President Sang bids farewell to US diplomat

President Truong Tan Sang on August 6 hosted a reception for outgoing US Ambassador David Shear who came to say goodbye before concluding his term in Vietnam.

President Sang hailed the Ambassador’s great diplomatic contributions to boosting Vietnam-US relations and extended his best regards and an invitation to visit Vietnam to US President Obama in the lead up to the 20th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties.

He also expressed his satisfaction with the growing relations through exchange visits to promote mutual understanding over the years and praised the US for opening its wider doors for Vietnamese goods to push up higher trade volume in the future.

President Sang also suggested the US continue helping with bomb and landmine deactivation and settlement of post-war aftermath.

For his part, Ambassador David Shear promised to make continued contributions to bilateral ties, revealing that US aircraft manufacturer Boeing is promoting cooperation programs with Vietnam partners.

Boeing and Vietnam Airlines have spurred their cooperation to open direct flights between Vietnam and the US in observance of 20 years of the normalization of diplomatic relations in 2015, he said.

Party chief extends congratulations to Venezuelan leader

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on August 6 sent his congratulations to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro who has become new leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).

President Nicolas Maduro was elected as the PSUV leader during the party’s third National Congress running from July 26-31 in Caracas.

Central Theoretical Council holds its 12th session

The 12th session of the Central Theoretical Council opened in northern Ninh Binh province on August 6 with a focus on reviewing 30 years of implementing the renewal process (1986-2016) and compiling documents for the 12th National Party Congress.

Dinh The Huynh, Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Education and Communications said it is essential to focus  discussions on the achievements and challenges for the Party after 30 years of renewal and measures to improve the Party’s leadership capacity thus bringing greater democracy within the context of the sole ruling Party in Vietnam.

He stressed those contents were of significance to Party building work in the present time and the revision of the 30 years of renewal.

Vietnam, Laos army mass organisations foster ties

A senior Vietnamese military official has lauded the coordination between mass organisations of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) and their Lao counterparts in recent years.

Welcoming a delegation from mass organisations of the Lao People’s Army in Hanoi on August 5, Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Trong Nghia, deputy head of the VPA’s General Department of Politics, further said the two sides’ mass organisations have closely worked together in many activities, especially in the exchange of delegations, sharing of experience, and professional training.

Colonel Buakham Khumisuk, head of the Lao People’s Army Trade Union, said that his delegation gained valuable experience in organising mass movements during the visit.

The guest expressed his hope that the VPA’s General Department of Politics will continue creating favourable conditions for the two countries’ armies and their mass organisations to further their links in the future.