National Assembly Vice Chairman Phung Quoc Hien (R) and Chairman of the EU – ASEAN Business Council Donald Kanak

National Assembly Vice Chairman Phung Quoc Hien affirmed that Vietnam always provides support for investors in the country, during a reception in Hanoi on October 7 for Chairman of the EU – ASEAN Business Council Donald Kanak.

Hien spoke highly of the council’s role in promoting ties between ASEAN and EU firms, and Vietnamese and EU enterprises in particular.

He said two-way trade between Vietnam and the EU has kept growing over the past years. Progress has been seen in socio-culture, environment, climate change response, administrative reform.

The host expressed his delight at growing ties between the Vietnamese legislature and the European Parliament, and spoke highly of the Vietnam – EU Comprehensive Cooperative Partnership Agreement that took effect in 2016.

He wished that both sides will soon ratify the deals, and asked the council to push for the early ratification by the European Parliament and the EU member parliaments.

Kanak, for his part, said he is accompanied by representatives from 26 EU businesses working in different areas, reflecting their commitment to doing business in Vietnam in the near future.

He affirmed that EU firms are ready to assist Vietnam in assuming the role of ASEAN Chair by 2020./.

Second field hospital ready to perform its tasks: ministry

The meeting to review defence diplomacy in Hanoi on October 7

The Ministry of National Defence highlighted the active preparations for the second Level-2 field hospital while reviewing defence diplomacy during the third quarter at a meeting in Hanoi on October 7.

The ministry reported that in Q3, defence diplomacy was carried out in a comprehensive and practical manner, both bilaterally and multilaterally.

Visits by the ministry’s leaders, defence policy dialogues, border defence friendship exchanges, and officials’ attendance in multilateral conferences greatly helped enhance trust and defence cooperation between Vietnam and other countries, affirm Vietnam’s commitment to contributing to regional and global peace and stability, and safeguard the nation’s interests.

Regarding the participation in UN peacekeeping operations, active preparations were made for the second Level-2 field hospital to be ready to replace the first in South Sudan.

Besides, communications were also carried out in an effective and timely manner, providing an insight into Vietnam’s defence diplomacy, according to the ministry.

At the meeting, participants asked for stronger coordination among relevant agencies and better counseling so as to promote the effectiveness of defence diplomacy. They also stressed the need to keep a close watch on the situation in the world and the region to propose responses to new developments in relations and defence ties with other countries to the Party and State.

It is also necessary to continue working more closely with the Party and State’s external affairs units to prepare defence-related content for visits by Vietnamese leaders to other countries and by foreign high-ranking delegations to Vietnam, officials said./.

First working day of Party Central Committee’s 11th session

Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong chaired the 11th session of the Party Central Committee that opened in Hanoi on October 7.

In the morning, the committee held the opening meeting and Politburo member and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, on behalf of the Political Bureau, managed the event.

Politburo member and permanent member of the Secretariat Tran Quoc Vuong asked for the committee’s opinions on the session’s agenda.

Party leader Trong delivered an opening speech at the event.

Later, delegates studied documents in groups.

In the afternoon, they discussed in groups the draft political report and the draft report on the 10-year implementation of the Platform on national construction during the transitional period to socialism./.

ASEAN members review IAI projects

Delegates at the 59th meeting of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Task Force and the 9th Consultation Meeting of the IAI Task Force and ASEAN Partners in Jakarta, Indonesia. — Photo vov.vn

The 59th meeting of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Task Force and the 9th Consultation Meeting of the IAI Task Force and ASEAN Partners took place in Jakarta, Indonesia from October 3-4.

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Ambassador Trần Đức Bình, head of the Vietnamese mission in ASEAN.

The 59th IAI Task Force Meeting is a regular event gathering representatives from ASEAN countries to review the implementation of IAI projects and seek ways to enhance the efficiency of the IAI Work Plan in the third phase in the 2016-20 period (IAI Work Plan III).

After three years 19 out of 26 actions have been conducted across all five strategic areas of Food and Agriculture; Trade Facilitation; Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises; Education; and Health and Well-Being.

Currently there are 101 projects are underway with total value of US$25.96 million. India, Germany, the EU and Japan are the leading sponsors among ASEAN’s partners.

In the future, the IAI Task Force plans to continue speeding up the project and launch 14 proposals which are being designed.

At the 9th Consultation Meeting of the IAI Task Force and ASEAN Partners, the IAI Task Force briefed the partners of the implementation of the IAI Work Plan III.

Australia, Canada, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, the US, and Switzerland praised the IAI Work Plan III and gave a number of recommendations for the plan’s implementation, as well as the building of the fourth phase.

ASEAN partners reaffirmed their commitment to supporting projects within the IAI framework, while stressing the significance of the initiative in narrowing the development gap among ASEAN countries and enhancing regional integration.

The IAI was launched in 2000, aiming to help ASEAN’s newer member states implement ASEAN commitments and agreements. Through special assistance to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Việt Nam (CLMV countries), it aims to further regional integration in order to narrow the development gap within ASEAN.

The IAI has so far seen the adoption of two work plans. Work Plan I, from 2002 to 2008, comprised 232 projects in four areas. Work Plan II began in 2009, and includes 182 actions aligned with the three ASEAN Community Blueprints 2015.

IAI Work Plan III has been developed in close collaboration with CLMV countries, other ASEAN member States and stakeholders, and is aligned with the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the various sectoral work plans.

Hanoi’s leaders meet with representatives of the intelligentsia

The intelligentsia, artists and scientists have been the valuable resources for the development of the city over time as Hanoi is the convergence of leading experts in various fields.

On the occasion of the Capital’s Liberation Day (October 10), Hanoi’s leaders on October 6 held a meeting with 150 prominent citizens of the intelligentsia in the city who are artists, scientists, journalists and academics having great contributions to the development of the capital, the Government Portal reported.

The meeting was attended by officials of the Hanoi Party Committee, the municipal People’s Committee, the People’s Council and the city's Committee of Vietnam Fatherland Front.

Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung stressed that the intelligentsia, artists and scientists have been the valuable resources for the development of the city over time as Hanoi is the convergence of leading experts in various fields.

At the meeting, Nguyen Duc Chung briefed the delegates on the city’s socio-economic achievements as well as the accomplishment of defense and security missions so far this year. Accordingly, the city’s macroeconomic performance remains steady with higher growth rates against the same period last year despite several challenges.

Between January and September, total tax revenue of Hanoi increased by 16.1% while the city’s gross regional domestic product (GRDP) and the export turnover increased by 7.35% and 20.4%, respectively.

Hanoi welcomed 21.6 million arrivals from January to September, up 9.5% year-on-year. Notably, the competitiveness index of the city has increased continuously, ranks 9th among 63 provinces and cities while the Public Administration Reform (PAR) Index) and the Satisfaction Index of Public Administration Services (SIPAS) are both on the rise.