Sympathy sent to Turkey on great losses from terrorist attack

President Truong Tan Sang offered the deepest sympathies to his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on October 12 on the huge loss of life and property caused by a recent terrorist attack in Ankara city.

The bombings happened at around 10 am (local time) on October 10. 

It killed at least 97 people and wounded 507 others, according to the Turkish Prime Minister’s office.

Party chief meets Hanoi constituents ahead of NA meeting

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Hanoi National Assembly (NA) deputies met constituents in the capital’s inner district of Tay Ho on October 12 ahead of the 10th meeting of the NA (13th tenure).

Deputies informed constituents that the NA’s upcoming meeting is due to adopt 19 draft laws and resolutions, give opinions on 9 draft laws and examine reports on socio-economic indicators, the State budget and national target programmes. 

The meeting will also mull over the enforcement of laws on land use and management at State-owned farms and plantations, and contribute ideas to the draft document of the 12 th National Party Congress. The content components were lauded by constituents, who said the NA has exercised its role as the highest-level representative body of the people – a supreme legislative and supervisory organ that decides on key country issues. 

Voters wished the NA would do more to bring about positive changes in its operations. 

NA deputies answered queries raised during their previous meeting, including those regarding tuition classes, the supervision of judicial bodies and anti-corruption. 

Constituents expressed their satisfaction with the recent socio-economic performance and external relations activities, particularly Party and State leaders’ visits to China, the US and Japan, thereby rallying support from international friends and creating an environment of peace and stability for national construction and development. 

The draft Law on Belief and Religion also received their acclaim for ensuring healthy religious practices. 

Speaking highly of the outcomes of the recently-closed Party Central Committee’s 12 th meeting, constituents affirmed their absolute trust in the Party’s leadership and hoped those with high morals and qualifications would be elected. 

Concerns over the recent mass purchase of land and commodities by foreigners in localities, higher electricity prices, unemployment among the youth, education-training and complicated developments in the East Sea were also mentioned. 

The Party chief informed that the upcoming NA meeting will be the last for 2015 and the 13 th tenure, which is scheduled to hold question-and-answer sessions and consider reports on the socio-economic performance for 2015 and socio-economic development plan for 2016 - a key agenda. 

He gave a nod to comments on comprehensive socio-economic transformation over recent time with the signing of a series of free trade agreements that he said requires the fine-tuning of laws in anticipation of global integration. 

Responding to concern on lawmaking, he promised to issue fewer framework laws and raise the number of full-time NA deputies. 

He agreed to appeal to shift economic mindsets and personnel work in preparation for the upcoming National Party Congress and NA election. 

He also took note of feedback on anti-corruption, food safety and hygiene, and preventing smuggling and counterfeit goods.

President talks with constituents in HCM City

President Truong Tan Sang met with constituents in Ho Chi Minh City’s Districts 1 and 4 on October 12 to record their proposals ahead of the 10th session of the 13th National Assembly. 

During the meeting, the State leader cleared up a number of concerns in various fields raised by voters. 

Regarding anti-corruption outcomes, the President acknowledged the active engagement of the Central Steering Committee for Corruption Prevention and Combat along with localities, ministries and sectors in the field. 

He called on local authorities and residents to promote their role in detecting and preventing corruption cases. 

Pertaining to the fresh conclusion of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement’s negotiations, the President said it is necessary to build a self-reliant economy and reduce dependence on foreign markets by improving product quality, practicing thrift, and changing integration mindset. 

Integration is to take advantage of external resources and assistance from international friends but it must be based on promoting internal strength, he affirmed. 

As regard the personnel preparation for the 12th National Party Congress, President Sang encouraged constituents to send their feedback to the central personnel sub-committee and the Politburo to consider ineligible cases, saying this is the right and responsibility of citizens for the future nationhood. 

He added that the building of draft laws need public feedback to ensure their high feasibility.-VNA

Increasing domestic production essential: NA leader

Promoting production at home is crucial to reducing the trade deficit, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung said at the 42nd ongoing session of the 13th National Assembly’s Standing Committee in Hanoi on October 12. 

He highlighted the significance of maintaining the macro-economic stability and increasing Vietnam’s competitive edge in the global market, especially given the fresh conclusion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement’s negotiations. 

During the sitting, deputies discussed the Government’s socio-economic reports for 2015 and plans for the next year, as well as reviewed the implementation of the State budget in 2015 and the State budget estimate and central budget allocation in 2016. 

They also touched upon the diversification of types of Government bonds and the project on issuing Government bonds in foreign markets by 2020. 

Offering feedback on the draft Law on Property Auction, lawmakers agreed on the need to issue a law to address connivance and create transparency in auctions. 

Designed with eight chapters and 77 articles, the law is also expected to improve the legal framework in adjusting property auction activities. 

The issuance of the law is intended to concretise the regulations of the 2013 Constitution on improving the market economy and developing socio-economic affairs. 

On October 13, the NA Standing Committee will give opinions to the draft revised Law on Signing, Joining and Implementing International Treaties and review preparations for the 10th sitting of the 13th National Assembly.

Argentineans admire Vietnam’s vibrant development

Argentinean friends expressed admiration for Vietnam’s vibrant development during the renovation period at a seminar titled Vietnam: yesterday and today, held in Buenos Aires on October 10. 

Argentina-Vietnam Cultural Institute (ICAV) President Poldi Sosa spoke at the event, highlighting examples of Vietnamese heroism and unity in past struggles for independence and recent socio-economic achievements. 

Representatives from the Vietnamese embassy thanked Argentineans for their support during the war and spoke highly of developments in bilateral ties since the establishment of relations 40 years ago. 

Over the past 10 years, Argentina’s exports to Vietnam have grown 11 percent per year. Two-way trade between Vietnam and Argentina hit 1.7 billion USD in the first eight months of the year – up 28 percent from 2014. 

Participants watched a documentary on devastating consequences the US-led war has left on Vietnam. They also watched Welcome to Vietnam, a short film recently released by the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry. 

The event was hosted by the Association of State Workers of Argentina, the Confederation of Argentine Workers and the Popular Unity Movement.

VNA celebrates 55 years since the birth of LPA

Viet Nam News Agency yesterday marked the 55th anniversary of Liberation Press Agency, which later merged with the Viet Nam News Agency one year after the war ended in a ceremony attended by high-ranking representatives and its veteran journalists in HCM City.

The ceremony in HCM City was attended by former prime minister Phan Van Khai, Chairman of HCM City's People's Committee Le Hoang Quan, General Director of Viet Nam News Agency Nguyen Duc Loi and former VNA general directors.

VNA general Director Loi recalled the establishment of Viet Nam News Agency 70 years ago and the significant contributions of the Liberation Press Agency (LPA), which was founded on October 12, 1960 in Tay Ninh Province's Chang Riec Forest.

Fifteen years after that, soldiers and reporters of the press agency overcame countless difficulties in providing news and photos taken from the battlefield to people around the country and the world.

It is estimated that during the years of war, 260 reporters and officials of Viet Nam News Agency and Liberation Press Agency lost their lives.

The agency has been doing its best to produce quality journalism that helps guide public opinion and to improve the application of advanced technology, as well as create different journalism genres in order to become a national multimedia complex.

"Viet Nam News Agency and Liberation Press Agency have a very close connection. During the years of war, Viet Nam News Agency supplied hundreds of reporters, officials and equipment to the Liberation Press Agency," Loi said.

Viet Nam News Agency has also proven to be a key press agency that operates as a news bank serving the country's press system and both domestic and international readers.

On this occasion, Viet Nam News Agency's Southern Representative inaugurated a showroom displaying 200 artefacts and photos closely linking the task of soldiers and reporters of Viet Nam News Agency and Liberation Press Agency during the war and early years of peacetime.

Most of the exhibited items were donated or lent by the reporters or their relatives. At the showroom, photos taken by reporters of 21 representative offices of Viet Nam News Agency in Viet Nam's Southern region were also displayed.

VNA/VNS/VOV