Mexico wants to expand defence ties with Vietnam

Secretariat Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda (R) and Ambassador Le Linh Lan.

The Mexican Defence Ministry wants to launch cooperation channels in new fields with Vietnam, including facilitating visits to share information and experience, its Secretariat Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda has said.

During a recent meeting with Vietnamese Ambassador Le Linh Lan in Mexico City, Zepeda stated that armies of Mexico and many countries worldwide attach importance to studying Vietnam’s heroic military history and experience.

On regional and global issues, Zepeda commented that Asia is playing an increasingly important role in the world’s economic and security affairs.

He expressed his interest in the ongoing strategic changes in the region, including the role of China and Japan, and ASEAN’s central role in the evolving security architecture in Asia-Pacific.

Zepeda promised to help with promoting bilateral all-around links since the Trans-Pacific Partnership is opening up opportunities for the two countries to enhance future collaboration.

Ambassador Lan vowed to do her best to nurture traditional friendship and cooperation for the benefit of the two peoples and for peace, cooperation and development in the two regions.

She underscored the significance of maintaining peace, stability, security, maritime and aviation safety and freedom in the East Sea, as well as the settlement of disputes by peaceful means in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Vietnamese, Mexican cities forge twining ties

The Vietnamese Embassy in Mexico on December 19 held a ceremony to welcome the establishment of the twining relations between Vietnam’s Da Nang central city and Mexico’s southern city of Toluca.

Ambassador Le Linh Lan highlighted the significance of the event, especially in the context of the 40-year diplomatic ties between the two countries.

This is the first time in the history of bilateral relations, Da Nang and Toluca, dubbed as economically dynamic cities, have shook hands to reinforce the friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between Vietnam and Mexico, she said.

She unveiled that Da Nang city has been selected as the host of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in 2017.

The event will create an excellent opportunity for Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto to bring Toluca – his hometown closer to the central hub of Vietnam, she added.

She also thanked Mexican Ambassadors Sergio Gonzalez Galvez and Sara Valdez Bolanos – who are working in Hanoi, as well as authorities of Toluca and Da Nang for finalising all necessary procedures to sign the twining agreement between the two cities.

Mayor of the Toluca city Braulio Antonio Alvarez Jasso highly valued the position and significance of Da Nang city, hoping that after the APEC participation of the Mexican President and the enforcement of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, the cooperative ties between Mexico and Asian countries, particularly Vietnam, will further develop.

As a metropolis of Mexico State with an area of 500 square kilometres and a population of 1.5 million, Toluca boasts vast potential for economic development.

Party Central Committee continues personnel preparation discussion

The 11th Party Central Committee continued discussions on personnel for its 12 th tenure during the sixth working day of its 13 th meeting in Hanoi on December 19.

Under the chair of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the committee debated the personnel work in both morning and afternoon sessions.

The meeting, scheduled to run through December 22, is expected to give much attention to all-round preparations for the 12 th National Party Congress.

Issues high on the agenda include personnel planning for the 12th Party Central Committee, Political Bureau, Secretariat and Commission of Inspection. It will also discuss draft working and election regulations of the 12th national congress.

The implementation of the resolution on Party building issued at the 11th Party Central Committee’s fourth meeting will also be reviewed.

Vietnam People’s Army founding anniversary marked in Laos

The Vietnamese military attaché agency in Laos hosted a ceremony on December 18 to celebrate the 71st founding anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army and the 26th All People's Defence Festival.

Speaking at the ceremony, Head of the agency Colonel Tao Van Thai recalled the army’s 71-year glorious history under the Party’s leadership.

The People’s Army of Vietnam has contributed to firmly defending the national sovereignty and peace as well as regional security for development. It is actively participating in the UN peacekeeping mission.

This year, the relationship between the Vietnamese and Lao armies was more effective and practical, affecting a wide range of fields, stated Thai.

He also took the occasion to express his gratitude to the Lao Party, Government, army and people for their support and contribution to the growing Vietnam-Laos traditional friendship and cooperation.

The function was attended by Lao Deputy Defence Minister Thongloi Sylivong and Director of the General Politics Department of the Laos People’s Army Vilay Lakhampong, among others.

Seminar looks into Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership

A scientific seminar was held by the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics in Hanoi on December 18 to analyse and assess the effectiveness of the Vietnam – US comprehensive cooperation.

The function was held on the occasion of the 20th founding anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relationship. Four discussion sessions were organized on the themes of economics-trade; education, training and human resources development; science, technology and environment; and forecasts for future bilateral cooperation.

Participants said cooperation between Vietnam and the US has been continually expanded and reinforced in all spheres since the normalisation of their relationship in 1995.

Trade and investment collaboration is the focus of and momentum for their ties, they noted, adding that the two-way trade revenue has shot up by some 100 times from 400 million USD in the pre-normalisation period to a likely 40 billion USD in 2015.

The US has been Vietnam’s largest export market since 2005, while Vietnam has ranked 20 th among countries exporting to the US and become the biggest ASEAN exporter to the North American nation.

Meanwhile, US investors have run 742 investment projects worth over 11 billion USD in Vietnam so far, ranking seventh among countries and territories with investment in the country.

Scientific-technological cooperation has seen remarkable strides with a number of fruitful joint research projects, especially those in medicine and pharmacy, agriculture, meteorology and hydrology, and climate change.

The nations have shared experience in building laws, particularly in those on science-technology, businesses, the market and the environment for startups.

While labour and social issues are considered by both sides as a priority at both bilateral and multilateral forums, collaboration in education-training has also been intensified.

Participants expressed their belief that Vietnam and the US boast great potential for enhanced trade connections, especially when the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement is enforced. They took the occasion to scrutinise advantages, challenges and opportunities for the countries’ comprehensive cooperation.

US Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius said since the two sides became comprehensive partner in 2013, they have shown the world the significance of emerging from history and boosting a relationship. That spirit should be maintained to build a vision for the next two decades and beyond.

He also called on the countries’ young people to jointly create and develop new business and investment opportunities. He voiced the belief that the US will surely become the top investor in Vietnam if current cooperation continues to be fostered.-