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Investment minister selected to lead VN-Germany Friendship Association
Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung (C) was selected to President of the Vietnam-Germany Friendship Association
The Vietnam-Germany Friendship Association on August 4 had a new 78-strong Executive Board for the 2018-2023 tenure with Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung elected as the association’s President.
In the previous tenure, the association implemented a lot of activities to develop and deepen the Vietnam-Germany friendship and solidarity and boost the bilateral strategic partnership in terms of people-to-people diplomacy.
It also coordinated with several non-governmental organisations of Germany in carrying out charitable projects, granting scholarships to poor students with good learning performances, and those who are Agent Orange/dioxin victims or affected by natural disasters.
From now until 2023, the association will continue reforming its method of operation, grasp opportunities and get adaptive to new conditions to diversify and better its activities.
It will intensify dissemination of the Vietnamese Party and State’s policies as well as the country’s renewal achievements to the German people to help them understand more about Vietnam and the Vietnam-Germany relations.
Vice President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations Don Tuan Phong spoke highly of the achievements gained by the association during 2012-2018, and asked the organisation to ensure consensus in implementing the people-to-people diplomatic work between the two countries.
It is necessary to take the initiative in intensifying ties with German partners, stepping up the exchange of delegations and the sharing of information, as well as expanding the association’s network, Phong suggested.
Embassy works to boost Vietnam-South Africa cooperation
Representative from South African business visit Vietnamese goods stall
The Vietnam-South Africa relations have grown continuously, with the regular exchange of all-level delegations, which have helped boost the bilateral ties in an intensive, practical and effective manner, Vietnamese Ambassador to South Africa Vu Van Dung has stated.
Dung emphasised the meeting between Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the recent G7 Leaders' Summit in Canada, during which both sides discussed measures to expand cooperation, particularly in economy, trade and investment.
Regarding the activities of the embassy in 2018, the ambassador said that this year marks the 25th anniversary of the bilateral ties. The embassy has organised a lot of activities in celebration of the important event, including opening an oil painting exhibition featuring Vietnam’s land and people, and participating in trade promotion workshops in Johannesburg and Cape Town. On August 15, it will coordinate with the South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the embassies of Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines in holding a ceremony to celebrate the anniversary.
The embassy will maintain its role as a bridge assisting the two countries’ related offices to discuss, complete and sign cooperation documents to consolidate legal foundations for cooperation agreements on science and technology, crime prevention, and criminal extradition and transfer of sentenced persons.
According to the diplomat, economic diplomacy, one of the three pillars of the embassy’s diplomatic work, has been stepped up in various forms with the aim to contribute to maintaining the two-way trade at over 1 billion USD.
He said that there are now around 150 Vietnamese people living in South Africa and surrounding countries of Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Swaziland.
The Vietnamese Embassy in South Africa has conducted activities to enhance connectivity in the community, and disseminate the Party and State’s policies to the community.
In terms of citizen protection, Ambassador Dung said that the embassy always gives priority to addressing cases involved in Vietnamese citizens in distress. Last year, it coordinated with both sides’ agencies to repatriate four Vietnamese sailors aboard a fired ship, and many citizens or crewmen who lost personal papers or got lost.
HCM City, Argentina’s Buenos Aires forge friendship
A delegation of Ho Chi Minh City led by Chairwoman of the municipal People’s Council Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam visited Argentina from August 1-4 to enhance the friendship between the two sides.
At a working session with first Vice President of the Legislature of Buenos Aires city Javier Francisco Quintana, Tam told her host that as the country’s economic locomotive, HCM City contributes 23 percent of the national gross domestic product (GDP) and 30 percent of the State budget.
HCM City always creates the best possible conditions with flexible, open policies for foreign investors, helping them run long-term and stable business in the locality, she stressed.
Quintana expressed his admiration for Vietnam’s Doi Moi (reform) and economic development over the past decades.
Speaking highly of the friendship and cooperation between Argentina and Vietnam, the official noted his hope that Tam’s visit would contribute to reinforcing cooperation between the two countries as well as between HCM City and Buenos Aires across fields.
Vietnam is one of Argentina’s important partners in Southeast Asia and a bridge helping the country expand its economic and trade ties in the region, Quintana said.
Host and guest talked about organisational models, exchanged operational experience of people-elected agencies, and discussed measures to spur development of HCM City and Buenos Aires.
During their stay in Argentina, Tam and her entourage studied the planning management and operation of the Buenos Aires Port - one of the major maritime gateways in South America. They also visited some cultural and tourism centres of Argentina, and laid a wreath at President Ho Chi Minh’s statue in Buenos Aires.
VFF President presents gifts to social policy beneficiaries
President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Tran Thanh Man on August 4 visited and presented gifts to the poor and social policy beneficiaries in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho.
President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Tran Thanh Man on August 4 visited and presented gifts to the poor and social policy beneficiaries in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho within the framework of the fifth national Red Cross camp.
Man and his entourage handed over five houses of gratitude and 600 sets of gifts, each comprising 10kg of rice, essential commodities and 200,000 VND (8.6 USD) to social policy beneficiaries and families in special difficulties.
He also presented clothes, books, footwear and school bags to children of war invalids and sick soldiers, and poor students.
The official affirmed that the Party, State, authorities and people always keep in mind contributions of war invalids and sick soldiers to national liberation and defence.
The same day, Man visited and offered gifts to the elderly, people with disabilities and orphans at ten nursing centres and orphanages in the locality.
This year’s Red Cross camp brought together representatives from Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies from Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, China and Japan.
The programme offered an opportunity to promote landscapes, history and culture of Vietnam’s southwestern region to international friends, thus contributing to tourism development in the Mekong Delta.
As of June 2018, the country had 36,224 Red Cross volunteers, the majority of whom hail from Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Binh Dinh, and Phu Yen provinces.
Tuyen Quang asked to speed up admin reform to lure investors
Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh speaks at the working session
Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh has urged the northern mountainous province of Tuyen Quang to further promote infrastructure development, personnel training and administrative reform in order to attract more big and strategic investors to the locality.
During a working session with provincial officials on August 4, Deputy PM Binh asked the local authorities to focus on fully taping the province’s potential and strengths, thus luring more investments in agricultural development towards bettering the life of local people.
While praising efforts made by the provincial Party Organisation, authorities and people in promoting socio-economic development, poverty reduction and new-style rural building, the Deputy PM stressed the need to incorporate administrative reform in the implementation of the Party Central Committee's directives and resolutions on Party building; promote the study of and follow Ho Chi Minh's moral example; and enhance the responsibility of heads of agencies.
It is also necessary to improve the quality of issued legal documents, streamline the administrative apparatus and accelerate administrative reform to ensure transparency and efficiency, he said.
Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Pham Minh Huan reported the province’s achievements in socio-economic development to the Deputy PM.
Accordingly, Tuyen Quang enjoyed an economic growth rate of 6.2 percent in the first half of 2018, with its industrial production value hitting over 6.9 trillion VND (304 million USD), up 11 percent year-on-year. The local budget revenue reached 890 billion VND (39.2 million USD), equivalent to 48.9 percent of the set target.
Administrative reform has been implemented comprehensively, Huan said, adding that the time for processing administrative procedures reduced remarkably, over 90 percent of required administrative procedures was resolved on time.
Tuyen Quang has also strengthened and restructured professional agencies at provincial and district levels in line with the Government’s regulations, he said, noting that the province is expected to reduce three units at communal level, and 853 villages and residential areas.
On the occasion, Deputy PM Binh presented 200 million VND (8,800 USD) to the provincial’s study promotion fund.
Rep. agencies asked to connect HCM City with foreign nations
Ho Chi Minh City expected that Vietnamese representative agencies abroad will continue serving as bridges to foster foreign relations between the city and countries worldwide, thus contributing its socio-economic development, said a local official.
Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong expressed the desire during a meeting on August 3 with a delegation of new heads of Vietnamese representative agencies abroad for the 2018-2021 term, which was led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Vu Hong Nam.
Phong wished the new ambassadors, consuls general and heads of overseas Vietnamese representative agencies success in their new tasks, thereby helping to strengthen the cooperation and friendship between Vietnam and other countries in the world.
He asked the heads of Vietnamese representative agencies to support the city in setting up links with new partners such as Middle East countries and Israel.
The municipal authorities commit to listening to and is willing to work as a strong supporter for the Vietnamese representative agencies to fulfill their assigned tasks, Phong stressed.
He called on the heads of Vietnamese representative agencies to provide updated information related policies, investment environment of foreign countries for the city’s enterprises, as well as support HCM City’s trade and investment promotion activities in foreign countries.
Phong hoped the agencies will help introduce the city’s projects that are calling for foreign investment and key projects to potential partners and investors.
He also asked them to pay attention to working closely with the city in organising cultural and tourism exchange events, thus enhancing mutual understanding and cultural and tourism cooperation between HCM City and foreign nations.
The agencies were also called to assist HCM city in connecting with intellectuals, potential overseas businesses, thus contributing to the development of the city, and the country in general.
Nam, who has been appointed as Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, expressed his impression of HCM City’s development, affirming that the heads of the representative agencies will continue to promote their role as bridges to connect the city with foreign countries.
They will help the city attract more foreign investment, especially in prioritised areas such as transportation infrastructure and port development, he said.
The official asked the municipal authorities to coordinate more closely with agencies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and actively join diplomatic activities.
The city should determine the focus and demand for international cooperation in the coming time, thus the ministry and representative agencies will assist in finding suitable partners, towards promoting economic diplomacy for the city’s socio-economic development.
During the meeting, participants discussed a plan to develop HCM City into a smart city as well as its prioritised programmes and projects.
They also focused on orientations and plans to push up links between HCM City and the host countries which the Vietnamese diplomats will take office, especially in the spheres of investment attraction, technology transfer, trade cooperation and cultural exchanges.-VNA
Deputy PM urges EU to remove yellow card on Vietnamese seafood
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (L) and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh on August 3 urged the European Union (EU) to consider removing the “yellow card” warning on Vietnamese seafood at an early date.
He made the request during a meeting with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini on the sidelines of the 51st ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and related meetings in Singapore.
The Deputy PM affirmed that Vietnam has been working to deal with illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
He also asked both sides to continue working closely together to soon complete negotiations towards signing a Free Trade Agreement and Investment Protection Agreement.
Vietnam, China agree to strengthen bilateral ties
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (L) and Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on August 3 agreed to continue reinforcing and strengthening the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Vietnam and China.
During their meeting in Singapore on the sideline of the 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and other related meetings, the two sides pledged to coordinate closely in organising visits of leaders of the two Parties and States this year.
The two countries will work together in implementing agreements and common perspectives reached by senior leaders of the two countries, and continue strengthening cooperation among ministries, sectors and localities.
Vietnam and China will also actively solve existing problems in cooperation projects, and maintain the stable and positive development trend of bilateral partnership, they concurred.
Minh lauded the growth of the Vietnam-China relations over the past years, suggesting that China take more effective measures to keep trade cooperation expansion and to reduce Vietnam’s trade deficit.
He took the occasion to convey invitation to Chinese leaders to attend the World Economic Forum on ASEAN Hanoi will host from September 11-13.
On the East Sea issue, Minh made it clear that it is necessary to solve the disputes in the sea through peaceful measures in conformity with international law, especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982, as well as the strict implementation of common perspectives of leaders of the two countries.
He also stressed the need to well control the differences, refrain from any action that complicates the situation and escalates disputes, along with the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) as well as reaching the effective and binding Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) at an early date.
PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc: Vietnam wants to push forward ties with US
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and former US Vice President Al Gore
Vietnam always considers the US one of the most important partners and wants to push forward the practical and effective development of bilateral comprehensive partnership for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on August 3.
During a reception in Hanoi for former US Vice President Al Gore, the PM lauded the guest’s contributions to normalising and boosting bilateral ties in the past.
Apart from trade and investment, he wished that the two countries would further reinforce joint work in clean energy development.
Vietnam is diversifying energy supplies and increasing the rate of renewable energies to ensure supply and meet international commitments to greenhouse emission, he said, adding that the country is seeking capital and technology to invest in the field.
According to him, Vietnam and the US have actively partnered in energy, not only at the government but also corporate level.
The PM wished that in any position, his guest would continue contributing to the Vietnam – US ties to bring benefits to their peoples.
Al Gore, for his part, said Vietnam’s robust development has made important contributions to regional development.
Recalling the PM’s speeches on environmental issues at the G7 Summit held in Canada in June and other international forums, the former US Vice President hailed Vietnam’s initiatives on global environment protection and climate change response.
As Vietnam is one of the countries hardest hit by climate change, the guest said sustainably developing clean energy is an important step to mitigate pollution and impact of climate change.
He added that the use of wind and solar power has become a trend in many countries, including China, Japan and India, thanks to its low cost.
Speaking highly of Vietnam’s potential of solar and wind power, he said he hoped both sides would step up collaboration in the field.
Congratulations to Iran on 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties
President Tran Dai Quang
Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang on August 3 sent a message of congratulations to his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani on the 45th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
On this occasion, Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan also cabled a congratulatory message to Speaker of the Parliament of Iran Ali Larijani.
The same day, Deputy Prime Minister cum Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh extended his greetings to Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif.
Vietnam and Iran officially established diplomatic relations on August 4, 1973. Since then, the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Iran has been reinforced and developed fruitfully.
The two nations already signed a wide range of cooperation deals covering various fields, including an agreement on visa exemption for official passport holders, a MoU on cooperation in information and communication, an agreement on administrative cooperation and assistance in customs, an agreement on double taxation avoidance, a MoU on cooperation in technology, research and education, an agreement on investment encouragement and protection, a MoU on cooperation in culture, an agreement on aviation transport, and an agreement on commercial marine shipping.
In 2017, bilateral trade reached 164.5 million USD, including 131.8 million USD worth of Vietnamese exports. Vietnam mainly shipped rice, tea, coffee, garment-textiles and electronic components to Iran, while importing wheat, plastic materials, petrochemical products, garment-textile materials and metals from the Middle East country. Vietnam and Iran have set a target of 2 billion USD in two-way trade in the future.
Former US Vice President commends Vietnam’s achievements
Former US Vice President Al Gore (L) and head of the Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission Nguyen Van Binh
Former US Vice President Al Gore has spoken highly of Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements as well as great strides in the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership, especially in trade and investment.
During a meeting with head of the Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission Nguyen Van Binh in Hanoi on August, Gore expressed his delight at returning to Vietnam after 47 years.
As Vietnam is one of the countries hardest hit by climate change, he suggested that Vietnam should outline suitable policies to counter its impacts, including developing renewable and clean energy such as solar and wind power which, he said, match the country’s existing potential.
Binh, for his part, lauded Gore’s contributions to normalising and boosting ties with Vietnam in his capacity as US Vice President for the 1993-2001 period, and as well as his active role as a vanguard environmentalist with efforts to raise public awareness of the serious impacts of climate change.
He told the US guest that Vietnam is now an active member of global frameworks such as the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
The country has systematically built and issued guidelines and policies to effectively cope with climate change, he said, adding that the Vietnamese Party and State are in the process of rebuilding power development strategy in a more sustainable manner to ensure energy security and contribute to environmental protection and sustainable development.
Vietnamese Foreign Minister meets with DPRK counterpart
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (R) and DPRK Minister of Foreign Affairs Ri Yong-ho
The Party, State and people of Vietnam treasure and want to further strengthen and promote the traditional friendship with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), said a senior Vietnamese official.
During a bilateral meeting with DPRK Minister of Foreign Affairs Ri Yong-ho on the sidelines of the 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM-51) and related meetings in Singapore on August 3, Deputy Prime Minister cum Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh applauded the positive progress on the Korean peninsula, especially the outcomes reached at recent summits between the DPRK, and the Republic of Korea (RoK) and the United States (US).
Minh expressed his hope that concerned parties would continue to maintain dialogues to ensure peace, stability and cooperation on the Korean peninsula as well as in the region and the world.
Ri, for his part, spoke highly of the bilateral friendship and cooperation with Vietnam.
He thanked the Party, State and people of Vietnam for the valuable assistance they had given to the DPRK in the past, especially the provision of dozens of thousands of tonnes of rice to help the country address its food shortage in the 1990s.
Ri emphasized the desire to elevate the relationship between the DPRK and Vietnam to a new height in the time to come.
He also affirmed the DPRK’s commitment to the denuclearization process on the Korean peninsula.
Vietnam’s 23 years of ASEAN membership celebrated in Mexico
The Embassy of Vietnam in Mexico hosted a gathering with diplomats from Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand and representatives from the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 2 to mark Vietnam’s 23 years of ASEAN membership (July 28, 1995).
Addressing the event, Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Hoai Duong said over the last two decades, Vietnam has played an active part in strengthening the regional friendship, solidarity and cooperation and the enlargement of ASEAN with the admission of Laos and Cambodia, allowing the bloc to heighten its position in the world arena.
Vietnam has been closely working with ASEAN member states to develop the ASEAN Community vision, aiming to deepen the links between ASEAN and other groups in the world through integration and dialogue, he noted.
The establishment of the ASEAN Community with three pillars in politics-security, economy and socio-culture will further improve ASEAN’s central role in the evolving regional architecture, he said, adding that it was a success of ASEAN after five decades since it was founded.
Vietnam will continue going side by side with other member countries on the path towards the development of a united ASEAN Community that is key to the peace, security and prosperity of the region and the globe.
At the meetings, diplomats from Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand highly spoke of Vietnam’s contribution to the development of ASEAN since it joined the bloc in 1995. They expected Vietnam would continue making concerted efforts alongside other member states in building a peaceful and prosper ASEAN.
Director General for Asia-Pacific at the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs Alfonso de María y Campos, for his part, said he hopes that ASEAN will further intensify friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Mexico, particularly in the fields of economics, trade, investment and culture.
ASEAN, a community of more than 600 million people, has an average GDP of about 3 trillion USD per annum and a third largest pool of workforce, after China and India. It is internationally known as one of the most successful regional cooperation organisations in the world.
Deputy PM Vuong Dinh Hue welcomes Party chief of Chinese province
Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue (R) meets with Secretary of the Communist Party of China Committee of Jilin province Bayanqolu on August 3
Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue asked the Chinese province of Jilin to share more economic development experience with Vietnamese localities while receiving Secretary of the provincial Communist Party of China Committee Bayanqolu in Hanoi on August 3.
Deputy PM Hue welcomed his guest’s working visit and coordination with relevant agencies of Vietnam to successfully organise bilateral economic-trade cooperation activities.
Congratulating Jilin on its socio-economic achievements, he affirmed that the Vietnamese Government always supports the two countries’ localities to intensify cooperation.
He asked the Chinese province to increase friendship exchanges, share experience in economic development with the Vietnamese side, and set up new cooperation mechanisms. He also called on Jilin to step up investment in Vietnam and import more Vietnamese goods, thereby helping bilateral trade to grow in a balanced and sustainable manner.
The Deputy PM also suggested both sides boost connections in education-training and tourism, including creating new tourism products to attract each other’s visitors. Jilin province was also asked to support Vietnam in training human resources in industry, agriculture, medicine and trade.
For his part, the Party Secretary of Jilin said his province attaches importance to the cooperation with Vietnamese ministries, sectors and localities.
It is ready to join hands with Vietnamese localities to realise the common perceptions reached by the two countries’ leaders, bolster friendship exchanges and promote substantive collaboration, thus contributing to the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, he added.
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