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Deputy PM lauds southwest steering committee’s contributions
Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue speaks at the event
Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue has praised the Steering Committee for the Southwest Region for its achievements in socio-economic development, security-defence, ethnic and religious affairs, poverty alleviation and new style rural areas building throughout 15 years of operation.
He made the remarks while attending a conference held in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on February 5 to review the steering committee’s activities in 2017 and the past 15 years.
The steering committee has made significant contributions to the region’s economic restructuring, particularly agriculture shake-up in response to the climate change, Hue noted.
Terminating operations of the Steering Committees for Northwest, Central Highlands and Southwest Regions approved by the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, Politburo and Secretariat does not mean putting an end to their functions and missions. Relevant ministries, sectors and local authorities will coordinate to carry out the tasks, he said.
He asked deputy head of the southwest steering committee Son Minh Thang to tackle remaining work before receiving new mission assigned by the Politburo.
In the past 15 years, the committee helped the Politburo and the Secretariat and the Prime Minister define breakthroughs to develop the Mekong Delta region in the fields of transport, irrigation, education, agriculture development and support for local ethnic people.
It also worked to remove bottlenecks for key construction projects like Can Tho bridge, Can Tho airport, Ho Chi Minh City-Trung Luong expressway and investment projects in Phu Quoc island.
The committee’s efforts have cast a new look for the whole region. Economic growth during 2001-2010 was at 11.7 percent per year while the figure for 2011-2015 was 8.55 percent per year. Improvements have been seen in the livelihoods of ethnic people and those living in remote areas.
Particularly, the Mekong Delta gained impressive achievements in 2017 with stable economic growth, agricultural production exceeding set targets and sound development of service sector, education and healthcare.
HCM City willing to maintain collaboration with Cambodian localities
Tran The Luu, member of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee’s Standing Board, (R) receives Lieutenant General Mon Sopheap
Ho Chi Minh City is willing to continue taking measures to enhance its friendship and connection with Cambodian localities in order to further develop the Vietnam-Cambodia traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation.
The statement was made by Tran The Luu, member of the municipal Party Committee’s Standing Board and head of the committee’s Commission for Internal Affairs, at his reception on February 5 for Lieutenant General Mon Sopheap, Deputy Commander of the Special Military Region under the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), who is leading a delegation to visit the city ahead of the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival.
Luu affirmed that the local leaders always support the effective development of relations between the municipal High Command and the Special Military Region.
Mon Sopheap, in reply, confirmed that the Special Military Region and the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces at large are willing to collaborate with the Vietnam People’s Army, including Ho Chi Minh City’s High Command.
He thanked Ho Chi Minh City and the municipal High Command for supporting Cambodia’s people and RCAF, which has helped nurture and develop the friendship and solidarity between the two countries’ armies and people.
NA, VFF leaders present Tet gifts to needy people
NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Nhan presents gifts to chidren with cancer
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan presented gifts to children with cancer under treatment at the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion in Hanoi on February 5 as Tet (traditional Vietnamese New Year) holiday is approaching.
Ngan gave 100 gift packages to cancer children living in difficult circumstances in the hospital during a charity event, namely “Xuan yeu thuong, Tet cho benh nhan ung thu” (Spring of love, Tet for cancer patients), in the hope of bringing them a warmer Tet.
Speaking at the event, she praised the effectiveness of the Supportive Fund for Cancer Patients – Bright Future which has acted as a bridge for love and sharing between donors and impoverished patients for the last six years.
The NA leader also spent time at the bedside of children in critical condition, embracing them and telling them to keep faith and fight cancer.
The Supportive Fund for Cancer Patients, found by the Ministry of Health, has teamed up with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper to hold the charity event since 2013. Since then, the fund has provided over 18 billion VND in financial support for more than 19,200 poor cancer patients and given free cancer screenings for about 70,000 people.
On the same day, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Tran Thanh Man presented gifts and extended Tet greetings to officers and soldiers at Nhon Hung Border Guard Station in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang.
He also visited and gave Tet gifts to 100 state policy beneficiary families and poor households in the districts of Tri Ton and Tinh Bien that share border with Cambodia and are home to a large community of ethnic minority people.
About 70 percent of the districts’ population are from the Khmer ethnic group.
Hanoi hopes to further ties with Mozambique
Chairman of the People’s Committee of Hanoi Nguyen Duc Chung (R) hosts Mozambican Ambassador Gamaliel Munguambe
Chairman of the People’s Committee of Hanoi Nguyen Duc Chung had a meeting with outgoing Mozambican Ambassador Gamaliel Munguambe in the city on February 5.
The ambassador said that during his term of office in Vietnam, he had chances to work with many municipal leaders and found out abundant cooperation potential between Vietnam and Mozambique as well as Hanoi and Maputo.
Chung congratulated the diplomat on fulfilling all tasks assigned by the Mozambican Government. He expressed his hoped that in any position, the ambassador will continue working for strengthening friendship between the two countries as well as two capital cities, thus lifting up bilateral ties to a new height.
He voiced his support to the initiative of setting up twinning relations between Hanoi and Maputo in the future.
Vietnam attends ASEAN SOM in Singapore
A view of the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (ASEAN SOM) which opened in Singapore on February 5
The delegates agreed on the agenda and working programme of the AMM Retreat that will take place in Singapore on February 5-6, including implementing the outcomes of the 31st ASEAN Summits (in the Philippines in November 2017), and the main priorities of ASEAN in 2018 and the world and regional situation.
Besides, ASEAN SOM heads reviewed the implementation of the Master plan on ASEAN Political – Security Community, cooperation themes of ASEAN in 2018 and the bloc’s external relations, including the methods to build the Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC). ASEAN and China are scheduled to start COC negotiations in Vietnam in March.
The meeting also looked into draft documents to be submitted to the Foreign Ministers.
Vietnam NA presents gift to Cambodian Senate
President of the Senate of Cambodia Samdech Say Chhum (R) receives Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Vu Quang Minh
The National Assembly of Vietnam has presented the Cambodian Senate with computers, printers, and photocopiers worth over US$140,000.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Vu Quang Minh handed over the gift to President of the Senate of Cambodia Samdech Say Chhum in Phnom Penh on February 6.
On the occasion, the Cambodian Senate President spoke highly of the cooperation achievements between the two countries’ Parties and States over the past time and expressed his pleasure over the sound traditional friendship that brings enormous benefits for the two people.
He took this occasion to thank the Vietnamese Party, State and people for helping Cambodian people escape from the Pol Pot genocide regime and revive the country.
The close ties and active cooperation between the two governments and peoples not only contribute to the maintenance of peace and stability in the respective nations but also in the region and around the world, he said.
Earlier on February 5, President of the National Assembly of Cambodia Samdech Heng Samrin received the Vietnamese Ambassador, during which he called on the two countries’ people to promote the bilateral traditional friendship and cooperation in various fields.
Speaking at the meetings, Ambassador Minh extended the greetings of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Tran Dai Quang, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan to the Cambodian top legislators.
He pledged to do his utmost in his working tenure to nurture the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia.
The equipment presented by the Vietnamese NA will be used for senators elected for the new term of the Cambodian Senate during this month’s election.
NA Chairwoman attends Tet celebration in Hai Duong
Chairwoman of the National Assembly (NA) Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan attended a Tet celebration programme in the northern province of Hai Duong on February 6.
The event, jointly hosted by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour and its provincial chapter, saw the participation of over 400 workers in the industrial parks in Hai Duong province.
On the occasion, the NA leader presented 100 silk pieces to mothers of the workers from the central region affected by floods in 2017, and gifts to those with disadvantageous backgrounds.
The same day, Ngan burnt incense and attended a Tree Planting Festival at the Mao Dien Literature Temple Special National Relic Site in Cam Giang district.
Each year, Hai Duong cares for and protects over 11,000 hectares of forests and 22,000 hectares of fruit trees, plants over one million trees, and turn mixed gardens into areas growing high-value fruit trees, such as orange, longan, sugar apple, and guava trees. Many fruit trees growing zones in the locality are produced in line with VietGAP standard.
In 2018, the province plans to plant one million trees, half of them are fruit trees.
On the occasion, the NA leader and President of Vietnam Red Cross Society Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu presented Tet gifts to 20 poor households in Cam Giang district.
Officials pay pre-Tet visits to policy beneficiaries
Politburo member To Lam and local wounded soldiers.
Politburo member and Minister of Public Security Sen. Lieut. Gen. To Lam paid a pre Lunar New Year (Tet) visit to bedfast soldiers and war invalids receiving care at the Nho Quan nursing centre in the northern province of Ninh Binh on February 5.
He presented gifts and delivered Tet greetings to the sick soldiers and war invalids.
He affirmed that the caring for sick and wounded soldiers is the traditional policy to pay respect to those having rendered their services to the nation.
The Politburo member also praised the centre’s staff for the wholehearted care they provide for those who arrived at the centre for treatment and functional rehabilitation.
Also on February 5, a delegation of the Ministry of Defence and Nhan Dan (People) Newspaper paid a visit and presented Tet gifts to the Military Zone 2 High Command, the Infantry Regiment 406, and a nursing care in the northern province of Phu Tho.
A delegation of the Ministry of Defence and Nhan Dan Newspaper present Tet gifts to a nursing care in Phu Tho.
The delegation was led by members of the Party Central Committee; Sen. Lieut. Gen. Phan Van Giang, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army and Deputy Defence Minister, and Thuan Huu, Editor-in-Chief of the Nhan Dan Newspaper and Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists Association.
Vietnam-Australia diplomatic ties marked in Ho Chi Minh City
HUFO Vice President Nguyen Van Manh speaks at the ceremony.
The Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam-Australia Friendship Association held a get-together on February 6 to celebrate 230 years of Australia’s Independence Day (January 26, 1788-2018), and 45 years since the establishment of the Vietnam-Australia diplomatic ties (February 26, 1973-2018).
Addressing the event, Nguyen Van Manh, Vice President of the HCM City Union of Friendship Associations (HUFO), congratulated the Australian people on the special occasion, stating that that the position of Australia within the international arena has been unceasingly affirmed and enhanced.
Since the two countries first established diplomatic relations 45 years ago, and especially through signing the comprehensive partnership in September 2009, the Australia-Vietnam friendship and cooperation have been comprehensively strengthened and fostered across various fields, he said.
Two-way trade reports an annual 12.5% growth and reached more than US$9 billion in 2017. To date, Australia has deployed 378 projects in Vietnam with a total investment capital of US$1.7 billion, focusing on the areas of industry, construction, service, education, and the agro-forestry and fishery processing industry.
For her part, Karen Lanyon, Australian Consul-General in HCM City, hailed Vietnam as one of Australia’s most important and valuable partners in the Asia-Pacific region, whilst affirming that the long-standing history of successful trade cooperation between the two sides will continue in the future, thus creating significant trade opportunities and bringing the two economies closer together.
She attributed the strong and diverse relationship between Vietnam and Australia partially to the close people-to-people exchanges and connections. More than 320,000 Australians arrived in Vietnam, mostly in HCM City, in 2017, Lanyon said, adding that the Vietnamese community has also been highly appreciated in Australia and has actively contributed to fostering the relationship.
Gov’t issues regulations on additives to ensure food safety
The Government has issued Decree No. 15/2018/ND-CP detailing the execution of a number of articles of the Law on Food Safety, including food safety requirements in the production, trading and use of additives.
Accordingly, the producers and traders of food additives must satisfy the food safety requirements as follows:
1- Meeting general regulations concerning the food safety requirements, as specified in clause 1 Article 19, clause 1 Article 20, clause 1 Article 21 of the Law on Food Safety.
2- Only mixing food additives if those substances are included in the list of additives permitted to be used in food in line with the Health Ministry’s regulations, and the final mixture does not cause any harms to the human health. In case a new product with new effects is created, the producer must clearly demonstrate its effects and the maximum usage level that should be taken.
3- The pouring, division and extraction of food additives must be carried out at establishments meeting all food safety and labeling conditions according to current regulations.
The decree also says that new additives with new use must be registered with the Ministry of Health. Producers and traders of those additives must declare quantitative ingredients in each additive.
In addition, the additives must be used for the right food and must not be overused, while their origin and expiry must be clearly declared.
The decree takes effect on February 2, 2018.
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