Market economy does good to Vietnam: PM

The market economy mechanism has brought fruits to Vietnam which now boasts a stable macro-economy and a range of social welfare services in full place, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has said.

He made the comment at a Hanoi meeting on July 14 to review the five-year realisation of a resolution on perfecting socialist-oriented market economy adopted at the sixth meeting of the 10th Party Central Committee, seen as a landmark for Vietnam’s shift from a centrally-planned, subsidised economy to a market one.

The economy is now growing in tandem with social progress and equality, Dung acknowledged.

Members of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Economic Affairs, however, also pointed out drawbacks down the road, including the ineffective use of social resources and insufficient conditions for healthy competition.

They suggested continuing to perfect laws so as to create a level playing field for businesses while offering assistance to the underprivileged.

Concluding the event, the PM hailed their feedback as an important reference for the Party and State in the process of policymaking.

“What should be changed must be identified soon to forge a transparent, equal, and competitive market,” he noted.

He asked units concerned to better specify the role of the State and the market, and the issues relevant to democracy, global integration, self-reliance and independence.

Northwestern region asked to strengthen coordination

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked northwestern provinces to improve their coordination as it failed to help them tap advantages held by each locality and the entire region for their overall development.

The head of the Steering Committee for the Northwestern Region made the request while chairing a teleconference on July 14 to review the committee’s performance in the first half and set forth its main tasks for the rest of the year.

He pointed to shortcomings needed to be fixed by regional provinces, including weak connectivity, poor transport infrastructure, a lack of high-quality human resources, and a high rate of poor households.

The Deputy PM requested provincial authorities take responsibility for ensuring local people do not suffer from hunger and diseases as well.

They were asked to increase the number of Mong ethnic minority officials in communal political systems to serve the future needs as requested by the Prime Minister in Decision 781/QD-TTg.

They were also required to join hands with ministries in dealing with undocumented migration of ethnic minorities while speeding up the State management on religious affairs.

Regional localities need to create all favourable conditions to boost trade ties, protect foreign citizens and investors, and build a border area of peace, friendship and solidarity, Phuc said.

They must proactively reinforce the fight against trade frauds, drug trafficking, and other crimes.

In the first six months of 2014, the northwestern region recorded an economic growth of 8.03 percent. It collected 8.95 trillion VND (420.65 million USD) for the State budget, up 14.8 percent against the same period last year.

Over 40 big programmes and projects, including those on poverty reduction in ethnic-inhabited areas, were implemented effectively, while social and security issues in mountainous, border areas were put under control.

President Sang meets war veterans

On July 14, State President Truong Tan Sang received war veterans from Division 356 who were assigned to defend the northern border in Thanh Thuy commune, Vi Xuyen district, Ha Giang province 30 years ago.

During the meeting, the President said that the Party and State acknowledged the great contributions by the soldiers to national defense and made every effort to care for the lives of the soldiers’ relatives in the rear.

Sang expressed his conviction that the veterans will continue to uphold their tradition and inspire patriotism among younger generations and urged ministries and localities to better care for national contributors.

He asked ministries, agencies and localities to carry out policies towards soldiers and collect remains of their fallen peers who are still in battlefields.

The Party and State have always remembered the great service that officers and soldiers rendered to the nation during wars of resistance, President Sang said.

Ho Chi Minh City leader meets outgoing UK diplomat

Outgoing UK Ambassador Antony Stokes has said that his nation followed with keen interest the developments in the East Sea and issues related to maritime freedom of navigation in the area.

At a meeting with Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Secretary Le Thanh Hai on July 14, the UK diplomat stated that the UK’s consistent stance is that all parties concerned must respect international law and ensure maritime security, safety and freedom in the East Sea.

Hai thanked the UK and the European Union (EU) for raising their voice against China’s provocative act of illegally putting its oil rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone (EZZ) and continental shelf in early May.

The municipal leader also commended the UK ambassador’s effective contributions to   strengthening the Vietnam-UK strategic partnership, hoping that the diplomat will continue supporting Vietnam in the future.

Slovakia eager to boost ties with Vietnam

Slovakia has hailed Vietnam’s achievements in socio- economic development and international integration, expressing a desire to further strengthen all-around cooperation with Vietnam.

Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son conducted a political consultation with the Slovakia Ministry of Foreign Affairs and met with a number of Slovakian senior officials during his visit from July 10-11.

In the political consultation and meetings, both sides agreed to boost delegation exchange at all levels and cooperation at multilateral forums in the framework of the United Nations, the Asia–Europe Meeting (ASEM) ASEM, ASEAN and the EU.

They announced that the Vietnam-EU Partnership Cooperation Agreement (PCA) has been adopted while agreeing to jointly celebrate the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations in 2015.

Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son meets with State Secretary of the Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Ministry Peter Burian.

Both sides concurred to step up trade and investment cooperation in potential areas particularly in those that Vietnam has high demand like agriculture, infrastructure, the environment and information technology.

The effective activities of the Vietnam-Slovakia Joint Economic Cooperation Committee have offered favourable conditions for businesses to strengthen understanding and expand cooperation in education-training, tourism and defense industry.

Regarding the East Sea issue, Slovakia expressed concern over the heightened tensions after China illegal positioned its oil rig Hiyang Shiyou-981 in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Slovakian leaders with unanimity affirmed the nation’s support for the peaceful settlement of disputes on the basis of respect for international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).