Party chief commits support to entrepreneurs

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has congratulated businesspeople nationwide on the 11th Vietnam Entrepreneurs’ Day (October 13), assuring them all possible support for their growth. 

Meeting 129 outstanding entrepreneurs recently honoured by the Ho Chi Minh municipal People’s Committee and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the southern metropolis on October 13, the Party chief expressed delight to meet them ahead of the 10 th meeting of the municipal Party Congress for the 2015-2020 tenure. 

The Party and State continually appreciate the role and position of the business community in the national construction and development, especially during the renovation, he said, adding that the community has grown in stature over time, effectively working across almost all fields, in and outside the country. 

He reminded them of opportunities and challenges ahead since the country signed a series of bilateral and new-generation free trade agreements, and hoped that they would branch out into new areas and markets, create more jobs and engage enthusiastically in social activities. 

Expressing understanding of their expectations, the leader assured that the Party and State advocate synchronous and more comprehensive reform with a focus on fine-tuning socialist-oriented economic mechanisms and improving the business climate. 

Concluding the speech, he wished them further successes in the future. 

In 2014 and first half of 2015, 129 local businesses generated a revenue of 650 trillion VND (29.5 billion USD), creating more than 155,000 jobs and contributing 21 trillion VND (954.5 million USD) to the State budget and 400 trillion VND (18.1 billion USD) to humanitarian causes. 

Huynh Van Minh, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Business Associations (HUBA), underscored the significance of the Vietnam Entrepreneurs’ Day which was launched 11 years ago, which he said, reflects the Party and State’s encouragement to the contingent of domestic entrepreneurs. 

The HUBA, which has gone through its 40 years, has so far grouped more than 60 volunteer affiliates with over 8,000 members. 

Since October 13, 2014, thousands of outstanding businesses and business owners have been honoured, he added. 

Participating entrepreneurs expressed determination to overcome challenges and play a vanguard role in the country’s industrialisation and modernisation.

Hanoi Party Committee convenes 23rd meeting

The Executive Board of the Hanoi Party Committee convened its 23rd meeting in Hanoi on October 13 in preparation for the city’s 16th Party Congress slated for early November. 

The gross regional domestic product (GRDP) was up an estimated 9.2 percent, driving the nine-month growth to 8.3 percent – the highest in four years. The city’s economic growth for 2015 is expected to expand 9.24 percent, meeting the target, heard the participants. 

Revenue to the State budget reached more than 105.8 trillion VND (4.8 billion USD), up 13.5 percent annually and on track for the annual target of 146.1 billion VND (6.6 billion USD), a 3.2 percent rise from 2014. 

In the past nine months, outstanding advancements were seen in construction planning, urban infrastructure, new rural development, administrative reform, national defence-security, political security, social order and external relations. 

The “Year of Urban Order and Civilisation” has also brought about positive results. 

Addressing the event, Politburo member and Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Pham Quang Nghi urged the city to continue improving its business climate and clearing obstacles facing enterprises towards achieving an 11.2 percent growth in the remaining months. 

Additional tasks include rallying resources for development and stepping up urban planning and construction. 

Directing preparations for the upcoming Party Congress, Nghi said documents and personnel are in progress with the hope of electing qualified officials for the 2016-2020 tenure. 

The municipal People’s Committee admitted flaws hindering socio-economic performance, including foreign currency fluctuations, weak management in several administrations and agencies, and sluggish site clearance.

Workshop seeks to deepen Vietnam-Japan partnership

Vietnam and Japan have seen long strides in their cooperation since they established diplomatic ties in 1973, as heard a workshop in Hanoi on October 13. 

The strategic partnership between the two countries has one of the most substantial and deepest rapports and is expected to expand even further moving forward, said Director of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam Dang Dinh Quy. 

He noted that Japan has made active contributions to peace, stability and development in the region and the world. 

After 70 years of war, Japan has endeavoured to become a country of peace, freedom and democracy, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Hiroshi Fukada said. 

He added that the country has complied with international law and implemented its commitments to avoiding war and actively contributing to regional and global peace and prosperity. 

The active policy of building peace in Japan and the international integration policy of Vietnam share a number of similarities, he said, pointing to the two countries’ efforts to maintain peace, security and stability in the region. 

During his visit to Japan in September this year, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged to enhance the two nations' strategic partnership for peace, stability and prosperity in Asia. 

On the occasion, the two leaders issued a joint statement on the vision of the Vietnam-Japan relationship to deepen the bilateral cooperation across security, defence and navigation safety, and strengthen affiliations in the region and beyond, the diplomat said. 

During the workshop, participants presented connections between Vietnam and Japan’s development strategies on socio-economic affairs, security, defence and national construction as well as the potential to promote bilateral collaborative ties in the time ahead.

Party Organisation of Central Agencies Bloc shows strong performance

The Party Organisation of the Central Agencies Bloc (CAB) has performed well in the past five years, helping guide the management of State agencies and people’s organisations and contributing to building and reinforcing the strong political system in central agencies, according to Dao Ngoc Dung, Secretary of the Party Committee of the bloc.

Gathering strategic agencies playing advisory roles for the Party, National Assembly, Government and Vietnam Fatherland Front, the CAB Party Organisation has actively directed the implementation of the political tasks of central agencies, said Dung, who is also a member of the Party Central Committee.

Currently, there are 63 smaller Party organisations operating under the CAB Party Organisation, grouping 63,000 Party members and 680,000 public servants and workers.

Over the past five years, the Organisation has renovated its leadership methods, concentrating on emerging issues and problems while defining core tasks and solutions each year.

Particularly, it has focused on strictly and creatively implementing the Party Central Committee’s resolution on a number of urgent issues in Party building, overcoming shortcomings and fighting degradation among Party members, noted Dung.

Thanks to the success in implementing the resolution as well as the Politburo’s instructions on studying and following President Ho Chi Minh’s moral example, substantial progress has been made in Party building among central agencies with higher responsibility and improved working attitude among public servants, he said.

Regarding key directions of the CAB Party Organisation in the 2015-2020 tenure, Dung said it will focus on building a pure and strong Party organisation that plays a pioneer role with enhanced Party member capacity for the successful implementation of central agency political tasks.

This is also the theme for the ongoing Congress of the Party Organisation of the Central Agencies Bloc from October 13-15, he added.

To this end, Party organisations and members of the Organisation should promote solidarity and their core role in the central agencies while building strong Party organisations with enhanced leadership, stated Dung.

He also pointed to the need to prevent degradation in thought, politics, morals and lifestyles among Party members as well as renovate leadership methods of Party committees at all levels and foster close coordination with other central Party bodies.

Official urges Quang Ninh to speed up development

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung has asked authorities of the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh to promote its sea-based agriculture, mining industry and tourism development towards promoting its socio-economic development in a rapid and sustainable manner.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the province's 14th Party Congress in the 2015 to 2020 tenure yesterday in Ha Long City, the NA Chairman praised recent efforts by the provincial Party organisation to reach important and comprehensive achievements in all fields, but especially in socio-economic development.

He also pointed out shortcomings that Quang Ninh should focus on resolving, such as the locality's socio-economic development has yet to match its potential and strengths, infrastructure facilities have yet to meet development demand, high-quality human resources are insufficient, and the wealth gap is still substantial.

Concurring with the strong determination of the provincial Party organisation, NA Chairman Hung urged the local authorities to fully tap its advantages in natural resources and landscapes to realise its development targets.

He stressed the need for Quang Ninh to pay attention to building brands for local tourism products in order to turn tourism into a spearhead economic sector and ultimately hold a significant proportion of the locality's economic structure.

Hung hoped that the Congress would promote democracy in selecting appropriate candidates for the new provincial Party Committee, thus leading the provincial Party organisation and local residents to successfully implement the Resolution of the provincial Party Committee's 14th Congress.

The political report of the provincial 13th Party Committee highlighted that the province's socio-economic situation developed stably and comprehensively in 2012-15 with an emphasis on implementing strategic breakthroughs and sustainability-oriented economic structure readjustments.

The province's economic growth maintained high levels compared to the nation's average level. Its GDP increased 9.2 per cent last year and GDP per capita reached US$3,900, 76 percent higher than in 2010.

The locality has traditionally been one of the leading localities in State budget collection, reaching $159 trillion in 2011-15, 2.2 times higher than the figures in 2006-10. The household poverty rate reduced to only 1.6 per cent in 2015 from 7.7 per cent five years earlier. 

President greets Cao Dai followers for anniversary

Over its 90 years of formation and development, Cao Dai has risen to become one of the major religions of Viet Nam, contributing to diversifying the national traditional culture and fostering unity, affirmed President Truong Tan Sang.

The State leader hosted a reception for dignitaries and heads of Cao Dai churches and organisations in Ha Noi yesterday on the occasion of the religion's 90th founding anniversary.

Greeting all Cao Dai dignitaries and followers, President Sang said that the Party and State always bore in mind their contributions during the country's past struggle for liberation and current nation-building process.

He asked for their continued involvement in the country's socio-economic and cultural development.

At the meeting, representatives of Cao Dai churches and institutions said that over past years, along with religious practices, Cao Dai dignitaries and followers had actively participated in social activities like charities, disaster relief and gift presentations to soldiers at border areas and on islands.

They had also contributed opinions to the draft Constitution 2013 and the draft Law on Belief and Religion.

Cao Dai is one of the major religions in Viet Nam with over 2.5 million followers, 10,000 dignitaries and 1,000 places of worship. 

President chairs meeting on judicial affairs

President Truong Tan Sang has called for building a strong, fair and transparent judicial sector that protects the legitimate interests of citizens. 

He made the call in Hanoi on October 13 while leading the 23rd meeting of the Central Steering Committee for Judicial Reform. 

The meeting centred on initiatives devised by the Ministries of Public Security and Justice to prevent negative outcomes in judicial affairs and assistance. 

The standing board of the committee suggested making initiatives into specific regulations to avoid false trials or mistakes. 

Concluding the meeting, the State President agreed with ideas to devise more regulations on recognising negative behaviours in each field and pay heed to judicial assessment in the fields of construction, finance and banking. 

He also pressed on the need to raise the sense of responsibility among top-ranking officials in combating negative phenomena in judicial affairs and assistance. 

The leader underscored the need to more specifically allocate tasks as necessary and increase cooperation and supervision between the National Assembly, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and People’s Councils.

VNA/VNS