Vietnam has massive potential for EU businesses: Greek diplomat

Deputy Foreign Minister of Greece Terens - Nikolaos Quick on December 10 said Vietnam possesses massive potential for European Union (EU) exporters and investors to do business, both now and in the future.

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, the visiting Greek official praised the host country’s economic development and highlighted: “Vietnam, with a population of 95 million and a fast growing economy, is a rising economic power in South East Asia”.

He pointed out Greek businesses’ expertise, know-how, experience and dynamism, saying that the cooperation between Vietnamese and Greek businesses presents opportunities for synergies and mutual growth in a variety of sectors, particularly in transport and logistics, shipping and the energy sector.

The Deputy Foreign Minister also underlined the potential for mutual tourism development thanks to the two nations’ rich culture, hospitality and natural environment as a common feature and said: “Greek businesses’ know that in Vietnam they will have the opportunity to partner with trustworthy and reliable counterparts”.

He touched upon the conclusion of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) this summer, expressing his hope the European Parliament will approve the deal swiftly to allow businesses, workers, farmers and consumers to reap the benefits as soon as possible.

According to the official, the EU-Vietnam FTA is the most ambitious and comprehensive FTA that the EU has ever concluded with a developing country. It shows Vietnam’s dynamic approach in pursuing international integration for the good of its citizens.

The agreement will open up new opportunities for EU and Vietnamese operators to export and invest. It will bring unprecedented advantages and benefits for European and Vietnamese companies, workers and consumers, he added.

The Deputy Foreign Minister affirmed that his country is a staunch supporter of the early conclusion and full implementation of both trade and investment agreements.

He further added that as a member of the EU in the crossroads of the Mediterranean, the Balkans, Western Europe and Asia, Greece boasts both the geographical location and the transport infrastructure as well as human capital to constitute a trade hub supporting and developing trade investment and flow in an out of Europe.

Dak Lak advised to develop green, hi-tech agriculture

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc holds working session with Dak Lak leaders 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc advised the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak to focus resources on developing green and hi-tech agriculture while holding a working session with provincial leaders as part of his visit to the locality on December 8.

He requested the province to bring into full play its strength, particularly the production and export of coffee.

According to him, the position as the world’s second largest coffee exporter is giving Vietnam in general and Dak Lak in particular the power to hold and regulate the supply on a market of nearly 2 billion coffee users each day.

He required the locality to step up socio-economic development in combination with ensuring defence security, and pay more attention to afforestation and wood processing.

Underlining the important role of enterprises in the province’s economic growth, the Government leader urged Dak Lak to quickly improve its business and investment climate, attract investment, and boost economic development to soon achieve a target of balancing its budget on its own.

Among Central Highlands provinces, Dak Lak must take the lead in the mission towards balancing the budget, Phuc stressed.

To that end, the province should focus on building new and effective models in poverty reduction, such as clean and smart agriculture, together with investing in deep processing, tourism and services, he suggested.

The Prime Minister also requested ministries and sectors to map out strategies to develop the Central Highlands region, especially in transport to help meet the region’s demand for development.

At the working session, senior officials from several ministries and sectors proposed the province attract investments in renewal energy and farm produce processing, and pay more attention to development forest economy.

Dak Lak is projected to enjoy an economic growth rate of 7.82 percent this year. Thanks to trade promotion and communications improvement, the province attracts 60 projects totaling 9.3 trillion VND (399.1 million USD) in the year. 

The locality also enjoys a year-on-year rise of 15.5 percent in the number of tourists. Budget collection is estimated at 5.5 trillion VND (236 million VND), up 6.3 percent year-on-year, and the poverty rate down 2.55 percent. It also plants additional 2,261 hectares of forests, representing 215 percent of the yearly target.

Cambodian Front delegation visits Mekong Delta province

Vice Secretary of Soc Trang provincial Party Committee Lam Van Man (L) presents a photo featuring the province's traditional boat race to delegation from the Solidarity Front for the Development of Cambodian Motherland National Council (Source: baosoctrang.org.vn)

A high-ranking delegation from the Solidarity Front for the Development of Cambodian Motherland (SFDCM) National Council led by its Vice President and Secretary General Nhem Valy paid a working visit to the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang on December 7.

Welcoming the delegation, Vice Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Lam Van Man shared that with the resolve and joint efforts of the local Party Committee, army and people, the locality has created favourable conditions for locals to invest in developing production and business, and carried out policies to preserve and promote traditional culture of the Khmer ethnic group, and maintain the national great unity.

Soc Trang often welcomes working delegations of Cambodia, including those from Kep province, Man said, hoping that the SFDCM National Council will continue acting as a bridge nurturing the friendship between Vietnam and Cambodia as well as between Soc Trang and Kep.

At the working session, leading officials from Soc Trang’s departments and Vietnam Fatherland Front – provincial chapter also informed the delegation of front and mass mobilisation works for Khmer ethnic minorities in the locality.

Nhem Valy affirmed that his visit aims to consolidate and tighten friendship between the two countries.

Later on the same day, the delegation visited the provincial Association for Solidarity of Patriotic Buddhist Monks, during which Nhem Valy appreciated the association’s contributions to Buddhism.

He voiced his hope that the two countries’ Buddhist organisations will have closer friendship in the time ahead.

Senior Party official visits Angola

The Vietnamese Party delegation received by Member of the MPLA’s Political Bureau and First Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Emília Carlota Dias (C)

Politburo member and permanent member of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’s Secretariat Tran Quoc Vuong led a high-ranking Party delegation to pay a working visit to Angola from December 5-7.

During his stay, Vuong held talks with Secretary General of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) Álvaro de Boavida Neto and met with member of the MPLA’s Political Bureau and First Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Emília Carlota Dias. 

On this occasion, the two parties signed a new cooperation agreement for the 2018-2023 period.

At these meetings, both sides informed each other of the situation of their respective Party and country, while exchanging views on regional and international situations as well as measures to intensify relations between the two Parties and two countries in the time to come.

Angolan leaders appreciated the visit, considering it a milestone and a chance to boost the bilateral ties.

Speaking of Vietnam’s role and position in the region and the world and its “Doi moi” (Renewal) achievements, they said Angola wants to learn from Vietnam’s experience in national building and development as well as in Party building, corruption prevention and control, personnel training.

They suggested both sides step up collaboration in agriculture, health, education and training, and energy.

For his part, Vuong affirmed that the Vietnamese Party, State and people always remember the support by the MPLA and Angolan people for Vietnam’s past struggle for national liberation and its current nation building and safeguarding cause.

He showed his delight at positive development between the two parties over the past times, which, he said, has contributed to fostering the traditional friendship and solidarity between the two countries and their people.

Both sides agreed to make more efforts to effectively implement the freshly-inked cooperation agreement, with the focus on the exchange of all-level delegations, the sharing of information and experience, and the maintenance of coordination at multilateral forums.

The Vietnamese Party official also met representatives from the Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnamese community in Angola, during which he encouraged them to unite and exert efforts to overcome all difficulties to stabilise their lives, integrate themselves into the host country, and contribute more to the bilateral relations.

The Party delegation also laid flowers on the Ho Chi Minh Avenue in Luanda and visited the António Agostinho Neto Memorial to commemorate the late Angolan President.

Japanese Emperor’s 85th birthday celebrated in HCM City

The Japanese Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City held a ceremony on December 7 to mark Japanese Emperor Akihito’s 85th birthday (December 23). 

The event was attended by former President Truong Tan Sang, Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong, and Japanese businessmen and people living in the southern hub.

Consul General Kawaue Junichi highlighted the Emperor’s contributions to deepening the sound relations between Japan and Vietnam.

In 2018, the two countries have organised numerous activities celebrating the 45th anniversary of the diplomatic ties, including events in HCM City and surrounding localities.

Consul General Kawaue Junichi thanked the local authorities and agencies for their sentiment, support and cooperation, and said he hopes to receive continued the city’s support and collaboration in developing the ties between Japan and HCM City, contributing to promoting the relations between the two countries.

Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong congratulated Emperor Akihito on his 85th birthday, and highlighted the ties between the city and Japan, especially in 2018.

Japan’s total investments in HCM City exceeded 4 billion USD in 2018, making the East Asian nation the fifth investor among 100 countries and territories investing in the city. More than 1,200 Japanese businesses have opened their offices and factories in the city.

Bilateral trade between HCM City and Japan reached 5 billion USD in 2017.

In the first half of this year, the city welcomed nearly 300,000 Japanese visitors. 

The same day, the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Association (VJFA) of Ho Chi Minh City held a get-together to mark Emperor Akihito’s 85th birthday.

Delegation of Vietnam People’s Navy visits India

Vice Admiral Pham Hoai Nam, Commander of the Vietnam People's Navy (Photo: baodongnai.com.vn)

A high-ranking delegation of the Vietnam People’s Navy led by Vice Admiral Pham Hoai Nam, Commander of the Vietnamese navy, paid a visit to India from December 4 to 8.

The visit was made at the invitation of Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy.

While in New Delhi, Vice Admiral Pham Hoai Nam and Admiral Sunil Lanba exchanged information on cooperation between the navies of Vietnam and India over the years, and directions for future partnership in such spheres as personnel training and technical maintenance. They proposed other fields for naval cooperation. 

Earlier, the Vietnamese delegation laid a floral wreath at India Gate – the monument for Indian fallen soldiers.

During the trip, the delegation also visited several naval units, submarines and warships of the Indian Navy in Mumbai city, Maharashtra state.

The visit aimed to promote naval cooperation between the two nations, thus strengthening defence collaboration in accordance with signed documents, including the Joint Vision Statement on defence cooperation for 2015-2020. 

Czech-Vietnam Friendship Association holds 22nd congress

Chairman Milos Kusy of the Czech-Vietnam Friendship Association speaks at the congress 

The Czech-Vietnam Friendship Association (CVFA) always supports and stands side by side with Vietnam in the cause of defending sea and island sovereignty, its Chairman Milos Kusy said.

Kusy made the statement at the CVFA’s 22nd congress held in Prague, the Czech Republic, on December 8 to review its past performances and set out new tasks in boosting traditional ties between the two nations.

He highlighted the association’s major operations in the past years, including its efforts to assist Vietnamese expatriates in integrating into the Czech society, and fostering the bilateral friendship, particularly via communications campaigns to raise Czech people’s awareness about Vietnam’s culture and socio-economic achievements.

Kusy said in the CVFA will focus on practical activities to celebrate the 70th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Czech Republic and Vietnam (1950-2020). 

It will hold more communications campaigns to help Czechs know more about the traditional friendship between the two nations and contributions of Vietnamese expats to the Czech Republic, while aiding overseas Vietnamese students and creating jobs for the Vietnamese community, he added.

Kusy unveiled that a conference will be held to show the association’s support for Vietnam’s cause of protecting its sovereignty over seas and islands.

Speaking at the congress, Chargé d’affaires at the Vietnamese Embassy Tran Thanh Huong stressed that the embassy and Vietnamese expats value effective operations of the CRFA. She vowed to assist its future activities for the enhancement of bilateral ties.

Nguyen Duy Nhien, head of the Vietnamese Association in the Czech Republic, thanked the association’s assistance toward the community, particularly in defending their legitimate rights and interests as well as in mounting charitable activities for the group’s sake.

Festival celebrates Vietnam-Laos special friendship

A performance at the festival's opening ceremony 

The Vietnam-Laos special friendship festival opened in Dien Bien Phu city in the northern border province of Dien Bien on December 8 to mark the 56th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the 41st anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation between the two countries.

The event drew representatives from the Lao Embassy in Vietnam and northern Lao provinces, as well as leaders of 24 provinces sharing the borderlines with Laos, China and Cambodia, among others.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Hoang Vinh Bao emphasised the significance of the festival in strengthening the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.

The two-day festival was expected to offer a chance to boost the dissemination of information about external relations in border areas in order to raise awareness and responsibility of local authorities and people of firmly safeguarding national independence, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, maintaining peace and stability for national development and raising Vietnam’s position and prestige in the region and the world as a whole.

It also enabled businesses of Dien Bien province to expand their partnerships, he added.

The festival featured a series of activities, including artistic performances, a photo exhibition on Vietnam-Laos special ties, and an economic, culture and tourism fair.

A conference to promote trade, investment and tourism of Dien Bien was held, seeking measures to strengthen border exchange activities of Vietnamese border localities and Dien Bien with border provinces of Laos and the East-West economic corridor.

At the opening ceremony, the organising borad announced winners of a photo contest exploring the beauty of Dien Bien.

Exhibition on ASEAN Community opens in Binh Duong

An exhibition displaying photos and documentaries in the ASEAN Community opened in the southern province of Binh Duong on December 7.

The exhibition is jointly organised by the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Binh Duong People’s Committee.

The four-day event features more than 300 photos and nearly 60 documentary films that entered the international contests in recent years. 

The works depict many themes such as the beauty of nature and people in ASEAN member nations, as well as the countries’ culture and activities to protect the environment and respond to climate change. 

Especially, the ASEAN postage stamp and seal are also on display.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Pham Hong Hai noted that it is part of activities of Vietnam to raise public awareness of the construction and development of the ASEAN Community.

After the exhibition, all of the exhibits will be presented to the provincial People’s Committee for further display.

Vietnamese, Cuban parties boost information-education cooperation

A meeting between the delegation of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education and officials of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee’s department for theoretical affairs 

A delegation of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education, led by its deputy head Le Manh Hung, paid a working visit to Cuba from December 3-8.

The visit was made as part of the CPV’s agreement on exchange and cooperation with the Communist Party of Cuba (CPC).

During the trip, the CPV delegation had several meetings with leaders of the CPC Central Committee’s departments for external affairs, information and education, economic affairs, and theoretical affairs.

At the meetings, the two sides exchanged views on Party-building contents in terms of theory, politics and ideology as well as information on achievements attained by Vietnam in its three decades of reform and by Cuba since its socio-economic model update initiated at the CPC’s 6th congress.

The discussions focused on experiences in carrying out missions in the fronts of politics, ideology, culture, and education. They stressed progresses they have achieved and pointed to challenges amid the fast development of information technology, the Internet and social networks.

The two sides expressed their wishes to boost delegation exchanges between the two parties’ agencies to update information and boost theoretical development.

As part of the visit, the CPV delegation paid working visits to University of Havana, Cuban Institute of Friendship with Peoples (ICAP), and Cuban journalists' association (UPEC). 

The Vietnamese delegates also called at Vo Thi Thang primary school in Havana and University of Matanzas "Camilo Cienfuegos and laid flowers in tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his statue and Cuban national hero Jose Marti.

Vietnamese expats in India, Nepal meet to discuss life issues

Vietnamese Ambassador to India Pham Sanh Chau speaks at the gathering of Vietnamese expatriates in India and Nepal on December 9 

Vietnamese expatriates in India and Nepal had a gathering in New Delhi on December 9 to share their difficulties and advantages while living in the South Asian nations.

The Vietnamese Embassy in India estimates that there are about 500 Vietnamese in India and 40 – 50 others in Nepal. They include some 180 monks and nuns studying Buddhism and philosophy at Buddhist centres or places of worship, along with about 90 students, in India.

Nguyen Duy Khanh, head of the consular division at the embassy, said due to major cultural and language differences, Vietnamese have faced many problems in integrating into local societies. 

He noted that women who married Indians have fewer chances to work. Meanwhile, Vietnamese students here also encounter certain difficulties compared to their peers in other countries because scholarships and living infrastructure are modest, and they have almost no chances to get part-time jobs.

At the meeting, Vietnamese Ambassador to India Pham Sanh Chau expressed his hope that each expatriate will help popularise Vietnam’s images among local people.

He also promised utmost efforts to create the best possible conditions for the overseas communities in India and Nepal to develop.