Governor of US Vermont State visits HCM City

The US State of Vermont is keen on developing multifaceted cooperation with Ho Chi Minh City, especially in agriculture, visiting Governor Peter Shumlin has told Chairman of HCM City People’ Committee Le Hoang Quan.

Chairman of HCMC People's Committee Le Hoang Quan receives Vermont State Governor Peter Shumlin. (Photo:VNA)

At his meeting with Quan on September 26, Peter Shumlin said his visit aims to introduce Vermont’s immigration policies which offer favourable conditions to attract businesses and students of Vietnam in general and HCM City in particular to the state.

Chairman Quan said he believed that the Governor’s visit to Vietnam will contribute to strengthen the two countries’ cooperation, which is entering a new era with the establishment of the comprehensive partnership during President Truong Tan Sang’s visit to the US in July.

He noted that with its strength in agricultural production and hi-tech application in agriculture, Vermont can cooperate with HCM City in the field as well as in science-technology, culture and social affairs.

PM Dung attends UN General Assembly meeting

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung left Paris on September 26 for New York to attend a High-level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.

The ongoing 68th session of the General Assembly reviews the realisation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and discusses the UN Development Strategy beyond 2015.  

Delegates also examine ways to settle disputes and clashes, especially in Syria, promote human rights, gender equality, poverty reduction, and sustainable development, and accelerate UN reform to raise its role in addressing global challenges.

PM Dung will deliver a speech sharing Vietnam’s experience in implementing MDGs and emphasising the importance of building strategic trust to consolidate peace and settle global disputes.

Dung’s participation testifies to Vietnam’s implementation of open foreign policy, strengthening relations between Vietnam and the UN and its agencies.

He is scheduled to meet with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, and UNDP, UNICEF and WB leaderships. He will also attend a Vietnam-US investment forum.

Earlier, PM Dung paid an official visit to France from September 23-26.

PM Dung to hold dialogue with US businesses

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung will hold a dialogue with the US business community in New York on September 27 to share Vietnam’s stance on global economy and efforts to improve its investment environment.

PM Dung arrived in New York on September 26, following an official visit to France, to attend a High-level Meeting of the UN General Assembly.  

The US Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), US-ASEAN Business Council (USBAC) and Asia Foundation will present a joint report highlighting the US business community’s assessment of the economic and business environment in the Asia-Pacific and Southeast Asian regions.

They will talk about Vietnam’s business environment and US proposals to make this Southeast Asian nation more attractive to global investors, including those from the US.  

Moscow hosts Vietnam-Russia strategic dialogue

The sixth strategic dialogue on diplomacy, national defence and security between Vietnam and Russia took place in Moscow on September 24.

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Ho Xuan Son, and the Russian delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov.

Son also met with acting Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov.

Both sides said Vietnam and Russia share a common voice in addressing urgent regional and global issues, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.

They also discussed measures to further strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

They agreed to hold the next round of talks in Vietnam.

Vietnam, China discuss sea issues in Hanoi

The Working Group on Vietnam – China cooperation in less sensitive issues at sea agreed on two joint cooperation projects during their fourth round of negotiations in Hanoi from September 24-26.

They will conduct research and exchange information on the environment of sea and islands of the Bac Bo (Tonkin) Gulf.

They will also conduct research and compare Holocene sedimentary deposits in Vietnam’s Red River Delta with those in China’s Chang Jiang River Delta.

Both sides agreed to work closely together to sign the two projects to be implemented in 2013.

The fifth round of negotiations will take place in China in the first half of 2014.

EU boosts trade ties with Vietnam

The European Union wants to strengthen economic and political cooperation with Vietnam, says Antonio Tajani, EC Vice-President responsible for Industry and Entrepreneurship.

While receiving visiting Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai in Brussels on September 25, Tajani acknowledged the growing ties between the EU and Vietnam, especially in economics, trade and investment.

He revealed he will lead an EU business delegation to Vietnam in November 2013 to explore opportunities for cooperation in infrastructure construction, information technology, green technology, automation, and tourism.

The EU is Vietnam’s second biggest trade partner and biggest export market. Twenty-two out of 27 EU members have invested in 1,299 projects in Vietnam, with a total registered capitalisation of more than US$17 billion.

For his part, Hai reiterated Vietnam’s consistent policy of considering the EU one of its leading partners. He said he hopes Tajani’s upcoming visit will fuel economic-trade ties between the two sides.

Both host and guest discussed the ratification of the signed Vietnam-EU Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), laying a legal foundation for boosting bilateral cooperation and signing a Vietnam-EU free trade agreement (FTA).

Hai proposed the EC prioritise FTA negotiations with Vietnam to be concluded in 2014 and recognise Vietnam’s full market economy status as soon as possible.

He appreciated the EU and its members’ commitment to providing official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam for the 2014-2020 period and offering the generalised system of preferences (GSP) to Vietnamese products as of January 1, 2014.

Vietnam, Belgium define prioritised cooperation areas

Vietnam and Belgium will strengthen cooperation in such prioritised areas as seaport and logistics services, transportation, and high-, green- and aerospace technologies.   

The agreement was reached during talks in Brussels on September 26 between Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Johan Van de Lanotte and his visiting Vietnamese counterpart Hoang Trung Hai.

They said both sides will increase delegation exchanges, organise joint activities to celebrate 40 years of diplomatic ties in 2013, and work closely together at regional and international forums.

The Belgian government attaches great importance to developing ties of all-round cooperation with Vietnam, said Johan Van de Lanotte, who is also Minister of Economy, Consumer Affairs, and North Sea.

He said Belgium is ready to serve as a gateway for Vietnam to penetrate Europe.

The two leaders agreed to convene the second meeting of the Vietnam-Belgium Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation in October 2013 and effectively implement projects within the 2011-2015 cooperation programme.

After talks, they signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on business development and another MoU on hospital waste treatment in Hanoi.

While in Brussels, Hai had working sessions with Antonio Tajani, EC Vice-President responsible for Industry and Entrepreneurship, and Karen de Gucht, European Commissioner for Trade.

The EC representatives said both sides need to accelerate free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations to be signed in late 2014.  

They briefed Hai on the EC’s business internationalisation scheme and hoped to receive Vietnamese businesses to sound out opportunities for cooperation in infrastructure construction, high technology, automation, food processing, and aerospace.

The same day, Hai met with several leading EU businesses to examine the prospects for their investment and business cooperation in Vietnam.

He also visited Zeebrugge port – one of Belgium’s key deep seaports.   

Deputy PM Hai is one a European tour of Italy and Belgium from September 23-27.

Ambassador affirms close Vietnam-China ties

China wants to deepen traditional friendship and expand mutually beneficial cooperation with Vietnam.

Chinese ambassador Kong Xuanyou made the statement at a banquet in Hanoi on September 26 to mark China’s 64th National Day (October 1).

Kong reviewed China’s development achievements during the past 64 years, especially since the start of its open-door policy 35 years ago, as well as relations with Vietnam, saying both China and Vietnam have maintained the growing bonds over the years.

For his part, Vietnamese Minister of Construction Trinh Dinh Dung congratulated China on its National Day and wished Chinese people greater achievements in building socialism with Chinese characteristics, so as to realise its Party resolutions.  

He acknowledged recent progress in the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership and said regular high-level visit exchanges helped strengthen political trust to increase mutually beneficial cooperation in all areas and resolve pending issues satisfactorily.

The Party, government, and people of Vietnam will work closely together with their Chinese counterparts to develop bilateral partnership in a stable and deep manner for mutual benefit and for peace, stability and development in the region and the rest of the world, said Dung.

Condolences to Pakistani quake victims

President Truong Tan Sang has sent a message of condolence to Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain over huge material and physical losses caused by a recent earthquake.

The 7.7 magnitude quake jolted the southern province of Baluchistan on September 24, killing at least 238 people and injuring 395 others.

Casualties are likely to rise as many people are trapped in debris.

Awaran district was the hardest hit locality, with 208 killed, more than 200 others injured, and hundreds of houses flattened.

Moscow hosts Vietnam-Russia strategic dialogue

The sixth strategic dialogue on diplomacy, national defence and security between Vietnam and Russia took place in Moscow on September 24.

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Ho Xuan Son, and the Russian delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov.

Son also met with acting Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov.

Both sides said Vietnam and Russia share a common voice in addressing urgent regional and global issues, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.

They also discussed measures to further strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

They agreed to hold the next round of talks in Vietnam.

VNA General Director welcomes DPRK’s delegation

General Director of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Nguyen Duc Loi had a working session with a delegation of the Press and Information Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), in Hanoi on September 26.

The VNA General Director briefed the delegation on the organisation and operation of the agency, which has 63 bureaus in all 63 cities and provinces of Vietnam and 30 bureaus overseas. The State-owned VNA has also established relations with 40 partners worldwide.

General Director Loi asked the DPRK Foreign Ministry, the Press and Information Department and the DPRK’s Embassy in Vietnam to help VNA reach a cooperation agreement with the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in order to create a legal basis for the exchange of news, delegations and reporters between the two agencies.

He proposed that pending the signing of such an agreement, the DPRK embassy provide VNA with updated information about the country to meet the need for information of the Vietnamese people, who always have warm feelings towards Korean people.

For his part, the director of the DPRK Press and Information Department Jong Tong Hak said the KCNA is promoting cooperation with foreign press organisations in order to provide accurate information about the DPRK to the world.

He pledged to do his best to enhance relations between VNA and KCNA, adding that he hopes the two sides will increase the exchange of delegations and friendship exchanges to boost the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

The DPRK press delegation is on a working visit to Vietnam from September 25 – 30 at the invitation of the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information Department.

Vietnam, China discuss sea issues in Hanoi

The Working Group on Vietnam – China cooperation in less sensitive issues at sea agreed on two joint cooperation projects during their fourth round of negotiations in Hanoi from September 24-26.

They will conduct research and exchange information on the environment of sea and islands of the Bac Bo (Tonkin) Gulf.

They will also conduct research and compare Holocene sedimentary deposits in Vietnam’s Red River Delta with those in China’s Chang Jiang River Delta.

Both sides agreed to work closely together to sign the two projects to be implemented in 2013.

The fifth round of negotiations will take place in China in the first half of 2014.

EU boosts trade ties with Vietnam

The European Union wants to strengthen economic and political cooperation with Vietnam, says Antonio Tajani, EC Vice-President responsible for Industry and Entrepreneurship.

While receiving visiting Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai in Brussels on September 25, Tajani acknowledged the growing ties between the EU and Vietnam, especially in economics, trade and investment.

He revealed he will lead an EU business delegation to Vietnam in November 2013 to explore opportunities for cooperation in infrastructure construction, information technology, green technology, automation, and tourism.

The EU is Vietnam’s second biggest trade partner and biggest export market. Twenty-two out of 27 EU members have invested in 1,299 projects in Vietnam, with a total registered capitalisation of more than US$17 billion.

For his part, Hai reiterated Vietnam’s consistent policy of considering the EU one of its leading partners. He said he hopes Tajani’s upcoming visit will fuel economic-trade ties between the two sides.

Both host and guest discussed the ratification of the signed Vietnam-EU Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), laying a legal foundation for boosting bilateral cooperation and signing a Vietnam-EU free trade agreement (FTA).

Hai proposed the EC prioritise FTA negotiations with Vietnam to be concluded in 2014 and recognise Vietnam’s full market economy status as soon as possible.

He appreciated the EU and its members’ commitment to providing official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam for the 2014-2020 period and offering the generalised system of preferences (GSP) to Vietnamese products as of January 1, 2014.

Vietnam attends agricultural minister meeting in Malaysia

A Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Minister of Agricultural and Rural Development Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu is attending the 35th Meeting of ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) in Malaysia.

The event, which opened on September 26 in the Malaysian capital, is being attended by ministers and representatives from ASEAN member nations’ agricultural sectors. They are discussing cooperation initiatives to ensure food security.

In his opening speech, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin stressed the important challenges of food security.

The ASEAN region needs to increase food production and productivity, not only to serve food demand but also to enhance competitiveness against a backdrop of increasing globalisation and trade liberalisation, he said.

He suggested ASEAN further promote research and renovate technology to achieve high farm productivity, thus improving the economic performance of the sector.

The minister also proposed forming an inter-country fund to support integrated research and development (R&D) projects for the benefit all ASEAN member states.

Finally, Yassin pointed out the threat of climate change, which is already impacting tremendously on agricultural productivity.

He called on ASEAN to reduce these impacts in the region by boosting its joint efforts to conserve natural resources and protect the environment.-

VNN/VOV/VNA