NA Chairman visits Russia, Germany, Poland

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung will pay official visits to Russia, Germany and Poland from March 9-17.

The visits will be made at the invitation of Chairwoman of the Federation Council (Upper House) of Russia’s Federal Assembly Valentina Matviyenko, President of the German Parliament Norbert Lammert, and Speaker of the Lower House of the Polish Parliament Ewa Kopacz.

Vietnam, Russia further develop defence ties

Vietnam will make all efforts to, together with Russia, continue developing the two countries’ relations in a deep and effective manner in all fields, including defence, President Truong Tan Sang has said.

President Truong Tan Sang receives Russian Defence Minister General Sergei Shoigu. (Source: VNA)

Sang made the statement at a reception in Hanoi on March 5 for Russian Defence Minister General Sergei Shoigu, now on a working visit to Vietnam for the first time since he took up the ministerial position last November.

The President highly valued the outcomets of the talks between Shoigu and his Vietnamese counterpart Gen. Phung Quang Thanh, and said he believed that the visit will contribute practically to boosting the bilateral multi-faceted cooperation.

Over the past years, despite the difference in political mechanisms, the two countries’ cooperation has been effective and enjoyed fine development in line with the comprehensive strategic partnership and each nation’s interests, Sang said, adding that Vietnam is always grateful to the former Soviet Union and Russia for their wholehearted and effective assistance to the country during its national liberation and reunification in the past and construction and socio-economic development at present.

The Vietnamese leader expressed his hope that in his new position, Shoigu will contribute to strengthening the two sides’ defence cooperation.

Shoigu affirmed that he will do his utmost to effectively implement signed cooperation agreements on military and military technology.

Earlier, Shoigu held talks with Vietnamese Defence Minister Thanh.

The two ministers exchanged views on national, regional and international issues, reviewed the results of the cooperation between the two ministries over the past years, as well as worked out cooperation directions in the time to come.

The guest said that the two armies’ cooperation has yet to match each country’s potential and demand. He suggested the two sides strengthen delegation exchanges and carry out specific orientations to lift the bilateral defence ties to a new height, suitable to the two countries’ traditional friendship and matching their comprehensive strategic partnership.

Both host and guest agreed that in the coming time, the two armies need to focus on the fields of military and military technology that they have capacity.

Deputy PM lauds ties with Yunnan

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan voiced pleasure at the development of the friendship and cooperative partnership between Vietnam and China, and Yunnan province in particular, during a meeting with Yunnan province’s Vice Governor Liu Huiyan in Hanoi on March 5.

The Deputy PM highly valued Liu’s ongoing visit to Vietnam, saying that he was very impressed by the province’s ecological agriculture model, which has been applied in some localities in Vietnam with practical effects.

Nhan briefed Liu on Vietnam’s current socio-economic achievements, saying that the Government of Vietnam has managed its economic development flexibly with a growth rate at over 5 percent.

He stressed that to foster economic development and cooperation between the two countries, Vietnam will complete the Hanoi – Lao Cai highway by 2014 as scheduled, while asking China to finish the Kunming – Lao Cai highway early so that the trading line will soon open.

The Vice Governor of Yunnan thanked Deputy PM Nhan for his warm welcome, expressing his impress at Vietnam’s socio-economic development over the past years.

Liu said, over the past 20 years, total trading value between his province and Vietnam has seen an increase of 125 percent, reflecting the unceasing development of the cooperation between the two sides.

With the efforts of both sides, issues, such as infrastructure, will soon be improved in order to further boost bilateral economic and trade cooperation, he noted.

Action programme on foreign news service adopted

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has recently approved an action programme on foreign news service in 2013-2020 with the aim of maximising the capacity of foreign news service channels to serve the national development.

The programme aims to ensure the Government’s concentrated management and strengthen coordination in the production of news destined for the world public to further promote the country’s images and heighten its position in the international arena.

It also helps overseas Vietnamese gain easy access to news updates on current developments in the home country via different communications channels.

There are plans afoot to provide news services through a network of overseas bureaus of Vietnamese news agencies and culture-information centres, the compilation of documents and organisation of training courses and international conferences and seminars in this connection.

Vice President inspects public feedback on Constitution

Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan inspected the collection of public opinions on the draft amendments to the 1992 Constitution in the northern province of Bac Ninh on March 5.

Addressing the event, Doan asked the provincial authorities to pay attention to public feedback on new issues regarding political and economic regimes, local and people’s authorities, State power control, Constitutional and People’s Councils, State Audit Office of Vietnam as well as human and citizens’ rights.

The locality was also requested to enhance leadership and close direction of Party Committees at all levels, develop educational campaigns to call for public involvement, and collect their opinions fully and accurately.

As of March 4, all units at communal and district levels across the province garnered over 6,500 opinions from nearly 9,000 people. Thirteen provincial departments and agencies acquired suggestions from their staff while others were also busy with the work.

The same day, Doan also offered incense at Kinh Duong Vuong royal tomb in Thuan Thanh District.

Vietnam, Hungary to boost cultural cooperation

Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh and Hungarian Minister of Human Resources Balog Zoltan signed an agreement on cultural cooperation between the two countries in Hanoi on March 5.

Under the agreement, Vietnam and Hungary will cooperate in three particular fields, namely culture, sports and tourism.

In the field of culture, the two sides will consider organising cultural activities such as photograph and handicraft exhibitions, art exchanges and film weeks.

In sports, they will facilitate sports cooperation, training and competitions. While in tourism, the two countries will encourage businesses to exploit each other’s markets, organise workshops to introduce their tourism potentials and examine convenient air routes.

Cultural relations between Vietnam and Hungary have seen fine developments in recent years, including the “Vietnamese Culture Week in Hungary” in 2005. However, tourism activities between the two countries remain limited due to geographic distance and lack of a direct air route.

Lao leader meets with senior Vietnamese diplomat

Lao Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongloun Sisoulith on March 5 met with visiting Vietnamese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc.

Ngoc, who is attending a meeting of landlocked countries in Vientiane, informed the host of some bilateral cooperation activities the two ministries of foreign affairs, including an exchange programme, in the coming time.

Deputy PM Sisoulith appreciated Vietnam’s participation in the ongoing meeting of landlocked countries in Laos and said it was showing the two countries’ special relationship.

The Deputy PM expressed hope that the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to help Laos organise upcoming international meetings following the success of a series of events in Laos last year.

VNN/VOV/VNA