President to attend Bali APEC meet

President Truong Tan Sang will attend the 21st Economic Leaders' Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, scheduled to take place from October 6-8 in Bali, Indonesia.

The President was invited by his Indonesian counterpart Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Leaders mark China's National Day

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, State President Truong Tan Sang, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung extended congratulations to their Chinese counterparts on China's 64th National Day (October 1).

In their messages to General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and State President Xi Jinping, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Chairman of the Chinese National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee Zhang Dejiang, the Vietnamese leaders highlighted the achievements that the Chinese people have made over the past 64 years, especially those gained in the 35 years of implementing reforms and open-door policies.

They affirmed that the Party, State and people of Viet Nam were willing to join the Party, State and people of China in reinforcing mutual understanding and developing the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries in the interests of both peoples and for peace, stability and development in the region and the world.

Symposium discusses modernisation of army

A symposium themed “Modernisation in the Vietnam People’s Army” was held in Hanoi on September 30, with the participation of foreign military attachés in the country.

The event aimed to introduce the organisation apparatus of the Vietnamese armed forces and policies on building and modernising the country’s military.

It was jointly organised by the Institute for Defence Strategy and the Defence Ministry’s Foreign Relations Department.

PM pledges support to Samsung

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung pledged all possible support for Korean investors, especially Samsung, while receiving Vice Chairman of Samsung Corporation Yeon Joo-jung in Ha Noi yesterday, Sep 30.

During the meeting, the PM hailed the RoK as one of Viet Nam's top investors and trade partners.

Viet Nam-RoK cooperation had greatly benefited the two countries' common development, he said, adding that he hoped the company would expand its business in Viet Nam.

Yeon briefed the host on the main activities of Samsung's 35 affiliates. He said he hoped the Vietnamese Government would create a favourable business environment for Samsung to expand its long-term operations in the country.

UN helps VN tackle child exploitation

The United Nation Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) yesterday (Sep 30) handed over equipment to support investigations of child sexual exploitation crimes in central Khanh Hoa and southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces.

The equipment, including office machines and software programmes worth US$27,000, was part of a $7.5-million project funded by the Australian Government to combat the sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism in the Mekong sub-region.

UNODC Viet Nam Country manager Zhuldyz Akisheva said that the facilities were expected to enhance the capacity of justice and law enforcement officers and ensure expert investigations, offender identification and appropriate support for child victims.

Senior Lt.Col Tran Van Toan, deputy director of the Criminal Police Department, said that this kind of crime was quite new and is a more complex issue in the country, posing challenges to the police.

Vietnam, Laos work closer for national security

Minister of Public Security Tran Dai Quang has voiced his hope to tighten cooperation with Laos to combat transnational crimes, for closer friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations.

Receiving his Lao counterpart Thongbanh Sengaphon in Hanoi on September 30, Minister Quang suggested the two sides further enhance the sharing of information, especially that related to national security, social safety and order.

He hailed bilateral cooperation in various fields over the past time, in particular the outcomes of the recent ninth ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crimes (AMMTC) in Vientiane.

The guest also expressed his hope to nurture cooperation between the two nations in general, and the two ministries in particular in the time ahead.

Vietnam, Mexico discuss policies on ethnic groups

A delegation from the National Assembly’s Council for Ethnic Affairs led by its Vice President Danh Ut is on a working visit to Mexico from September 26 - October 1 to exchange experience in the building, issuance and implementation of policies towards ethnic groups.

During his stay in the Latin American country, Ut met with Senator Teofilo Torres Corzo, Chairman of the Mexican Senate’s Foreign Affairs Committee for Asia Pacific; Senator Eviel Perez Magana, Chairman of the Mexican Senate’s Committee for Indigenous Affairs; Eufrosina Cruz Mendoza, Chairman of the Committee for Indigenous Affairs of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies; Ricardo Cantu Garza; Vice President of the Mexico-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Group, and leaders of the Mexican Federal Government’s National Commission for the Development of Indigenous People.

At the meetings, the two sides were unanimous on the exchange of legal documents regarding public policies on ethnic minorities through diplomatic channels.

They highlighted the need for such policies in each country’s cause of poverty reduction as most ethnic groups reside in mountainous, remote and underdeveloped areas.

The host stressed the significance of information sharing through the exchange of bilateral delegations in order to promote the friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries.

The Mexican side spoke highly of Vietnam’s dynamic development, especially the country’s economic growth in recent years, saying Vietnam has set an example for many countries worldwide, including Mexico, in poverty reduction.

The Mexican leaders voiced their hope to further expand and develop the all-sided relationship between the two nations, especially bonds between the two legislative bodies and their agencies.

They committed to working with Vietnam to seek effective measures to elevate their cooperative ties.

For his part, Ut expressed his sympathies for the great losses caused by the Mexican people after the two recent devastating floods and said he believes that the country will soon overcome the consequences.

He briefed his hosts on Vietnam’s socio-economic situation, the organisation of the National Assembly and his council, as well as the policies of the Vietnamese Party, State and Government towards ethnic minorities.

Vietnam always attaches importance to developing the friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Mexico despite the two countries’ geographical distance, he noted.

The Vietnamese delegation also visited several indigenous communities in Mexico and Nuevo Leon State’s capital city of Monterrey, where they were received by General Secretary of the Mexican Labour Party and President of the Mexico-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Group, Alberto Anaya Gutierrez.

PM Dung’s speech highly appreciated at UN

PM Dung’s speech at the general debate of the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly has received great acclaim from the international community including Russian scholars.

Prof. Dr Vladimir Mazyrin, Senior Research Fellow from Institute for Far Eastern Studies, Russian Academy of Science said he was very impressed by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s speech on the global political situation.

Prof. Dr Vladimir Mazyrin who is also Director of the Centre for Vietnamese and ASEAN studies told a Russia-based VOV correspondent that Dung’s speech brought into focus Vietnam’s achievements, initiatives and messages regarding global issues.

“I am very interested in Vietnam’s efforts to implement the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and build the post-2015 development agenda. What the country has achieved over the years proves that Vietnam is able to carry out global development programmes especially those on poverty reduction” he said.

25 years after pursuing the Doi Moi (Renewal) process, Vietnam has successfully implemented its poverty reduction target with the number of poor households falling from 47 percent in 1990 to 22 percent in 2010.

Poverty reduction is no longer a problem facing the country but how to protect the biological environment and adapt to climate change is a new challenge.

In his key-note speech, PM Dung called on developed countries to join hands to help under developed nations to deal with humankind’s common issues and overcome challenges.

As a world leading rice exporter, Vietnam has assisted other countries in rice production to help ensure global food security, Dung was quoted as saying Vietnam’s efforts have been acknowledged by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Concerning Dung’s call for the importance of strategic trust building to promote peace and settle global conflicts, the Russian expert said that Vietnam has made clear its firm stance and messages on regional and international peace and security. The country’s stance on strategic trust building in international relations and dialogues between small and big nations is totally right.

In regard to disputes in the East Sea, Mazyrin said Vietnam is against any action of political imposition and violence running counter to international law and calls on the international community to consolidate strategic trust among nations in which powerful nations should set peace building examples.

On Vietnam’s involvement in UN issues and regional forums, Mazyrin appreciated the country’s central role in ASEAN cooperation and its constant efforts in building a united community for peace, cooperation and prosperity in the future.

Over the years, Vietnam’s role and status have increasingly improved in the regional and international arena.

Vietnam’s willingness to join UN peacekeeping activities, international forums as well as its application for for UN Human Rights Council membership shows that Vietnam is a pro-active and responsible UN member.

In addition, Vietnam is eligible to become involved in the G20 known as the Group of 20 which is a bloc of developing nations. According to a recent economic research, Vietnam is in the same group of rapid developing markets with Indonesia, South Africa, Turkey and Argentina (VISTA).

These four nations are already members of G20, except Vietnam.

VNN/VNS/VNA