Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung arrives in Japan

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung arrived in Tokyo in the evening of December 12 (local time), beginning his four-day official visit to Japan to attend the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit and the Mekong-Japan Summit.

Welcoming PM Dung at the airport were Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Hiroshi Fukada, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Doan Xuan Hung and the Vietnamese community in the country.

The visit, made at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, takes place on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties, aiming to enhancing and deepening the strategic partnership between the two countries, especially in economics, investment, development assistance, as well as their coordination at regional and international forums.

Over the past years, the Vietnam-Japan strategic partnership has seen in-depth and concrete development, in which economics is one of the bright spots in their bilateral ties.

Japan is one of Vietnam’s leading important economic partners and the first in the group of most industrialized nations (G7) to recognise its full market economy status (October 2011).

Two-way trade in 2012 hit 24.7 billion USD and 22.9 billion USD during January-November this year. The two sides set a target of at least doubling their trade turnover by 2020.

Japan remains the leading ODA donor to Vietnam and ranks first among 101 countries and territories investing in the country.

The two countries have also built an efficient partnership in a wide range of areas including labour, culture-information, education-training, science-technology and tourism.

Within the framework of his visit to Japan, PM Nguyen Tan Dung will attend the summit marking the 40th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan dialogue relations.

On the edge of the summit, the fifth Mekong-Japan Summit will be chaired by PM Shinzo Abe and attended by leaders of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

On December 13, the Vietnamese Government leader will meet Japan’s leading businesses and associations operating on economic and scientific-technological fields.

Russia, Vietnam reinforce defence cooperation

Both nations agreed to enhance future cooperation in navy and science-technology at the first deputy-ministerial strategic defence dialogue which took place in Russia on December 12.

The two delegations were headed by Deputy Minister of Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh and Russian Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov.

During the dialogue, military officials highlighted the significance of the first defence dialogue which aims to realize the comprehensive strategic partnership with a focus on military and defence cooperation.

They compared notes on the Asian Pacific situation and issues related to their interests and relations while underscoring the need to improve defence cooperation mechanisms, build strategic trust, intensify diplomatic activities and measures to prevent regional conflicts.

Both sides also noticed with deep concern about regional security, sovereign disputes and the implication of major nations which are causing a conflict of interests.

They consented to promotel delegation exchange, and navy and military technology cooperation in the years to come.

The second defence dialogue is scheduled to take place in Hanoi next year.    

Party chief calls for greater support from the elderly

The elderly, with their personal prestige, experience and pool of knowledge, should continue to serve as a mainstay for their local administration and residents, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Nguyen Phu Trong has said.  

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong meets the delegates at the meeting.

The Party chief made the remarks at his reception for a delegation of elderly persons who are prominent in the defence of sovereignty and security at border areas, seas and islands in Hanoi on December 12.

The Party leader emphasized that safeguarding the borderline and islands – which are seen as fences to shield the country – is necessary, considering such activities as ways to promote economic development and poverty reduction.

He praised the elderly guests for not only contributing to protecting the national sovereignty and security but also enhancing people-to-people exchanges to build the country's shared borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation and development.

He urged the elderly to take a lead in the national construction and defence course in the time to come as numerous difficulties lie ahead during the process.

General Secretary Trong affirmed that the Party and State always take care of the material and spiritual life of old people and will instruct relevant ministries, sectors and localities to enact the Law on Elderly Persons effectively.

President praises Fatherland Front for national achievements

President Truong Tan Sang yesterday attended a conference praising collectives and individuals in Fatherland Front agencies for their work from 2009-13.

Participants were briefed on achievements of collectives in economic development, poverty reduction, rural development and cultural activities.

Heads of sub-agencies of the Fatherland Front across the country who worked devotedly to accomplish the Front's missions were also praised by the Standing Committee of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front (VFF).

He said the agencies had also contributed considerably to people's cultural life in residential areas, education promotion campaigns, getting rid of superstitious customs, environment protection and activities on social welfare for heroic mothers and those devoted to the country's revolutions.

Yet, the President said that good results were not seen in all residential areas.

This meant that further training for staff at Front agencies was a priority, he said.

Fatherland Front President Nguyen Thien Nhan also called on Front agencies to participate in activities to celebrate the coming eighth VFF Congress.

Viet Nam Fatherland Front is a voluntary union of political organisations and social organisations representing the people of Viet Nam. Its motus operandi is to supervise the operations of the government and ensure political and moral unity.

South African embassy commemorates Nelson Mandela

The South African embassy in Hanoi on December 12 hosted a ceremony in remembrance of late President Nelson Mandela.

The event was co-organized by the South African embassy and the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) in the presence of many international diplomatic corps and representatives from Vietnamese agencies and organizations.

South African ambassador Ruth Magau reviewed important milestones in the life and career of Mandela who tirelessly struggled for freedom and justice.

In his speech, VUFO President Vu Xuan Hong described the passing of South Africa’s national hero as a great loss of the South African people and peace loving people all over the world.

Moroccan, Algerian and Palestinian ambassadors also delivered speeches expressing their deep condolences to late President Mandela.

State President receives UAE Ambassador

State President Truong Tan Sang on Tuesday praised the contributions of the UAE's outgoing Ambassador to Viet Nam, Sheikh Ahmed Ali Hamad Al Mualla.

During a farewell meeting with the ambassador, the President said that Viet Nam would spare no effort to deepen bilateral relations with the UAE.

Ambassador Sheikh Ahmed Ali Hamad Al Mualla thanked Vietnamese leaders for creating favourable conditions for him to fulfil his responsibilities in Viet Nam.

He also pledged to continue efforts to nurture the friendship and co-operation between the two countries.

Seminar helps boost Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia border trade

Vietnamese exporters are suggested to sell products to Laos and Cambodia via international border gates in southern Tay Ninh Province to save time and transport cost, it was heard at a seminar in Ho Chi Minh City on December 12.

According to Le Van Tuong, Deputy Director of the Tay Ninh province’s Centre for Trade, Investment and Tourism Promotion, a majority of southern businesses now export their products to Laos via the Lao Bao International Border Trade in central Quang Tri province – the route is 1,000 km.

If going through Tay Ninh’s Chang Riec and Xa Mat border gates to Cambodia before arriving in Laos, they can shorten travel length by one third, Tuong said, adding that the route was written down in a Memorandum of Understanding on road transportation signed by the three Governments in January, 2013.

Tay Ninh’s total import-export turnover was estimated at nearly 930 million USD in the first nine months of 2013, a year-on-year increase of 16.15 percent. Of the figure, 439.2 million USD came from exports.

The province mainly exports rubber, animal feed, foodstuff and consumer goods, while buying cassava, soybeans, cashew, and timber from other countries.

Themed “Tay Ninh – Gateway to develop Vietnam-Cambodia-Laos border trade”, the seminar offered a venue for delegates to consider the establishment of a multilateral coordination mechanism to support the three countries’ business communities, said Bui Ba Nghiem, head of the Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia Border Trade Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Vietnam’s total import-export turnover through border gates with Laos and Cambodia from 2008 to September 2013 valued more than 20 billion USD.

Lao Deputy PM welcomes Hanoi high command delegation

Lao Deputy Prime Minister cum Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Douangchay Phichith on December 12 received Commander of the High Command of Hanoi Capital Major General Phi Quoc Tuan.

At the meeting, Tuan said he was deeply impressed by rapid changes in Vientiane as well as in Laos while suggesting closer cooperation between the two capital cities in promoting delegation exchange, sharing information and building stronger armed forces.

The Lao Deputy PM also spoke highly of the Vietnamese military delegation’s visit that is taking place from December 11-15 at a time when the entire Lao Party and people are preparing for the 65th anniversary of the Laos People’s Army.

Phichith also called for joint efforts to maintain and develop the time-honoured special friendship nurtured by late Presidents Ho Chi Minh and Kaysone Phomvihane along with generations of leaders of the two nations.

VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA