Vietnam, China seek to step up financial cooperation

Vietnamese Minister of Finance Dinh Tien Dung (L) and his Chinese counterpart Liu Kun (Photo: mof.gov.vn)

Vietnamese Minister of Finance Dinh Tien Dung held talks with his Chinese counterpart Liu Kun in Beijing on November 27 as part of his working visit to China from November 25-30.

At the talks, Dung briefed the hosts about Vietnam’s macro-economy and economic prospects. Despite a wide range of difficulties and challenges, Vietnam managed to post an economic growth rate of 6.98 percent in the first nine months of 2018, the highest level in the nine month period since 2011, he said.

The country has successfully kept inflation under control, while boosting import-export, making it an important driving force for its economic growth, Dung said.

Vietnam’s finance and securities markets have developed strongly, while its insurance market has maintained positive growth and monetary market has seen good liquidity, the minister said.

Meanwhile, the nation’s business environment has seen improvements, he said, noting that Vietnam climbed 14 places to 68th amongst 190 economies in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business 2017 rankings and jumped five positions to 74th amongst 135 economies in the Global Competitiveness Index 2017.

According to the minister, international organizations had forecast that Vietnam’s economy will record positive growth in 2018.

For his part, Liu noted with pleasure that China-Vietnam cooperative ties have been lifted a new height following mutual visits by senior leaders of the two nations.

He told the Vietnamese guests that China’s economy is switching to high-quality growth and the country is striving to accomplish the goal of comprehensive poverty eradication by 2020.

Both ministers expressed their delight at achievements in Vietnam-China relations after 68 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties.

The two sides agreed to step up cooperation and mutual support within bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation frameworks, and at the same time, strengthen coordination in the fields of financial cooperation, human resource development, macro-economic supervision, and mid-term budget plan making.

During their visit, the Vietnamese delegation also had working sessions with the General Administration of Customs, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC).

At these working sessions, the two sides agreed to increase the exchange of information and experience in restructuring state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and promoting the Party’s leadership in SOEs.

They also consented to enhance cooperation in the fight against smuggling, trade fraud, and drug trafficking as well as in supervising the enforcement of intellectual property rights in border areas.

The Vietnamese delegation also visited and talked with the staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in China.

Vietnam sends congratulations on day of solidarity with Palestine

Palestinian flag raised at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France. Illustrative photo (Source: un.org)

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Nguyen Phu Trong on November 28 sent congratulatory messages in response to the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

The messages, affirming the support and  solidarity with the Palestinian people, were sent to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Chair of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People Cheikh Niang.

The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is observed by the United Nations on November 29 each year. It traditionally provides an opportunity for the international community to focus its attention on the fact that the question of Palestine remains unresolved and that the Palestinian people have yet to attain their inalienable rights.

Vietnam attends workshop on ASEAN in Algeria

At the workshop 

Vietnamese Ambassador to Algeria Pham Quoc Tru has highlighted the importance of joining ASEAN to the socio-economic development of Vietnam, as well as the country’s role in ASEAN at present at a workshop in Algiers on November 27. 

Jointly organised by ASEAN member nation embassies in Algeria and the Algerian Institute of Diplomacy and International Relations, the workshop, focused on issues related to the regional cooperation organisation. 

Themed "Unity, peace, and prosperity”, the event attracted delegates from the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; foreign delegations from embassies in the country; students studying national administration, international relations, and political science in Algerian universities; as well as local media.

Ambassadors of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam were the main speakers at the event, while an ambassador from the Republic of Korea was the guest speaker.

Their presentations mentioned several aspects of ASEAN, such as the process of forming and developing the bloc, mechanisms of cooperation, prospects and challenges, and relations between ASEAN and partners outside the region. 

The role played by ASEAN in some major regional and international issues, future development strategies of the bloc, and the relations between ASEAN and its major partners, especially with China, were some of the hot topics under debate at the workshop. 

The East Sea issue was also a topic that attracted the interest of many participants at the event. 

Party leader congratulates new French Communist Party head

Fabien Roussel was elected as National Secretary of the French Communist Party. (Photo: ouest-france.fr)

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Nguyen Phu Trong has sent a message to congratulate Fabien Roussel on his election as National Secretary of the French Communist Party.

Fabien Roussel was named the new head of the French Communist Party at the party’s 38th Congress from November 23-25.

Vietnam attends 25th ASEAN Labour Ministers Meeting

Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs Doan Mau Diep (centre) attends the 25th ASEAN Labour Ministers Meeting (ALMM).

Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs Doan Mau Diep joined other ASEAN member states’ labour officials to attend the 25th ASEAN Labour Ministers Meeting (ALMM) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on November 28.

Themed “Promoting Green Jobs for Equity and the Inclusive Growth of ASEAN Community”, the meeting looked to review activities in the labour sector over the past two years and discussed measures to promote green jobs in the region.

Speaking highly of the ASEAN high-level meetings’ adoption of declarations on jobs and those enhancing labour safety and hygiene, the labour officials underlined that this would help promote green jobs, settle environmental impacts, and build the sustainable economy towards creating more jobs and ensuring social welfare for workers.

The documents will serve as a basis for ASEAN members to develop an integrated and equal society, they said.

In addition, the ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers, which has already been ratified by ASEAN leaders, was given special attention at the event.

The participants lauded efforts made by all ASEAN member states, as well as the working group on compiling the ASEAN Consensus, in building and completing the regional action plan for the 2018-2025 period. They said that this is a vivid illustration of the member nations’ commitments to realising the consensus, overall contributing to protecting the rights of migrant workers.

They also spent time reviewing and approving the ALMM’s terms of references and adopted a joint statement. 

PM urges further support for overseas Vietnamese

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and Ambassador Nguyen Phu Binh 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has wished that the Association for Liaison with Overseas Vietnamese (OV) would offer more support to Vietnamese nationals abroad so that they can better contribute to national development at home. 

During a reception in Hanoi on November 28 for a delegation from the association, led by Ambassador Nguyen Phu Binh, the PM spoke highly of the efforts of the over 4 million Vietnamese people living and working abroad who are making important socio-economic contributions to the homeland. 

He said that the Party and State leaders have always paid special attention to the OV community and want more of them to return to their home country to welcome the Lunar New Year festivities. 

The host suggested that the association do more work to inspire national pride and patriotism in young OV intellectuals. 

Ambassador Binh called on the State to issue policies to attract more Vietnamese intellectuals abroad, especially businesspeople and scientists. 

As the startup trend is growing in Vietnam, he wished that the Government would issue new policies to lure young talent to the country.

New visa policy to help boost Vietnam-RoK cooperation: Deputy PM

Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung (R) and RoK Ambassador to Vietnam Kim Do-hyon 

Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung highly appreciated  the Republic of Korea’s new visa policy for Vietnamese citizens during a reception for the RoK Ambassador to Vietnam Kim Do-hyon in Hanoi on November 28. 

Under the policy, permanent residents of Vietnam’s three biggest cities of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang will be eligible for C-3 visas from early December next year.

C-3 visa holders can stay in the RoK for up to 30 days, with no restrictions on the number of visits for five years. 

Deputy PM Dung said the RoK’s decision is based on the basis of political trust, strategic partnership, and the sound relationship between the two countries and peoples.

The policy provides the conditions to increase exchanges between the two nations’ peoples, he said, expressing the hope that more people in other localities of Vietnam will be granted long-term visas to the RoK in the time to come. 

Ambassador Kim underlined the great potential for the RoK and Vietnam to further step up their cooperation, expressing his belief that the strategic partnership between the two countries will be stronger in the future. 

He affirmed that the new visa policy is a step in the RoK Government’s plan to strengthen all-around cooperation with Vietnam. 

The RoK is among leading foreign investors in Vietnam with over 7,300 projects in 55 localities and across a variety of sectors. Many leading RoK economic groups have selected Vietnam as a destination for developing regional production centres with connection to global value chains. 

People-to-people exchange between the two countries has developed strongly over the years, significantly contributing to promoting the bilateral relations. 

CPV delegation active at meeting of communist, workers’ parties

Vice Chairman of the CPV Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Nguyen Manh Cuong delivers a speech at the 20th International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties (IMCWP) in Athens, Greece. 

The Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) was among 91 communist parties from 73 countries around the world attending the 20th International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties (IMCWP) in Athens, Greece from November 23 – 25.

This year’s meeting was themed “The contemporary working class and its alliance. The tasks of its political vanguard – the Communist and Worker’s Parties – in the struggle against exploitation and imperialist wars, for the rights of the workers and of the peoples, for peace, for socialism.” 

The Vietnamese delegation, led by Vice Chairman of the CPV Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Nguyen Manh Cuong, delivered a speech at the event, which highlighted the historic mission of the Vietnamese working class in leading the Vietnamese revolution. The working class is also the key force in the alliance led by the CPV. 

The delegation also shared with other delegations the main directions and major tasks of the CPV in the coming time, and contributed to drafting the general direction for the IMCWP in the time ahead.

Other participating parties emphasised the role of Marxism – Leninism in the struggle of communists and the working class in today’s context when speaking at the event. The meeting discussed the crisis of capitalism, saying the crisis is posing threats to the world as it can trigger wars and escalate conflicts within the capitalist society itself and between the proletariat and bourgeoisie. 

The parties also discussed tasks for the time ahead and passed the 20th IMCWP’s appeal. 

On the sidelines of the meeting, Cuong had a working session with leaders of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and conveyed a congratulatory message from the CPV to the KKE on the KKE’s 100th founding anniversary. He also held bilateral meetings with delegates of many parties to seek measures to boost relations and exchange views on issues of mutual interest. 

HCM City needs to get innovative with urban planning: People’s Council

HCM City requires innovative urban planning to make use of lands earmarked for building parks and for educational purposes, a meeting of the standing committee of the city People’s Council heard on Tuesday.

According to the city Department for Planning and Architecture, only 4.3 per cent of the 11,418.5ha allocated for parks and greenery has been used so far.

The related agencies have found it difficult to execute plans because of the meagre budgets for park and greenery projects.

Private sector investment has not been mobilised either.

Delegates at the meeting agreed that State agencies have not issued favourable policies to attract private investment.

Deputy chairman of the city People’s Committee, Trần Vĩnh Tuyến, admitted planning activities have not been up to the mark, and have been plagued by infeasibility, suspensions and delays.

To speed up the greenery and park programme, the city would hire a consulting company to designate green spots around the city, he said.

District authorities would be urged to speed up projects that have been started but remain unfinished, he said.

Efforts would be made to seek investments from the private sector, he said.

Chairwoman of city People’s Council, Nguyễn Thị Quyết Tâm, said urban planning and management and execution of plans have been inadequate.

The People’s Committee needed to do further “research” to improve them, she said.

Plans to utilise lands for educational purposes and parks must be sustainable and meet the socio-economic development needs of the city, making it a modern, civilised and smart city and improving the living standards of people, she said.

She called on relevant agencies to improve forecasting to support urban planning, consider the impacts it would have on living conditions and mobilise investment from the private sectors to execute the plans.