Pham Gia Khiem awarded Japanese “Sunrise” order



Japan presented the “Sunrise” order to former Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem on April 29, according to the Japanese embassy in Hanoi.

Pham Gia Khiem created a firm foundation for the development of a strategic partnership between Japan and Vietnam during his years as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and made great contributions to promoting the relationship.

An official awards ceremony will be held this June in Hanoi.

Vietnam extends its sympathies to Pakistani

On April 27, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung extended his condolences to his Pakistani counterpart, Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, after the country’s recent air crash.
Later the same day, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh also cabled a message of condolence to Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar.

The April 20 crash near the capital city of Islamabad killed all 127 people on board.

Quang Tri's liberation celebrated

A ceremony was held in Dong Ha city, Quang Tri province on May 1 to mark the 40th anniversary of its liberation day (May 1).   

Addressing the gathering,  which was attended by Dinh The Huynh, Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Communication and Education, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Le Huu Phuc  reviewed the heroic tradition of the central province, which was demonstrated during the 81-day battle to defend the Quang Tri Citadel.

Phuc said that since the province was liberated, it has joined hands with the nation to overcome all difficulties and contribute to the country's development.

Its great achievements have laid a firm foundation for Quang Tri to enter a new period of development, he said, adding that the province will uphold its tradition of unity and creativity to fully tap its potential and create breakthroughs in socioeconomic development, as well as health care and education.

Dinh The Huynh, who is also a Party Politburo member, emphasized the significance of the liberation, saying it forced the US imperialists to sign the Paris Peace Accords and withdraw their troops from Vietnam and contributed to the Liberation of South Vietnam in 1975.

He urged the Quang Tri Party and people to make greater efforts to achieve sustainable socioeconomic development and effectively implement the resolution of the 11th National Party Congress.

Mekong Delta potential introduced to diplomatic corps

The Mekong Delta holds a very important position in Vietnam’s strategy for socio-economic development and international integration, in addition to having great potential for development in various areas.    

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son made the statement at a meeting of more than 150 delegates representing 13 Mekong Delta provinces and over 30 ambassadors, consul generals, and chief representatives of international organisations and diplomatic corps in Vietnam.

The region comprises Can Tho city and An Giang, Bac Lieu, Ben Tre, Ca Mau, Dong Thap, Hau Giang, Kien Giang, Long An, Soc Trang, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh and Vinh Long provinces.

It is Vietnam’s largest rice basket, producing more than half of the country’s total rice output. It is also home to the country’s biggest aquaculture industry, which produces most of shrimp and tra and basa fish for export.

The Government has poured large amounts of money into building and upgrading roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, and water and electricity supplies, giving the whole region a facelift.

However, the region is coping with the common challenges in responding to climate change, effectively using water resources, preventing prolonged flooding and salt infiltration, and reducing environmental pollution.

Son said he hopes that the forum will offer a chance for Mekong Delta provinces to introduce the diplomatic corps to their potential, distinctive strengths, and opportunities for cooperation and development, in order to seek closer cooperation with international organisations.

Tran Phi Ho, deputy head of the Steering Committee for the South-western Region, proposed that international organisations and representatives of diplomatic corps in Vietnam support local businesses in accessing overseas markets easily, strengthening connectivity, and providing resources, especially official development assistance, to help the region develop sustainably.

Moroccan ambassador Al Housine Fardani, who is also head of the diplomatic corps, said he believes that with its great potential for agricultural, aquatic and tourism development, the Mekong Delta will overcome the challenges of international economic integration and formulate proper strategies for attracting investment in infrastructure and human resources.

The ambassadors of Indonesia, the Netherlands and Thailand, the Consul General of Canada, and the chief representative of the International Monetary Fund, made speeches, highlighting the role of organisations and their functions in cooperation and development in Vietnam, particularly the Mekong Delta.

The meeting was co-hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Steering Committee for the South-western Region.

Phu Yen, Savannakhet boost cooperation

A delegation from Lao province of  Savannakhet led by its Governor Suphan Keomixay, paid an official visit to the southern province of Phu Yen on May 1.   

At a meeting with Phu Yen provincial leaders, the two sides briefed each other on their socio-economic development and exchanged experiences in attracting investment and managing industrial and economic zones.

They discussed possibilities for cooperation in various fields, including agriculture, industry, mining, tourism and services.

Dao Tan Loc, Secretary of the Phu Yen provincial Party Committee, said the visit provided a good opportunity for the two provinces to strengthen ties.

Both sides signed a memorandum of understanding on operation in education and training, agricultural, forestry and aquatic production, as well as promoting tourism and attending commercial exhibitions.

They pledged to create preferential conditions for businesses to invest and trade in the two provinces.

Flag raised to celebrate National Reunification Day

A flag-raising ceremony was held at historic Hien Luong Bridge across the Ben Hai River on April 30 to mark the 40th anniversary of the liberation of Quang Tri province and the 37th anniversary of the Liberation of South Vietnam.     

The national flag is a symbol of the nation's confidence, iron will, and strength, proclaiming “Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom."

The people rallied around the flag during the protracted resistance war against the US and overcome tremendous odds and extreme hardships to gain independence for Vietnam.

Tens of thousands of people from all parts of the country sacrificed their lives in their desire for peace, national independence and reunification and to see the national flag flying on Hien Luong Bridge and both banks of the Ben Hai River.

In his speech at the ceremony, Chairman of the Quang Tri provincial People’s Committee, Nguyen Duc Cuong, recalled the tradition of heroism during the 20 years of resistance against the US for national salvation.

On the occasion, the Party Committee and people of Quang Tri were awarded two mementos of the Khue Van Cac pavilion, which symbolizes Hanoi, and Nha Rong Wharf in HCM City.

Vietnam calls for sustainable development at UN conference

Countries across the world need to take measures to accelerate global economic governance and national economic restructuring so as to lay a foundation for comprehensive and sustainable development.

Nguyen Phuong Nga, Deputy Foreign Minister of Vietnam, made the call at the 13th UN conference on trade and development (UNCTAD) in Doha, Qatar, from April 21-26.

She also called for an elimination of trade protection measures that are exerting a negative impact on global economic recovery.

Nga suggested that the UN organisation better perform its role in addressing challenges to development, strengthening global partnerships and assisting developing countries to access capital resources, market, transfer of technology, especially green technology, and to adapt to climate change.

She briefed the conference on Vietnam’s major achievements in socio-economic development, primarily poverty reduction, and highlighted the country’s efforts to renew its economic growth model and restructure its economy.

She underlined the importance of South-South cooperation and introduced Vietnam’s experience in carrying out the tripartite cooperation model, citing ongoing cooperation projects in agriculture, health care and education between Vietnam, a UN agency, and African countries such as Angola, Mozambique and Benin.

The conference brought together more than 5,000 senior officials and government representatives from 194 UNSCTAD member countries, UN agencies, the Group of 77 countries (G77) and China, the Francophonie, the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, international non-governmental organisations, as well as representatives from business communities.

They shared the view that the global economy has not been out of the woods yet since the financial crisis in 2008-09. It is coping with emerging challenges such as hunger and poverty, development gaps, unemployment, trade protection measures, and non-traditional security (climate change, food and energy security).

They said these challenges are causing inequality amongst countries and in every country, seriously affecting the implementation of the UN Millennium Development Goal.   

The conference adopted the Doha Declaration, emphasising the UNCTAD member countries’ determination to capitalise on trade globalisation and international investment, along with accelerating economic growth and sustainable development, aimed at reducing inequality and poverty and creating jobs to meet people’s expectations.

South Africa’s National Day celebrated in Hanoi

A banquet was given in Hanoi on April 27 to mark the 18th National Day of South Africa by Nontalu Skolo, Charge D’affaires of the South African Embassy in Vietnam.

Skolo highlighted milestones in her country’s struggle for an independent and stable society based on democracy, fairness, and respect for fundamental human rights.

She noted that relations between South Africa and Vietnam have fared well in recent years, especially after the two countries signed a joint statement two years ago.

The close bond is demonstrated through high-level visits by South African and Vietnamese leaders and strong cooperation in various areas, she said.

South Africa is actively preparing for the second cooperation forum between the two countries, scheduled for August 2012, the diplomat announced.

She expressed her hope that the forum will open up a new chapter in bilateral cooperation.

Deputy Foreign Minister Ho Xuan Son congratulated South Africa on its development achievements, and said both countries need to increase cooperation towards 2020.  

Vietnam attends ASEAN defence meeting plus in Cambodia

A Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Defence Minister, Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh, attended the ASEAN Defence Senior Officials’ Meeting Plus (ADSOM+) in Cambodia on April 26.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Tea Banh said with the expansion of dialogues, defence cooperation between ASEAN countries and partners is gradually developing, especially the building of trust and consolidation of cooperative mechanisms.

Banh added that the building of a security community and security connectivity are common goals that require efforts of all parties to realise.

He also called on ASEAN member countries and dialogue partners to firmly uphold their key and active role towards becoming an extremely important force to build regional security in a transparent and open manner, helping step up the establishment of the bloc’s political and security community by 2015.

The participants are scheduled to discuss regional security and defence issues, and reach a consensus on a draft to increase the frequency of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM+) to every two years instead of every three years at present.

As a venue to discuss security and defence issues, ADMM+ was held for the first time in 2010 with 10 member countries and dialogue partners taking part, including Australia, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Russia and the US.

Singaporean President visits Binh Duong

On April 26, Singapore’s President Tony Tan Keng Yam visited two Vietnam-Singapore industrial parks in the southern province of Binh Duong as part of his four-day official visit to Vietnam.     

At the working session with the Binh Duong provincial People’s Committee, President Tan was briefed on the province’s socio-economic situation last year and the first quarter of this year.

Provincial leaders said that the committee has created the best possible conditions for businesses to invest in the two industrial parks.

President Tan said he was impressed by the rapid socio-economic development in Binh Duong, adding that Singapore will continue to increase investment in the province and HCM City in the near future. He expressed his wish that Binh Duong continue to create favourable conditions for Singaporean businesses and the two industrial parks to further develop, as a contribution to strengthening the fine relations between Vietnam and Singapore.

President Tan and his delegation are scheduled to leave Vietnam for their home country on April 27.