese community in the country, adding that the embassy has acted to quickly evacuate Vietnamese citizens from dangerous areas.

In coordination with local Vietnamese associations, the embassy urged the Vietnamese community to stand in unity and offer mutual support, as well as take measures to ensure safety of their lives and assets, he said.

According to him, the embassy is moving quickly to handle request for support in cases of unforeseen problems and help those who want to return to Vietnam.

Deputy Prime Minister welcomes Lao Justice Minister

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc held a reception for a delegation from the Lao Justice Ministry led by Minister Bounkeut Sangsomsak, in Hanoi, on January 28.

At the meeting, Deputy PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc hailed the delegation’s working visit as contributing to deepening Vietnam-Laos traditional relationship and solidarity, particularly in legal and judicial cooperation.

He highlighted that Vietnam always supports and creates favourable conditions for the coordination between the two justice ministries.

Minister Bounkeut Sangsomsak briefed his host on a new cooperation agreement signed by the two ministries for the period from 2015 to 2020.

The guest expressed his hope for more bilateral delegation exchange as well as more support from Vietnam towards his ministry, especially in human resources training.

The Lao delegation is on a working visit to Vietnam from January 27 to 31.-

People’s diplomacy to be emphasised in 2015

It is necessary to further promote people-based diplomatic activities in 2015 through closer coordination among mass organisations and Party and State agencies for external relations, according to Le Hong Anh, Politburo member and standing member of the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee (PCC).

Addressing a conference held by the PCC Commission for External Relations in Hanoi on January 28, the Party official hailed the significant contributions of mass organisations to the country’s diplomacy in 2014.

At the same time, he stressed the need to direct people-based diplomatic activities toward safeguarding the nation’s sovereignty and interests, and countering distorted information and false arguments from hostile forces.

The conference considered people’s diplomatic efforts in 2014 to be effective, contributing to strengthening friendship and cooperation with other nations and garnering international support of Vietnam’s socio-economic development.

Such activities also helped enhance the bonds with overseas Vietnamese and contributed to the struggle to safeguard national sovereignty.

The conference was attended by representatives from ministries, agencies, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and mass organisations across the country.

Defence ministry pledges active external work in 2015

The Ministry of National Defence vows to actively and effectively participate in multilateral mechanisms and the United Nations’ peacekeeping operations, and continue expanding its relations with neighbouring, ASEAN and partner countries.

Addressing a conference in Hanoi on January 28 to review the ministry’s 2014 defence-diplomatic activities and set tasks for 2015, Deputy Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh stressed the need for the army’s external relations units to keep a close watch on the regional and world situations in order to access their impacts on the country’s external work in general and defence diplomacy in particular.

He asked the units to offer the Party and State more advice on defence and security, and increase the capacity of officers working in this field.

He also called for the building of a strategy of defence integration into ASEAN until 2020 with a vision to 2030.

In 2014, the Vietnamese army actively took part in bilateral and multilateral defence cooperation mechanisms, which helped maintain peace and security, safeguard the national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and increase the country’s position in the region and the world.

Party founding anniversary marked in Egypt

The Vietnamese Embassy in Egypt held a ceremony on January 27 in the capital city of Cairo to celebrate the 85th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) (February 3, 1930-2015).

Addresing the event, Ambassador Dao Thanh Chung reviewed the Party’s 85-year glorious journey, saying that it has led the nation to triumph over foreign invaders as well as escape from poverty and underdevelopment to gain an increasingly important role and position in the region and the world.

He urged the embassy staff and the Vietnamese community in Egypt to uphold the tradition of the Party and the nation and make more contributions to strengthening the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

On the occasion, documentary films and books introducing the history of the CPV and praising the great contributions of late President Ho Chi Minh to Vietnam’s revolutionary cause were also screened.

President tours An Giang’s border district

President Truong Tan Sang made a field trip to the Mekong Delta province of An Giang on January 28 to learn about its socio-economic life.

Visiting a high-yield paddy field in Tinh Bien district that shares over 6km of border line with the Cambodian province of Ta Keo, the leader suggested farmers increase rise output and value since Vietnam will face intense competition with foreign rivals as the country integrates deeper and deeper in the regional and world economy.

President Truong Tan Sang also inspected the operation at Tinh Bien border gate, where cross-border trade hit 111 million USD last year.

Holding a working session with provincial authorities, the State leader asked An Giang, one of the four provinces in the Mekong key economic zone, to increase productivity and restructure agricultural production via the application of scientific and technological advances.

Agencies concerned were also requested to clear barriers to businesses, especially those active in farming sector.

Thanks to applying technological advances, An Giang has so far developed 34,200ha of large-scale paddy rice, generating a 15-20 percent rise in income for farmers.

Earlier, the President visited and extended Lunar New Year wishes to Catholic dignitaries and followers at the Diocese of Long Xuyen.

Ho Chi Minh City asks for UK help in training

An official of Ho Chi Minh City has asked the UK to continue to help the city in training high-quality human resource and provide more scholarships to Vietnamese students.

Nguyen Thi Hong, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City’s People’s Committee, made the request at her January 28 meeting with David Puttman, the British Prime Minister trade envoy to Vietnam, Lao, Cambodia and Myanmar.

She briefed her guest on the positive impacts of several educational cooperation programmes between the two countries, especially the UK’s scholarships that have enabled Vietnamese students to study in the European nation.

Regarding economics, she informed that in 2015, Ho Chi Minh City will prioritise promoting bilateral cooperation in trade and tourism via a number of workshops between their businesses and State management agencies.

David Puttman highlighted the two nations’ deepening bilateral relationship, adding the UK wishes to cement the ties with HCM City in terms of economic development, investment and transfer of modern educational models.

Deputy PM seeks crime crackdown

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc pressed for comprehensive crackdowns on crime at a teleconference of the Government’s Steering Committee on Crime Prevention in Hanoi on January 28.

Seeking a 1-2 percent reduction in offences across the nation and a 70 percent of success in criminal investigations, he asked for the design and dissemination of campaigns to raise public awareness of laws, especially among the youth.

The Ministry of Public Security was requested to eradicate underworld gangs in key areas, especially those involved in drug and human trafficking and trade fraud.

The Deputy PM emphasized that social security and order must be ensured during this year, adding that the ministry should develop a national strategy on crime prevention for 2015 to 2025.

Last year, economic and corruption crimes were prevalent across sectors, especially in finance and banking, causing State and businesses losses and hampering the economic restructuring process.

Smuggling and the trading of fake goods continue in border areas while more corruption cases were discovered, exposing flaws in bidding and supervision stages.

Notably, over 70 percent of public order offences were committed by adolescents and more than 60 percent of criminal crimes were committed by drug addicts.

Police brought to light nearly 20,000 drug-related cases, an 8.4 percent increase from 2013, and more than 45,000 criminal cases.

They uncovered roughly 14,000 economic violation cases, including 400 in corruption and over 2,500 in smuggling.-

Hanoi marks Cuban hero’s 162nd birthday

A floral tribute was paid to Cuban national hero Jose Marti at his statue in Hanoi’s Tao Dan Park on January 28 on the occasion of his 162nd birth anniversary.

The event was jointly held by the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association and the Cuban Embassy in Vietnam.

It aims to commemorate the national hero’s contributions to the Vietnam-Cuba relations as well as to strengthen the time-honoured friendship and solidarity between the two countries, said Vice Chairman of the association Tran Trong Hanh.

Ambassador Herminio Lopez Diaz stated that Cuba, in the update of its economic model, appeals for solidarity of the fraternal Vietnamese people and hopes to learn from the Southeast Asian nation’s economic reform experience.

Jose Marti, born in January 28, 1853, in Havana , was a prominent thinker and cultural figure, and unyielding revolutionary who made significant contributions to Cuba ’s national independence in the late 19th century.

He also laid the foundation for the solidarity between Vietnam and Cuba.

Vietnam, Laos strengthen judicial cooperation

The justice ministers of Vietnam and Lao met in Hanoi on January 28 to discuss judicial issues of common interest and sign an agreement on cooperation between the two ministries for the period from 2015 to 2020.

At the meeting, Vietnamese Justice Minister Ha Hung Cuong briefed the guest on the recent legal and judicial reforms in Vietnam, including the process of revising and adopting the 2013 Constitution and matters related to the East Sea issue.

Minister Bounkeut Sangsomsak reiterated Laos’ support of Vietnam in terms of the East Sea issue, adding that more Lao personnel will be sent to Vietnam to learn from the operation of its judicial system.

During the 2015-2020 period, the two sides plan to enhance their exchange of expertise, work together to improve the quality of their human resources, and encourage the application of advanced technology in the field. They will also continue coordinating closely at multilateral forums.

Minister Bounkeut Sangsomsak is leading a delegation of the Lao Justice Ministry on a working visit to Vietnam from January 27 to 31.

VNA/VNN