President welcomes Lao NA vice chairman

President Truong Tan Sang yesterday, March 11, hosted a reception in Ha Noi for visiting Lao National Assembly Vice Chairman Somphan Phengkhammy.

The Lao guest briefed the President of outcomes of his working session with officials of the Vietnamese National Assembly.

He said his visit aimed to exchange legislative experiences and learn from the operation of People's Councils in Viet Nam. This will help preparations for coming elections of the Lao People's Councils.

President Sang said Viet Nam - Laos relations had made great strides politically and economically, adding that the bilateral trade turnover had been increasing. Both sides had worked closely at national and international forums and enjoyed intensified cooperation in various fields.

The State leader said that Laos would continue to be an active member of ASEAN, particularly after successfully chairing meetings among Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly meeting.

Also yesterday, NA Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong held talks with her visiting Lao counterpart, Somphan Phengkhammy.

She briefed her guest on Viet Nam's socio-economic development and the activities of the Vietnamese legislature, adding that the two legislative bodies fostered co-operation between the two countries.

She underlined the mutual support between the National Assemblies of Vietnam and Laos in developing human resources and their effective co-operation at many multilateral forums, such as the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

The host also congratulated Laos on becoming the host of the General Assembly of AIPA-35 in September.

NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung also met Lao National Assembly Vice Chairman Somphan Phengkhammy yesterday, March 11.

Hung spoke highly of the outcome of the working session between officials of the two assemblies and asked them to share law making experiences.

He briefed the guest on the new points of Viet Nam's new Constitution and highlighted the role of the National Assembly and People's Councils in realising socio-economic development plans.

At the meeting, the Lao Vice Chairman said he hoped to learn more from the operation of Vietnamese local government and introduce models appropriate for Laos.

Finance Minister meets US federal bank chief

On March 11, Finance Minister Dinh Tien Dung worked with the Chair of the US Federal Reserve Bank FED Janet Yellen on Vietnam’s macroeconomic situation and budget and fiscal management in 2013 and orientations for 2014.

The focus was also on reviewing bilateral relations and Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) negotiations.

Janet Yellen suggested Vietnam should set up an independent central bank to effectively evolve monetary policy, keep inflation in check, stabilize the macro-economy and to create community-based trust.

FED is an independent agency from the Government aiming to manage national monetary policy, supervise and regulate banking organizations, maintain the stability of the financial system and provide financial services for custodial and deposit organizations, the US Government and foreign organizations.

The US Department of the Treasury and FED maintain regular reciprocal consultations without interference in each other’s affairs. Dissent between FED and the treasury department is resolved harmoniously, Yellen said.

Vietnam asks for WHO help in health care

Vietnam hopes that the World Health Organisation (WHO) will offer the country more assistance in health care, including policy consultation and sharing of experience in personnel training and management.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific Shin Young-soo (Photo: VNA)

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung expressed the wish while receiving WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific Shin Young-soo in Hanoi on March 11.

He said Vietnam pays special attention to health care, as part of efforts to realise the Millennium Development Goals. Though the country has gained substantial results along the way, the health care sector still has many shortcomings.

Shin Young-soo said WHO highly values what Vietnam has achieved in health care, especially efforts to raise average life expectancy, provide medical care in remote areas and expand health insurance coverage for all people.

The organisation will stand side by side with Vietnam to achieve health care development goals, the guest noted.

The two sides also touched upon issues relating to improvement of medical services, awareness campaigns on epidemic prevention and health insurance.

Vietnam attends ASEAN-EU defence seminar

A Vietnamese delegation led by Colonel Vu Van Khanh from the Ministry of Defence’s Institute for Defence Strategy joined an ASEAN-EU security-defence seminar on defence and security policy which is taking place in Belgium from March 11-14.

Colonel Vu Van Khanh reiterated Vietnam’s stance on the settlement of all disputes arising in the East Sea by peaceful means in line with international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

Regarding maritime security, Vietnam hopes the EU to make positive contributions to resolving the issue of China’s unilateral establishment of an air defence identification zone (ADIZ) in the East China Sea and prevent similar actions in other regions, while sharing its experience and providing support for regional countries to deal with the issue, Khanh said.

Vietnam protests against China’s “nine-dotted line” claim in the East Sea and the country is greatly concerned about uncertainties in some Southeast Asian countries, such as religious and racial conflicts in Myanmar, Thailand and the Philippines and internal instability in Thailand and Cambodia, he added.

The event, the first of its kind, is hosted by the European External Action Service (EEAS), the European Security and Defence College and the European Union Military Staff.

Representatives from defence agencies of member nations of the EU and ASEAN and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) discussed the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and the Union’s intervention in external activities such as police intelligence, border patrol and marine control.

Participant also debated the EU-ASEAN relations relating to marine security and safety as well as the prospect for their cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

Within the framework of the seminar, they will tour EU security-defence models in the Netherlands.

Chinese News Agency thanks Vietnam for search efforts

The chief correspondent of the Chinese Xinhua News Agency in Hanoi, Zhang Jian Hua, has expressed his agency’s thank for the Vietnamese government’s support for the combined efforts in search and rescue work.

In reply to a Voice of Vietnam (VOV) reporter on March 11 about the search efforts,  Zhang Jian Hua said Vietnam has assisted more than 100 foreign reporters in news reports on the missing Malaysian plane. 10 permanent reporters from his agency had been dispatched to Hanoi and Phu Quoc island.

Vietnam has mobilized a big force including naval, marine police and fishermen to join the international search  efforts. They have shown their international humanitarian spirit and dignity, thanks to the great attention of the Vietnamese Party and State, he said.

Vietnam becomes involved in search and resecue work.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Press Department has received requests from more than 90 reporters from 25 countries for permission to work in the searching area.  

Department Deputy Director, Nguyen Thi Thai Thong said the department has closely cooperated with its missions in China and Malaysia to assist in granting visas for reporters in need and help them gain access to the searching area.

The Air Control Center in Phu Quoc Island, Kien Giang province, has held press briefings twice a day to keep the media updated.

Defence Minister welcomes Chinese official

Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh on March 11 hosted a reception in the northeastern border province of Quang Ninh for Lieutenant General Qi Jianguo, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.

Qi is leading a delegation of the Chinese Defence Ministry to attend the Vietnam-China friendship border defence exchange programme in Quang Ninh.

Thanh said Vietnam is determined to develop its comprehensive cooperative relations with China, suggesting that both sides boost the exchange of high-level visits and young officers, together with expanding twin relations.

He also extended sympathies to families of Chinese passengers on board the missing Malaysian airplane, which Vietnam is exerting every effort to search for.

Qi thanked Vietnam for its active participation in the search.

Agreeing with Thanh’s proposal, the guest voiced his hope that the two armies will intensify delegation exchanges at all levels and collaboration in personnel training and border and marine work.

On the same day, Lieutenant General Qi Jianguo and the Chinese delegation visited the Tra Co border guard post.

Argentina wishes to strengthen ties with Vietnam

Argentina hopes to expand trade exchanges and set up cooperation with Vietnam in land planning, environmental protection, tourism and culture.

The Argentinean side expressed the hope while meeting with Vietnamese Ambassador to Argentina Nguyen Dinh Thao during his March 7-10 working visit to Mendoza province.

At the working sessions, provincial officials said they admire the Vietnamese people’s struggle for national independence in the past as well as the great achievements they have reaped during the current national construction.

They vowed to create all the best conditions for the two nations’ agencies and businesses to strengthen cooperation for common benefits.

Daniel Gonzalez, General Director of the Mendoza import-export and investment promotion fund (ProMendoza), said that his organisation is ready to organise a business forum and provide a chance for the Vietnamese side to introduce its potential in Mendoza .

He also expressed the province’s wish to directly import some products from Vietnam .

A representative from the metallurgy industry group IMPSA said that the company wants to invest in producing hydropower and wind power equipment in Vietnam , which boasts great potential for developing these clean energies.

At the meetings, the two sides emphasised the necessity for cultural and tourism exchanges so that both peoples can better understanding about each other, thus fostering bilateral trade and investment.-

NA Committee agrees additional fund for reviewed projects

Members of the National Assembly Standing Committee on March 11 agreed to supplement over 18 trillion VND (846 million USD) sourced from Government bonds in 2014-2016 to 82 projects.

The projects were earlier reviewed by ministries and localities.

NA Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan held that it is necessary to ensure that localities strictly implement resolutions on cutting investment to inefficient projects.

According to Minister of Planning and Investment Bui Quang Vinh, 91 projects will be put under review, including 36 in transport, 35 in irrigation, and 20 in health care implemented by two ministries and 23 cities and provinces. They are scheduled to be completed in 2014 and 2015.

Also on the day, the Committee’s members debated a number of issues from the draft Law on the Entry, Exit and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam .

NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung held that visa exemption for foreigners should have specific applicable duration, which will be decided by the Government. The move should be flexible, suiting the real situation and meeting requirements of international integration and open-door as well as the protection of national sovereignty.

He also asked public security and judicial agencies to carefully review and simplify administrative procedures relating to entrance, exit and stay of foreigners to make sure that human rights and travel and residence rights of citizens are respected in compliance with the revised Constitution.