Worship of Hung Kings ‘source of strength for all Vietnamese'

The worship of the Hung Kings, the founders of the Vietnamese nation, generates a source of strength for their offspring to overcome any difficulties and challenges in nation-building, President Truong Tan Sang said at a ceremony in the northern province of Phu Tho on Saturday.
According to Vietnamese legend, the 18 Hung King dynasties ruled during the first period of Vietnamese history, from 2879-258 BC.

The worshipping rituals of the Hung King was performed at the ceremony in the northern province of Phu Tho. The worship will help Vietnamese generations to overcome difficulties and challenges.
 

The worshipping rituals are closely related to the ancestor worshipping tradition of most Vietnamese families, which forms an important part of people's spiritual lives.

The ceremony, which coincided with the opening of the Hung Kings Temple Festival, marked the ritual's recent recognition as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Party, government and provincial officials attended the event along with representatives of UNESCO's Secretariat and 25 countries in the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee on implementing the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Addressing the event, President Sang spoke highly of the great contributions the people of Phu Tho had made to preserve the ritual.

The practice of worshipping the Hung Kings also reminded the Vietnamese to protect one another in all circumstances, he said. As such, it was not only a ritual, but also a valuable illustration of the people's cultural identity and an indication of the gratitude people felt to the founders of the nation.

After the certificate was presented, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh called for relevant ministries and agencies to join together to make people aware of the importance of preserving and promoting the worshipping ritual and associated places.

Phu Tho Province alone has 181 sites dedicated to worshipping the Hung Kings, the kings' relatives and their commanders. There are 1,471 such sites nationwide.

Also on Saturday, more than 3,000 artists and artisans took part in a street festival highlighting ancestral folklore in northern Phu Tho Province.

The artists came from 13 districts and towns in the province, the Central Ethnic Minority Pre-University School and Phu Tho Ethnic Minority Boarding School. Thousands of locals flocked to watch performances of xoan singing –another world intangible heritage – as well as du drum dancing, gong performances from the Muong ethnic group and the distinctive folk songs of the Cao Lan people.

An incense offering to the Hung Kings was held at Kinh Thien palace in the Hung Kings temple complex yesterday, April 14.

US serviceman’s remains repatriated

On April 14, a repatriation ceremony for the remains of a US serviceman who died during the war in Vietnam was held at Da Nang International Airport in Vietnam’s central region.

Representatives from the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Personnel (VNOSMP) and representatives from the US Defence Attaché Office, the US Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and the US MIA Office in Hanoi attended the ceremony.

The Vietnamese side handed over the remains that were recovered during the 110 th Joint Field Activity from March to April, 2013. The remains had been jointly analysed by Vietnamese and US forensic specialists who concluded that they might be that of a US soldier killed during the war in Vietnam, and recommended the remains be taken to Hawaii (US) for further examination.

Addressing the ceremony, the US Government representative expressed high appreciation for the steadfast humanitarian policy, goodwill, and cooperation of the Vietnamese Government and people.

Recovering the remains of US servicemen killed during the war in Vietnam is a joint humanitarian effort between the Vietnam and US Governments. This is the 126th repatriation occasion since 1973.

‘Tap into all resources' advises Party leader     

Party Secretary General Nguyen Phu Trong has asked Binh Phuoc Province to tap its forest and resources potential, eliminate corruption and wasteful management - and to unite residents in further socio-economic development.

According to Binh Phuoc leaders, the province generated an economic growth of about 12.26 per cent between 2011-13. Even during the difficult year of 2012, it paid VND3,900 billion to the State budget.

Province officials also briefed the party leader on several cases related to mismanagement of forest trees and rubber plants.

Trong applauded Binh Phuoc's efforts to reduce the number of poor households to 5.4 per cent and improve lives of residents in all areas.

He instructed the province to make further progress in implementing Resolution 4 of the Party Central Committee (XI Congress) on strengthening the Party.

Earlier during the day, he visited soldiers and residents at Tan Lap Commune in Dong Phu District, one of the 16 locations in the province where new rural areas are being established.

On Saturday, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has asked southern Binh Duong province to continue building the Party, in particular within businesses.

However, supervision of the criticisms and self-criticisms of local Party members needed to be intensified, Trong told a working session with Binh Duong's key officials during a visit on Saturday.

He praised the determination Binh Duong provincial Party Committee had shown in carrying out the Party Central Committee's resolutions, saying that the province had been quicker than other southern localities to industrialise and urbanise thanks to efficient usage of its geographical position, land, and human resources.

The industries have to date contributed to 62 percent of the locality's GDP and lifted...

yearly per capita income to VND44.2 million in 2012. This is projected to turn Binh Duong into an industrialised province by 2015, five years ahead of target.

The province has to date received investment capital of VND107.6 trillion ($5.1 billion), from nearly 14,000 local investors, and more than US$18 billion from 2,100 foreign investors. Export turnover in 2011-2012 hit US$22.4 billion.

Trong was pleased at the locality's social welfare programes, which have so far provided houses for 13,700 low-income earners and poor people. Another 164,000 low-income earners and workers will also be helped to buy homes.

NA deputies discuss connection with voters

A conference to share experience in maintaining the connection between National Assembly (NA) deputies and voters was held in the northern province of Quang Ninh on April 13.

The conference was organised by the NA Office, the NA’s Ombudsman Committee, the Representative Office of Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Foundation and the European Union.

According to Nguyen Manh Cuong, Permanent Member of the NA’s Justice Committee, NA deputies meet with only 0.6 percent of the country’s 56 million voters every year. Therefore, he asked the deputies to maintain regular meetings with voters to come to understand their aspirations and timely present their opinions to the NA and relevant agencies.

Nguyen Thi Hong Ha, Deputy Head of Hanoi’s delegation of NA deputies, suggested organising separate meetings with voters from each sector like electricity supply, health care, internal affairs and justice to receive more professional and in-depth opinions.

Nguyen Thanh Binh, Head of the Ombudsman Office under the Department of Democracy and Law of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, attached importance to the coordination between the front and relevant agencies to organise voter-meeting rounds. He said deputies should be allowed to meet with voters at public locations such as supermarkets, theatres and stadiums with the assistance of local authorities.

To conclude the event, Ngo Tu Nam, Vice Director of the NA Standing Committee’s Committee for Deputies’ Affairs, said that Vietnamese NA deputies don’t have their own offices due to limited resources. Therefore, they need assistants to receive and hand in voters’ opinions when they are absent.

Deputy FM visits Azerbaijan

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Phuong Nga paid a visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan from April 10-12.

During her time in the country, Nga met with Azerbaijan Foreign Minister, Elmar Mammadyarov, and worked with Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov, as well as the Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Deputy Minister of Industry and Energy, and the President and leaders of the State Oil Company, SOCAR.

FM Mammadyarov praised Vietnam's achievements during itsnational construction and development and its position and status in the region and the world.

He affirmed that Azerbaijan attaches much importance to strengthening its traditional ties of friendship and cooperation with Vietnam.

The two sides agreed on measures to further foster multifaceted cooperation in exchange visits, trade, education and training and particularly, training oil experts.

They concurred to boost negotiations for signing an investment encouragement and protection agreement and a double tax avoidance Agreement in agriculture and tourism, and support each other at international forums and organizations.

During her visit, Nga delivered a speech at the first international forum for former students of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) in Baku that was sponsored by Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliev.

Deputy PM meets with OCA President

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan on Friday welcomed President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah who is also the chairman of the Association of National Olympic Committees.

Nhan hosted the president's visit to Ha Noi and thanked him for the support he gave to the country in the sport sector as well as for the annual provision of financial aid to the country's Olympic Committee to promote sports activities, improve sport performance, purchase equipment and train athletes.

He affirmed that Viet Nam was committed to satisfying requirements that the Olympic Council of Asia had set for the organisation of the 5th Asian Beach Games in 2016 and 18th Asian Games in 2019, and the country would ensure the development of necessary infrastructure to successfully host the 18th Asian Games in 2019 (ASIAD).

The OCA president said that a sports delegation from Australia is set to cooperate and assist Viet Nam in preparations for the 18th ASIAD. He expressed his belief that after these two events, Viet Nam's sporting image will be popularised throughout the Asian region.

Party chief asks for Party building in businesses

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has asked southern Binh Duong province to continue paying due attention to building the Party, in particular at businesses.

Inspection over the exercise of criticism and self-criticism among local Party members, which have so far numbered 31,000, needs to be constantly intensified, Trong stressed at a working session with Binh Duong’s key officials during his visit to the locality on April 13.

He praised the unity and high determination the Binh Duong provincial Party’s Committee has shown in its leadership and instructions to carry out the Party Central Committee’s big ideas.

Binh Duong has been quicker than other southern localities in terms of industrialisation and urbanisation thanks to its efficient usage of geographical position, land, and especially human resources.

That the industries having to date contributed to 62 percent of the locality’s GDP and the per capita annum income hitting 44.2 million VND in 2012 would turn Binh Duong into an industrialised province by 2015, five years ahead of the country’s set target.

The province has to date received an investment capital of 107.6 trillion VND, registered by more than 13,900 local investors, and over 18 billion USD, pumped in 2,100 projects by foreign investors.

Export turnover in 2011-2012 fetched to 22.4 billion USD.

Trong was pleased to see initial outcomes of the locality’s social welfare programes, which have so far provided houses for 13,700 low-income earners and poor people, and target to assist 164,000 other low-income earners and workers to afford their homes.

In the morning of the day, the Party leader made a tour of the Binh Duong Garment MTV Company, the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park, the Binh Duong industrial-service-urban complex, the provincial administration-politics area, and Eastern international university.

As the fastest growing and most successful industrial park in Vietnam, VSIP I is catering for 240 investors worldwide with a total investment capital of 2.1 billion USD and generating jobs for more than 70,000 local people. VSIP II has drawn in 129 foreign investors who have come up with 1.4 billion USD and created jobs for nearly 24,000 locals.

Eastern international university provides training courses at request of businesses, aiming to meet the province’s human resource needs to secure sustainable socio-economic development.

HCM City hopes for further ties with France

HCM City are aiming to strengthen multi-faceted cooperation with France, especially in the sectors of trade, investment, climate change adaptation and urban planning and lighting. Other sectors the city will look to cooperate with France are in education training and human resources development.

Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam, Deputy Secretary of the municipal Party Committee and Chairwoman of the municipal People's Council called for stronger ties at a ceremony held in the city on Friday to mark the 40th anniversary of Viet Nam-France diplomatic ties (April 12, 1973-2013).

HCM City has already fostered multi-faceted cooperation with France, especially in culture, education and training, health, and science-technology, she said.

Fabrice Mauries, French Consul General in HCM City, said France is now one of the leading donors of official development assistance (ODA) for Viet Nam, adding that more than 300 French businesses are operating in Viet Nam, generating nearly 30,000 jobs for local people, he added.

He highlighted science, education, research, culture and defence as priorities in the two countries' cooperation that need to be stepped up in the future.

Viet Nam, Slovakia strengthen defence co-operation

Deputy Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh and Slovakian State Secretary of Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs Peter Burian have agreed to increase bilateral cooperation in the defence industry.

During their meeting on Friday, Peter Burian said his country was willing to supply Viet Nam with mine detection and clearance equipment, flight simulation training systems, and other products.

The two sides valued the fine traditional ties between their governments, peoples and armed forces. They also spoke highly of efforts from both sides to step up their defence cooperation in recent years.

Earlier the same day, Vinh and Peter Burian co-chaired a forum for Vietnamese and Slovakian businesses involved in the defence industry.

Gia Lai urged to work harder to reduce poverty

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has urged the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai to do more to reduce the rate of poverty, particularly among ethnic minority people.

At a working session with key provincial leaders on April 12 as part of his trip to attend the second Central Highlands investment promotion conference in Pleiku, Dung said the province should effectively implement the national target programme on building new-style rural areas while assisting locals in developing family-based economies.

The PM suggested that Gia Lai boost agricultural production, and apply scientific advances and new technologies to improve productivity and competitiveness, especially in the coffee, rubber, pepper and animal husbandry sectors.

At the same time, the province needs to improve its investment environment to attract investors into areas with high development potentials, such as the cultivation and processing of industrial crops.

More attention should be paid to improving health care and education services, especially high-quality human resource training to meet development demand, Dung said.

He hailed the province for its achievements over the past years, especially those of last year. The locality enjoyed a GDP growth of 12.9 percent. Annual income per capita reached 26 million VND (1,200 USD) and the rate of poor households fell by 3.82 percent, equivalent to 8,370 households.

Dung and leaders of ministries and central agencies also gave their opinions on Gia Lai’s proposals, including the upgrading of the Pleiku airport terminal and funding for key transport, irrigation and cultural infrastructure projects in the locality.

While in Gia Lai, the PM visited the provincial police and Army Corps 3 High Command.

VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA