VN-India defence policy dialogue concretises joint commitments

The 11th Vietnam-India defence policy dialogue, which took place in New Delhi, India on August 1, demonstrated India’s high political trust and wish to enhance defence ties with Vietnam, said Vietnamese Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh. 

The official, who co-chaired the dialogue, told the Vietnam News Agency that he is pleased with results of the event, which, he said, is to concretise commitments reached by high-ranking leaders of the two countries, especially those between the two defence ministries aiming to intensify defence cooperation, mutual political trust and national defence of both countries. 

According to the deputy minister, Vietnam and India have agreed to organise high-level visits and delegation exchanges, and cooperate in training, defence industry and high-technology as well as between armed services. 

To that end, it requires the two sides to roll out specific programmes and plans for effective cooperation, he said, noting that during the dialogue, they reached a programme on defence collaboration in the next five years. 

Accordingly, they will step up the exchange of strategic viewpoints and defence policies, as well as collaboration in training and other spheres like peace-keeping operations, maritime security and defence science-technology, among others. 

Of note, the two sides consented to set forth common plans on all realms in an effort to deal with their differences and raise the efficiency of cooperation, Sen. Lieut. Gen. Vinh said. 

The deputy minister said the dialogue took place in the context that the Vietnam-India comprehensive strategic partnership thrived over the past two years, citing visits to India by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and President Tran Dai Quang in January and March 2018. 

Last June, Indian Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also visited Vietnam, during which the minister and her Vietnamese counterpart Ngo Xuan Lich committed to enhancing the bilateral defence ties, he said.-VNA

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang 

Vietnam congratulates Cambodia on the successful organisation of the election of the country’s sixth National Assembly on July 29, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang. 

Hang made the statement in response to reporters’ query regarding Cambodia’s general election at the Foreign Ministry’s regular press conference on August 2.

The spokesperson noted that the election took place in a safe, free and democratic manner with a high rate of turnout, demonstrating the trust of Cambodian voters in the country’s development future.

“As a neighbouring country with sound traditional ties with Cambodia, Vietnam believes that following the success, Cambodia will continue to gain greater achievements in building a peaceful, stable and prosperous nation,” Hang said.

She emphasised that Vietnam is confident that the traditional friendship and sustainable comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and Cambodia will continue to be strengthened in the time ahead, benefiting people of the two nations.

The election of the sixth National Assembly of Cambodia took place from 7am to 3pm on July 29.

According to Cambodia’s National Election Committee (NEC), the voter turnout was estimated at 82.17 percent. 

The figure is much higher than that of the previous election held in 2013, which was over 69.60 percent. 

Twenty political parties contested in the Sunday's general election. The NEC announced on July 30 that the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) won the most votes in the general election with more than 4.8 million votes or 76.78 percent.

The CPP was followed by the National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia (FUNCINPEC) with 373,500 votes (5.88 percent); the League for Democracy Party (LDP) with 308,000 votes (4.86 percent); and the Khmer Will Party (KWP) with 212,000 votes (3.35 percent). 

The remaining political parties received from more than 8,000 to 100,000 votes, or somewhere between 0.14 and 1.56 percent.

New momentum for economic growth needed: PM

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the first meeting of national steering committee on economic restructuring and growth model reform 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has tasked the national steering committee on economic restructuring and growth model reform with seeking ways to create new momentum for the national economy. 

The PM made the request at the first meeting of the committee in Hanoi on August 2 that aims to review the implementation of the Government’s action programme on realising resolutions on growth model reform adopted by the Party Central Committee and the National Assembly over the past one and a half years. 

PM Phuc, who heads the committee, highlighted the important role played by institutions, policies and laws; the economic sector; international economic integration, especially free trade agreements; and science-technology, particularly the fourth industrial revolution, in economic restructuring. 

Ministries, agencies and localities should change their viewpoints and actions, thus creating breakthroughs to improve productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness, he said, describing this as a decisive factor to make the national economy develop sustainably and avoid lagging behind. 

The PM also emphasised the need to focus on revamping State management comprehensively and continue efforts in building the Government that works effectively. 

Growth quality has been improved over the past time, with contributions of the total factor productivity (TFP) increasing from 33 percent during 2011-2015 to 40.68 percent in 2016 and 45.19 percent last year, he said. 

However, the leader pointed out that shortcomings in mechanisms, policies and laws have hindered the implementation of economic restructuring and growth model reform solutions. 

Stressing the significant role of the State and market in economic restructuring, PM Phuc said it is necessary to complete the socialist-oriented market economy mechanism. 

Speaking at the working session, members of the committee suggested facilitating ongoing key projects in order to soon put them into operation, creating impulses for economic growth. 

Nguyen Dinh Cung, head of the Central Institute for Economic Management, proposed seeking new driving forces right in the domestic economy, explaining that if Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the central city of Da Nang grow 1 percent each, the national economy would expand by 0.5 percent.-VNA 

Party resolution brings remarkable changes in agriculture, rural areas

The implementation of the 10th Party Central Committee’s Resolution 26-NQ/TW on agriculture, farmers and rural areas in the past decade has brought about marked achievements, said Politburo member and head of the Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission Nguyen Van Binh. 

He made the remark at a meeting on August 2 between the Central Steering Committee for reviewing 10 years of implementing Resolution 26 and the Party committee of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, which discussed a draft report summing up the resolution’s implementation in the past decade. 

Binh noted that agriculture has witnessed a strong shift towards commodity production, with the export value of agro-forestry-fishery products in 2017 increasing nearly six times over that of 2008. Rural areas across the country get a facelift thanks to the campaign of building new style rural areas, and the spiritual and material life of rural residents has improved remarkably.

The draft summing report attested to the correctness of Resolution 26 on a sector that accounts for nearly 70 percent of the national population and 40 percent of the nation’s workforce. 

According to the report, several goals for 2020 set in the resolution are likely to be fulfilled, including raising the income of rural residents by more than 2.5 times compared to present (the per capita income in rural areas in 2017 was 32 million VND, up 3.49 times from 2008). 

The agricultural sector will employ around 30 percent of the workforce by 2020 (the rate was 38.6 percent in June this year), while half of the communes nationwide will achieve all criteria for new style rural areas. 

Besides the achievements, delegates at the meeting pointed out the problems in the implementation of the resolution and targets that are unlikely to be completed. They also put forth recommendations on how to carry out the resolution in the 2021-2030 period. 

Opinions at the meeting and reports from relevant ministries, agencies and localities will serve as important foundations for the Steering Committee to compile a report on the implementation of Resolution 26 to be submitted to the Politburo in the fourth quarter of this year. 

Resolution 26, which was passed by the 7th plenum of the 10th Party Central Committee on August 5, 2008, was the first thematic resolution to assess and define comprehensive and synchronous solutions to issues related to agriculture, farmers and rural areas.-VNA 

The third meeting of the Vietnam-Thailand Joint Trade Committee opened on August 2 in Hanoi to enhance bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

The two-day event is co-chaired by Minister of Industry and Trade (MoIT) Tran Tuan Anh and Thai Commerce Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong.

At the meeting, the two sides will review economic and trade cooperation of the nations since the previous meeting in 2015, as well as discuss plans to bring two-way trade to 20 billion USD in 2020 and ensure a more balanced trade in the time to come.

Measures to address obstacles in export-import activities are high on the agenda.

The meeting will also talk about ways to promote collaboration in related areas, including trade facilitation, agriculture, transport connectivity, customs, banking, investment, labour, intellectual property, regional and sub-regional cooperation.

Thailand is currently Vietnam’s largest trade partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), according to the Department of Asia-Africa Markets under the MoIT.

Last year, Vietnam - Thailand trade rose to 15.3 billion USD from 11.5 billion USD in 2015, recording an average growth rate of 15.5 percent per year.

As of the beginning of July 2018, bilateral trade reached around eight billion USD, a rise of 14.7 percent year-on-year. Vietnam’s export revenue to Thailand hit 2.7 billion USD in the period, while its import stood at 5.3 billion USD.

Thailand’s statistics showed Vietnam is the second largest trading partner of Thailand in ASEAN, after Malaysia.

Huge cooperation potential for Hanoi, Canadian cities

Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung (R) hosts outgoing Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Ping Kitnikone (Source: http://kinhtedothi.vn)

The cooperation potential between Hanoi and Canadian cities in trade, tourism, education and culture has yet to be fully tapped, said Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung.

He made the statement at a reception for outgoing Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Ping Kitnikone in the capital city on August 2.

Chung congratulated Kitnikone on completing her working tenure in Vietnam and recognised positive outcomes in the connection of high-level delegations between Hanoi and Canadian cities.

He hoped the diplomat in any position would continue working to develop Canada’s relations with Vietnam and Hanoi in particular.

Kitnikone affirmed that she will do her utmost to enhance bilateral ties.

She noted that the Embassy of Canada had implemented the campaign to prevent plastic waste and received enthusiastic coordination from the capital city.

The ambassador said her successor will continue strengthening relations between Vietnam and Canada and working with Hanoi to celebrate the 45th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and boost cooperation in fields of common interest.

Politburo member Truong Thi Mai meets newly-appointed Vietnamese ambassadors

Politburo member Truong Thi Mai speaks at the session.

Politburo member, Secretary of Party Central Committee (PCC) and Head of the PCC’s Commission for Mass Mobilisation, Truong Thi Mai, hosted a reception in Hanoi on August 1 for newly appointed Ambassadors and representative agencies of Vietnam abroad for 2018-2021 term.

Speaking at the meeting, Politburo member Mai said the diplomats should pay attention to strengthening the friendship and mutual understanding between Vietnam and the rest of the world and making full use of international support for Vietnam’s stance.

In addition, promoting culture, education, science-technology, and security and defence partnerships with the host countries is also among their tasks, she added.

She also urged the ambassadors and heads of Vietnamese representative agencies abroad to pay special attention to the protection of Vietnamese citizens, while fostering the connectivity among the overseas Vietnamese.

For their part, the ambassadors and heads of Vietnamese representative agencies abroad promised that they will do their utmost to beef up the diplomatic ties between Vietnam and the other countries.

AMM 51: ASEAN to strengthen intra-bloc economic strength

The 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM 51) ended on August 2 in Singapore with a Joint Communiqué urging the bloc to strengthen its internal strength through increasing intra-bloc trade and investment and regional economic connectivity.

The Foreign Ministers of the 10 ASEAN countries also reached consensus on building a resilient and innovative ASEAN on the foundation of the implementation of reached targets and initiatives, including the launch of the ASEAN Smart Cities Network, cooperation in cyber security and harmonisation of legal frameworks.

The minister agreed to continue with efforts for the effective implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and blueprints for building the Community’s three pillars, narrowing the development gap, enhancing connectivity, and to promote complementarities between those blueprints with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In the context of natural disasters in the region, including the dam collapse in Laos, the ministers called for increasing mutual cooperation and support, including the role of the AHA Centre.

On the bloc’s external relations, the ministers acknowledged progress in cooperation between ASEAN and its partners and agreed to further bolster the ties in the time ahead.

The ministers agreed to build the ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership Vision 2030 to be adopted at the 21st ASEAN-China Summit in November this year, convene the 21st ASEAN-Japan Summit to commemorate the 45th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan ties also in November, and hold the 4th ASEAN-Russia Summit at the end of this year.

On the occasion, the ministers signed documents to extend the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation with Argentina and Iran, bringing the number of signatories to 37.

Regarding the East Sea, the ASEAN ministers reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, security, stability, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight above the East Sea. They took note of concerns on the land reclamations and activities in the area, which have eroded trust and confidence, and may undermine peace, security and stability in the region.

The ministers urged self-restraint in the conduct of activities and avoid actions that may further complicate the situation and escalate tension in the East Sea, and the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, along with the full and effective implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

They took note of the progress of the negotiations toward an effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), including the agreement on a Single Draft COC Negotiating Text, and emphasised the need to maintain an environment conducive to the COC negotiations.

Addressing the AMM 51 and related meetings, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh underlined the multi-faceted progresses in ASEAN cooperation and in cooperation between ASEAN and partners.

Amidst rapid and unforeseeable developments in the regional and global situations, the Vietnamese Deputy PM proposed that ASEAN focus more on intra-bloc cooperation.

He also suggested that the bloc maintain solidarity and its central role, while enhancing its collective capacity to respond to arising challenges.

Deputy PM Minh also shared concerns about recent activities in the waters, including militarisation, which he said affected peace, security in the region and trust among countries. He urged concerned parties to restrain themselves, avoid actions that can complicate the situation while adhering to agreed principles and commitments, including those mentioned in the DOC, thus maintaining an environment inductive for the negotiation of the COC.

Mekong-Ganga countries to boost ties in water resources management

Six countries of the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC), namely Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and India, have agreed to enhance cooperation in managing and sustainably using water resources.

Foreign ministers of the MGC countries reached the consensus at their ninth meeting on August 2 within the framework of the 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and related meetings in Singapore.

They also agreed to bolster cooperation in agriculture, tourism, culture, transport, businesses, and health care.

Joint activities proposed at the meeting included building a joint data centre at Nalanda University in India, a conference on rice germplasm, training activities, tourism promotion, and MGC trade fairs.

The MGC Ministerial Meeting also recognised India’s wish to cooperate with the Mekong River Commission, particularly in sharing experience in collecting water resources data, and the proposal to organise the first meeting on management and sustainable use of water resources in New Delhi this year.

Addressing the event, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh stressed that the two sides’ cooperation potential remains huge.

He suggested the MGC nations focus their cooperation on enhancing connectivity, especially expanding the East-West Economic Corridor and the Southern Economic Corridor to India and the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway to Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, and starting talks on a land transport agreement. 

He also called on them to facilitate trade, cooperate in customs clearance and quarantine, and foster partnership in environmental issues, climate change response, flood and natural disaster management, and management of water resources.

At the end of the meeting, the ministers adopted a joint statement and agreed to hold the 10th MGC Ministerial Meeting in Thailand in 2019.

ASEAN, China agree on ‘single draft’ for COC negotiations

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China have agreed on a “single draft” negotiating text of a Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea, an important stride towards narrowing differences among parties.

Speaking at the ASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting on the sidelines of the 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Singapore on August 2, Foreign Minister of the host nation Vivian Balakrishnan called it a “milestone” in the COC process since the ASEAN-China Senior Officials’ Meeting on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) in China last June.

He said the text will be “a living document and the basis of future COC negotiations”, adding that both sides also agreed on the key modalities for future rounds of negotiations.

Negotiations on the COC have been conducted for more than a decade with a number of difficulties regarding its terms and pace of the talks. However, there have been clear signs of ASEAN having a more unanimous viewpoint on the East Sea issue in recent years.

In August 2017, foreign ministers of ASEAN and China adopted a draft framework for COC negotiations, a move hailed as progress in the settlement of East Sea tensions.

In March this year, a joint working group meeting was held on the implementation of the DOC.

Meanwhile, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said last April that negotiations on the COC will not be easy, but he stressed it is important for the countries involved to engage in constructive talks to prevent tensions from escalating.

Minister Balakrishnan said China is one of the most substantive dialogue partners of ASEAN and both sides have achieved much over the past three years, with cooperation underpinned by robust economic linkages.

He also stressed that such strong and substantive cooperation is only possible with mutual trust and confidence and resolving differences peacefully and in the spirit of goodwill. 

Vietnam looks to learn from Germany’s housing saving bank: Deputy PM

Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung received Michael Dorner, director of international projects at the German housing savings bank Bausparkasse Schwabisch Hall AG (BSH) in Hanoi on August 2 

Vietnam is studying effective models to develop housing for its citizens from other countries, including the housing saving bank in Germany, said Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung.

Receiving Michael Dorner, director of international projects at the German housing savings bank Bausparkasse Schwabisch Hall AG (BSH), in Hanoi on August 2, Deputy PM Dung said Vietnam has learnt a lot in many fields from Germany, which is a developed country and a strategic partner of Vietnam.  

He said he had studied and appreciated social housing policies in Germany, in which the banking system plays an important part in helping citizens to save to buy houses.

The Deputy PM told his guest that Vietnam has a high population growth, hence big demand for housing, stressing that ensuring housing for all is both a short-term and long-term targets of the nation.

In the past years, a line-up of policies have been carried out to provide accommodation for low-income people; however, their efficiency has fallen short of expectation due to limited resources, he said.

He asked the State Bank of Vietnam, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Construction to join hands with the BSH, and the German Embassy in Vietnam to build suitable models to encourage housing savings in Vietnam. 

Michael Dorner, for his part, stressed that his organisation stands ready to exchange models and experience with the Vietnamese side in the field.

The BSH is the leading housing savings bank in Germany.

Heads of Vietnamese overseas missions help promote the country’s international relations

Head of the Communist Party of Việt Nam’s Central Committee (CPVCC) Commission for Publicity and Education, Võ Văn Thưởng, on Thursday called on the Government’s overseas representatives to further strengthen their roles building a bridge between Việt Nam and the world.

Speaking at a meeting with heads of Vietnamese missions overseas in Hà Nội on Thursday, Thưởng said the next three years would be a crucial period with many international affairs and events for Việt Nam.

He asked heads of Vietnamese missions and diplomatic representatives to take full advantage of their positions linking Việt Nam globally and to spread the word of the State and Party’s international relations policies and strategies.

He also asked them to help promote and consolidate Việt Nam’s relationships with other countries while lifting the image of Việt Nam to new heights.

Heads of Vietnamese representative agencies abroad were also asked to properly study the places where they are staying and learn from their cultural, economic and socials achievements to contribute to the construction and protection of the nation.

Thưởng said he wished representatives would quickly understand the needs and thoughts of Vietnamese people overseas when it comes to domestic social-economic situations and effectively fight ‘fake news’ about the country’s policies.

Citizen protection and national culture promotion should be strengthened to introduce the country’s image to the world, he said. Economic diplomacy, on the other hand, is of great importance to promote trade relations and expand export markets for Vietnamese goods as well as attracting more investment to local business.

Also on the same day, General Director of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Nguyễn Đức Lợi has worked with heads of the agency’s overseas missions for the term of 2018-21.

The general director emphasised that the VNA and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as Vietnamese representative missions abroad, have a long-term commitment to effective cooperation.

Over the past 73 years, VNA has made many contributions that have been recognised by the Party and State and is striving to build into a powerful multi-media corporation. The VNA has a system of correspondent offices in 63 domestic provinces and 30 offices located in five continents.