Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung met with representatives from the French Communist Party (PCF) and French enterprises on the sidelines of COP 21 in Paris, France, on December 1 before leaving for Belgium the following day.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung (R) meets PCF National Secretary Pierre Laurent (Photo: VNA)

Meeting with PCF National Secretary Pierre Laurent, the Vietnamese leader offered his deepest sympathies to the French people over their heavy losses in the recent terror attacks in Paris.

He said in the previous meetings, the French President, PM and Speakers of the Senate and Lower House expressed their willingness to develop the two countries’ relations.

He asked the PCF to continue supporting bilateral ties and the connection between Vietnam and the European Union (EU).

Pierre Laurent spoke highly of the Southeast Asian country’s contributions to the 21 st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 21), adding that it is necessary to ensure both development and environmental protection in coping with climate change.

He also applauded the PM’s meetings with French leaders on the occasion of COP 21, stressing the PCF’s further advocacy of and contribution to the enhancement of relations between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the PCF, as well as the countries’ cooperation.

Also in Paris, PM Nguyen Tan Dung received executives of the Electricity of France Group (EDF), Paris Airports Group (ADP), Perenco Oil and Gas Company, Technip Construction – Design Company, and Accord Group. They are major businesses in France that have operated successfully and are planning to expand in Vietnam.

He affirmed that energy security, aviation infrastructure, and oil and gas are among priorities in Vietnam’s economic development.

He welcomed the firms’ interest in business expansion and cooperation with his country, adding that their experience and resources are useful for Vietnam and they should build long-term business strategies in, transfer technologies to and share experience with Vietnam.

The leader also pledged the best possible conditions for foreign investors to form long-term partnerships in the nation.

Presenting their business plans, executives of the French companies said they want to continue participating in and actively contributing to key economic sectors, modernisation and industrialisation in Vietnam.

Also on December 1, Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, who was escorting PM Nguyen Tan Dung during the working visit, met with Senator of France’s Green Party Jean-Vincent Placé.

The senator said he highly values France and Vietnam’s growing ties and wishes to work with the Southeast Asian nation to set up a national agency for product origin and quality examination, and another body supplying product examinations and origin-tracing measures.

Minh applauded the suggestion and asked Jean-Vincent Placé to concretise that idea. He promised to order relevant Vietnamese agencies to discuss collaboration in this area with the senator.

Meeting with executives of the Thales Group, which operates in the areas of aviation, aerospace, transportation, defence and security, the Vietnamese official said his country has high demand for long-term affiliations in the firm’s specialised fields.

Vietnam wants Thales to have long-term plans in the country, train personnel and transfer technologies to help Vietnam use the group’s products effectively, he added.

Thales representatives also said the company wishes to extend its projects and establish long-term cooperation with local partners.

President seeks new rural development

President Truong Tan Sang called on the Viet Nam Association of Farmers to work harder to industrialise and modernise the country's rural areas.

He met with the association to discuss the results of the five-year implementation of the Party Central Committee Secretariat's Conclusion 61-KL/TU on raising the association's responsibility for the development of agriculture, new rural areas and the farmer class between 2010 and 2020 in Ha Noi yesterday, Dec 1.

The president said Viet Nam's agricultural sector could reap more benefits by applying new technology.

He recommended the association do more vocational training, transfer more technology and increase productivity.

The association should also use land-accumulating models for large-scale production, change management models to suit this new stage of development and solve problems with loan incentives for farmers, he said.

The president also promised to examine the association's recommendations on building a network of warehouses and equipment to preserve farm products, and increase investment in science and technology.

According to the association, the poverty rate in rural areas fell 6.6 per cent to 10.8 per cent in 2014. The income per capita increased 24.4 per cent, making it 1.8 times higher than in 2010.

Loans for business and production were given to 579,870 households and 97.6 per cent of households had electricity.

Celebration marks Laos’s 40th National Day in HCM City

Ho Chi Minh City celebrated the 40th National Day (December 2, 1975) of Laos with a ceremony on December 1.

Addressing the event, Chairman of the Vietnam – Laos Friendship Association in the Vietnamese southern economic hub Phan Xuan Bien congratulated the Lao people on their National Day, emphasising that Laos and Vietnam are neighbours who have supported each other throughout history, from revolutionary periods to the current national development and protection.

He highlighted massive attainments that Laos has harvested over the past four decades in conducting reform, ensuring political stability, promoting socio-economic development, improving people’s living conditions, and raising the country’s position in the region and the world.

Lao Consul General in HCM City Somxay Sanam-Oune thanked Vietnam in general and HCM City in particular, for their warm sentiment and valuable help towards the Lao people.

He stressed that the relations and solidarity between the two countries have become vital for their respective development, forming a great amity, special unity and comprehensive cooperation.

More than 9,300 Lao officials and students are working and studying in Vietnam while over 420 Vietnamese are pursuing their studies in the neighbouring country, he noted.

The diplomat underlined the flourishing multifaceted ties between HCM City and Lao localities, especially in economics, trade, health care, education and agriculture. The city’s businesses are benefiting from optimal conditions in Laos, particularly in Vientiane capital city and Champasak province which share twinning relations with HCM City.

Vietnam is investing in 261 projects worth some 5.22 billion USD in Laos at present. The two nations aim at 2 billion USD in trade revenue in 2015.

Ha Noi People's Council convenes 14th session

The 14th session of the Ha Noi People's Council opened in the capital yesterday, Dec 1.

The five-day sitting is looking into the implementation of socio-economic and defence-security development plans and the State budget in 2015 and the following year.

Addressing the event, Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Sinh Hung hailed the achievements that the municipal Party committee, authority and people have gained so far in 2015.

The local gross domestic product was estimated to increase by 9.3 percent by year end – the highest level over the past four years. Meanwhile, export turnover was calculated to rise 2.5 percent to US$11.4 billion, and the consumer price index was estimated to climb 1 percent.

The capital has so far welcomed nearly 2.24 million international tourists, a year-on-year rise of 9.6 percent. Budget collection and expenditure were estimated to total nearly VND147 trillion ($6.5 billion) and about VND70 trillion ($3.1 billion), respectively.

A dozen key transport projects have been put into operation such as Vo Nguyen Giap Road and terminal 2 (T2) of Noi Bai International Airport.

The city strives to record a gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth of between 8.5 per cent and 9 per cent and the GRDP per capita ranging between VND85 million and 87 million ($3,740 - 3,828) in 2016.

Chairman Hung asked the municipal authorities and people to promptly take measures to stabilise the macro economy and ensure social welfare, while striving to fulfill or surpass the yearly economic growth target.

He urged the capital to boost connectivity, economic growth and competitiveness, as well as harmonise economic growth with cultural and social welfare development.

The city should adopt a socio-economic development plan for the next five years soon and improve administrative procedures to increase a competitive edge across fields, he suggested.

The top legislator ordered the city to implement effectively the Law on election of National Assembly deputies and local People's Council members, the Law on organisation of local authorities, and others approved by the parliament.

He recommended selecting and introducing deputies to the 14th session of the National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels in the 2016 to 2021 period.

Assembly of the Francophone meets for Asia-Pacific meeting in HCM City

The Vietnamese National Assembly highly values the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophone (APF)'s role in striving for the goal of promoting and protecting democracy and a law-governed State, respecting human rights and developing cultural diversity, NA Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong said.

NA Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong chairs the seventh conference of the APF's Asia-Pacific region in HCM City yesterday. — Photo: VNA/VNS

In her opening remarks at the seventh conference of the APF's Asia-Pacific region in HCM City yesterday, Phong said Viet Nam was working hard to achieve the new UN millennial development goals of ensuring gender equality and employment for all.

She hoped that participants would discuss ways to increase the rate of female representatives in lawmaking bodies, and propose effective measures to promote the French language to maintain cultural diversity amid globalisation.

The APF's Asia-Pacific regional conference, with sub-committees belonging to Viet Nam, Cambodia, Laos and Vanuatu, is considered a multilateral channel for the legislatures of participating countries with French as a common language.

VNA/VNS