Former Canadian Ambassador lauds Vietnam-Canada ties

Former Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam David Devine 

Former Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam David Devine has lauded Vietnam-Canada ties over the past years, especially in education, trade, agriculture, technology and environment. 

During an interview recently granted to Vietnam News Agency in Canada, Devine said the upcoming visit by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc from June 8-10 to attend the Group of Seven (G7) Outreach Summit will open up new prospects and reflect G7 countries’ appreciation for Vietnam in seeking measures for global issues. 

According to him, education cooperation is one of the highlights in Vietnam – Canada ties. Over the past three years, the number of Vietnamese students in Canada has soared 300 percent, amounting to 15,000 in 2017. The North American country has strived to improve rating system, ease financial pressure on students via the support of Scotia bank, and market curricula and learning environment. 

He said Canadian universities and colleges offer more than 10,000 different curricula. Canada has safe, open and multicultural living environment that suits international students. Over the past years, it has moved up to the third place as a destination for Vietnamese students. 

Devine said education holds the best cooperation potential and there remains rooms to tap. Several Canadian universities now want to attract more Vietnamese students and consider bringing some curricula to the Southeast Asian country. 

Canada’s exports to Vietnam doubled annually to over 1 billion CAD last year, especially farm produce and aquatic products. Meanwhile, Vietnam’s exports to Canada topped 5 billion CAD, the highest in ASEAN. 

As members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the two nations are able to assist each other in navigating regional and global markets, he said, adding that they have laid a solid foundation for long-term economic cooperation and Canada could help Vietnam in important fields such as environment, technology and climate change response. 

Thanks to the former diplomat’s advice, six Canadian firms and Ottawa University sent six student groups to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to learn about investment environment, proving that they are keen to do business in Vietnam on mutually-beneficial basis. 

The two nations have supplementary values to extend trade with the world, he said. 

Canada also wants to help Vietnam deal with difficulties regarding urban development, health care, clean water supply and environment pollution, he said. 

He added that Canada is striving to extend trade with Vietnam in each sector with the hope that once the CPTPP takes effect, bilateral ties will further thrive. Low tariffs in CPTPP will make it easier for the two nations to access markets in the bloc and boost manufacturing. 

On the sidelines of the G7 Outreach Summit, PM Phuc will have chances to meet other leaders, and discuss with Canadian PM Justine Trudeau about the future and prospects of Vietnam – Canada ties on the back of the bilateral comprehensive partnership as agreed by the two countries’ leaders during Trudeau’s Vietnam visit to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting late last year.

Quang Ninh, Russian province to set up relations

Scene at the meeting  between Chairman of the Quang Ninh People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Long and Governor of Irkutsk Sergey Levchenko (Photo: VOV)

Leaders of the northern province of Quang Ninh and the Russian province of Irkutsk have signed a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of their relations.

The signing took place between Chairman of the Quang Ninh People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Long and Governor of Irkutsk Sergey Levchenko, as part of the former’s visit to the Russian province from June 2 to 6. 

Both sides agreed to carry out regular delegation exchanges to increase mutual understanding and promote cooperation in tourism, economics, health, culture, education and agriculture. 

Levchenko said the two localities hold potential for ties in health, education and tourism.

After Quang Ninh puts Van Don international airport into operation, bilateral connectivity will be improved significantly, the official stressed.

Saying this is the first visit made by a Quang Ninh leader to Irkutsk, Long expected the sides will set up a long-term and effective partnership. 

He introduced his province’s advantages in mining and tourism and transport. Quang Ninh houses the UNESCO-recognised World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay. The local Ha Long – Van Don and Ha Long – Hai Phong highways are set to be completed this year, cutting travel time from Hanoi to Quang Ninh to one hour and 30 minutes. 

Long suggested both sides consider a direct air route between Irkutsk and Van Don, with flight duration estimated at about six hours.

With a population of about 2.5 million, Irkutsk lies east of Siberia and spans 767,000 sq. km. It has strengths in oil processing, mining, metallurgy and wood processing.

Deputy PM clarifies retirement age increase, salary reform

Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue 

Economic growth and job creation must be taken into consideration when it comes to adjusting retirement age, Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue told lawmakers during a question-and-answer session on June 6 as part of the 14th National Assembly’s ongoing fifth session in Hanoi. 

Other factors include characteristics of each sector, population aging, gender equality and gap in retirement age between men and women. 

He also noted that a retirement age adjustment is linked to ensuring long-term balance of the Social Insurance Fund. Under the resolution adopted by the Party Central Committee at its recent plenary meeting, retirement age will be adjusted from 2021 in a cautious way under a roadmap. Depending on each special sector, retirement age could be lengthened or cut by five years. 

Hue added the legislature will discuss thoroughly before deciding on the issue. 

As regards salary reform for officials and cadres, members of the armed forces and workers, Hue said the issue is of public concern so synchronous measures should be taken, including streamlining personnel on State payroll, promoting manufacturing to increase State budget collections, preventing loss of revenue to the State budget and exercising thrift.

As many as 10 percent of regular State spending will be used for the effort, he said. 

He stressed the importance of increasing local State budget collection, with localities allowed to use 70 percent of the surplus in budget revenue for salary reform instead of 50 percent at current. 

Based on the Politburo’s Resolution No.07, the Government has calculated salary payment options while ensuring public debt ceiling at 65 percent of the gross domestic product and spending on transport infrastructure and capital construction along with overspending at 26 percent, and controlling inflation at the same time. 

Salary increase in tandem with higher labour production and efficiency of the State apparatus will not impact the consumer price index, he said.

Vietnam prioritises ensuring rights of female labourers: official

The Vietnamese delegation at the event 

Ensuring the rights of female labourers in the workplace is a priority of the Vietnamese Government, said Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha. 

Ha made the remarks at the plenary session of the 107th the International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 5.

The official cited the issuance of laws and policies in Vietnam to enable women to improve their management and leadership capacity, and easily access capital. 

One of the targets of Vietnam’s national strategy on gender equality for 2011-2020 is to reduce gender gaps in the fields of economy, labour and employment, and enhance the access of poor women in rural areas and women of ethnic minority groups to economic resources and the labour market, she stressed. 

She said programmes and projects on vocational training, employment, workplace safety, sustainable poverty reduction and support for female entrepreneurs have helped women approach job opportunities, join the labour market, escape from poverty and improve their economic rights. 

Pointing out challenges caused by the fourth industrial revolution to women who may be weeded out from the official economy or have fewer job options, Ha stressed the need to raise public awareness of the role and potential of female labourers. 

She suggested integrating gender equality into policies on human resources at the national level. 

In the region, Vietnam has ran initiatives to promote women’s position such as the ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs’ Network, she said, adding that Vietnam is working with other member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum to materialise the APEC Gender Inclusion Guidelines, while ensuring gender equality within the UN agenda on sustainable development by 2030. 

Ha thanked the International Labour Organisation (ILO) for its support for Vietnam’s approval of resolutions on the reform of social insurance and salary policies. 

Vietnam has also cooperated with the organisation to prepare for the amendment of the Labour Code, as well as in the spheres of gender equality, labour relations, vocational training and workplace safety, contributing to enhancing capacity for the Vietnamese Government and its social partners. 

Vietnam wishes to receive more support from the ILO and its members in accelerating the reform of labour-related laws, especially policies on social insurance and labour relations, and implementing the Vietnam-ILO national cooperation programme on sustainable employment in 2017-2021, she said. 

The official affirmed Vietnam’s commitment to fulfilling its membership obligations and promoting effective collaboration with the ILO and partners in Vietnam. 

The same day, Vice President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) Tran Van Ly also delivered a speech at the plenary session, introducing the Vietnamese Government’s guidelines and policies towards women. 

He highlighted the VGCL’s attention to promoting gender equality, protecting rights of female workers and increasing the rate of female leaders in trade unions. 

The 107th International Labour Conference, which takes place from May 28 to June 8, brings together 5,000 delegates representing Governments, employees and employers from 187 ILO member countries. 

The delegates looked into a range of issues regarding violence at workplace, rights of labourers, female workers, social dialogues and the implementation of standards and cooperation mechanisms for development.

Lawmakers discuss bills on public security, animal husbandry

At the fifth session of 14th National Assembly

Legislators will discuss in groups the draft revised laws on public security and animal husbandry during the ongoing fifth sitting of the 14th National Assembly in Hanoi on June 7.

The Law on Public Security was passed by the 13th legislature at its eighth session on November 27, 2014 and took effect on July 1, 2015.

The revision and supplementation of the law is essential to ensure social order and safety, national defence and security, and crime prevention.

Meanwhile, the draft Law on Animal Husbandry aims to concretise regulations in the Constitution 2013.

The bill contains eight chapters and 65 articles, stipulating the management of livestock breeding and processing, and trade of animal husbandry products.

Vietnam to host ASEAN Transport Ministers’ Meeting

The opening ceremony of the 23rd ASEAN Transport and Associated Dialogue Partner Meetings Ministers Meeting took place in Singapore in 2017. Illustrative photo. (Source: ASEAN.org)

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has agreed with the Ministry of  Transport’s proposal to host the 25th ASEAN Transport Ministers’ Meeting (ATM), the ATM with dialogue partners and related meetings in 2019. 

The PM has assigned the ministry to coordinate with relevant agencies and localities to make thorough preparations for the meetings. 

The first ASEAN Transport Ministers’ Meeting was held in Bali, Indonesia in 1996. 

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Cabinet members field questions on education, training

Minister of Education and Training Phung Xuan Nha speaks at the session 

National Assembly deputies raised questions on education and training issues on June 6, also the final question and answer session of the ongoing fifth meeting of the 14th National Assembly. 

They looked into the quality of higher education and general education, the management of pre-school education, especially at non-public kindergartens, along with moral and lifestyle degradation of teachers and students. 

Minister of Education and Training Phung Xuan Nha took the floor at the hearing. Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam and Minister of Home Affairs Le Vinh Tan also participated in the session to clarify relevant issues. 

Concluding the session, NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan asked Minister Nha to address the debated problems and reply in documents to questions that had not been answered at the meeting. 

The morning hearing session saw the attendance of a high-ranking delegation of the Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia led by Speaker Wesley W. Simina, who is on a an official visit to Vietnam. 

In the afternoon, Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue, on behalf of the Government, further clarify some issues and directly answered queries of the deputies. 

NA Chairwoman Ngan delivered a speech concluding three days of question and answer for four ministers and Deputy PM Hue. 

The legislature will approve a resolution on the hearings of the meeting.

The Q&A sessions were broadcast live on Vietnam Television (VTV), the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) and National Assembly Television Channel. 

Legislators are scheduled to hear a report on the amended Law on Public Security and scrutinise the legislature’s supervision programme in 2019 in the morning of June 7. 

During the afternoon session, they will discuss in groups the draft Laws on Husbandry and Public Security (revised).

Q&A sessions take place democratically: top legislator

The question and answer session on June 6 

Question and answer sessions of the fifth sitting of the 14th National Assembly (NA) took place from June 4-6 in a democratic, frank and responsible atmosphere, said NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan. 

Delivering her conclusion on June 6, the top legislator said the reform in the Q&A sessions has proven effective, receiving appraisals from deputies and voters. 

The new rule gives each NA deputy one minute to raise questions, and after three questions, the asked Cabinet member has three minutes to make the answers. The change is designed to increase dialogue and face-to-face debate.

NA Chairwoman Ngan said deputies raised queries relating to the spheres of transport; natural resources; labour, invalids and social affairs; and education-training.

Ministers of Transport; Environment and Natural Resources; Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs; and Education and Training had taken the floor at the sessions. Deputy Prime Ministers Vu Duc Dam and Trinh Dinh Dung, the Prosecutor General of the Supreme People’s Procuracy, the Chief Judge of the Supreme People’s Court, and Ministers of Public Security and Home Affairs also joined the debates. 

Deputy PM Vuong Dinh Hue, on behalf of the Government, reported a number of issues under the charge of the Government, and directly answered questions of NA deputies, she said. 

The questions focused on major socio-economic issues of public concern, she said, noting that most of them had been cleared up by the Cabinet members. The queries that were not answered at the meeting will be replied in document by the Cabinet members. 

The top legislator said NA deputies pointed out limitations and shortcomings, while showing their responsibility to join hands with the Government, ministries, agencies and localities in implementing guidelines, policies and socio-economic tasks for national development and happiness of people. 

The NA Standing Committee will prepare a draft resolution on the Q&A sessions to submit to the legislature for approval at the end of the meeting, she said, adding that the document will serve as a foundation to supervise the implementation. 

NA Chairwoman Ngan asked the Government, ministries and agencies to fully and seriously study and acquire opinions of NA deputies, voters and people, along with deploying measures to deal with weaknesses in each sector.

PM hails UK Ambassador’s contributions to growth of bilateral ties

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives UK Ambassador to Vietnam Giles Lever

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has lauded contributions of UK Ambassador to Vietnam Giles Lever in specifying and implementing measures to boost the strategic partnership between Vietnam and the UK. 

Meeting the outgoing UK Ambassador in Hanoi on June 6, the PM showed his pleasure at the growth of the Vietnam-UK relationship over the past years, with two-way trade reaching 6.1 billion USD in 2017.

The UK is now the 15th biggest among 116 countries and territories investing in Vietnam with total investment of 3.46 billion USD and 317 valid projects.

For his part, Lever agreed that bilateral relationship has been growing strongly.

Recognising Vietnam’s progress in improving investment environment, he stated that the UK Government is willing to give technical support to Vietnam in the work.

He expressed his delight at cooperation outcomes between the two countries in defence, security, and response to global challenges such as climate change and wildlife trafficking.

He emphasised that education is also a priority in bilateral cooperation, adding that the UK will increase scholarship for Vietnamese students.

The diplomat said that the UK strongly supports the maintenance of security and maritime and aviation freedom in the East Sea and the observance of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982.

PM Phuc thanked the UK Ambassador for his fine sentiments to Vietnam, holding that the two sides should continue promoting the reached achievements to elevate bilateral economic ties to a new level matching the two countries’ strategic partnership framework and cooperation potential.

The two sides should coordinate closely in organising the upcoming meeting of the Vietnam-UK Joint Economic-Trade Committee, he said.

The Government leader stated that Vietnam hopes to continue receiving assistance from the UK through the Prosperity Fund, especially in the areas of climate change adaptation, environment, green energy and scientific research.

He asserted that education has been an effective cooperation channel as currently, more than 12,000 Vietnamese students are studying in the UK. He said he hopes for stronger affiliation with the UK in the field.

The PM proposed that the two countries organise more exchange programmes to deepen mutual understanding, especially in 2018 when Vietnam and the UK celebrate their 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

Lever said that the UK Embassy in Vietnam has planned various cultural and educational activities to mark the special occasion.