Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong said yesterday (Jan 13) that Viet Nam and Cuba should put bilateral co-operation on a more practical and effective footing.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong meets with newly appointed Cuban Ambassador Herminio Lopez Diaz in Ha Noi.

This would bring economic, trade and investment links between the two countries on par with the strong political ties that they enjoy, Trong said at a meeting with newly appointed Cuban Ambassador Herminio Lopez Diaz in Ha Noi.

Expressing his happiness at the ever-strengthening solidarity, friendship and comprehensive co-operation between the two countries, he hoped the Cuban envoy would contribute to consolidating the ties.

Despite the geographical distance between them, Viet Nam and Cuba have always supported each other in their struggles for national independence and development, Trong said.

He said it was Viet Nam's consistent policy to back the Cuban people's revolutionary cause and stand side by side with them in the fight for noble objectives including the ideals of socialism.

The Party leader congratulated Cuba on its achievements in applying an "updated" socio-economic development model and also expressed his delight at the increases in the two countries' solidarity, friendship and comprehensive cooperation.

Ambassador Diaz pledged that he would do his utmost to consolidate and strengthen Viet Nam-Cuba relations during his tenure.

Conference of Maritime Law Enforcement of Thai Gulf opens

The third conference of Maritime Law Enforcement Forces of nations in the Gulf of Thailand opened in Danang City on January 14.

The three-day conference aims to review cooperation in ensuring security and order in the Gulf of Thailand and share experiences in improving the efficiency of maritime law enforcement as well as building trust, deepening mutual understanding.

Delegates have also assessed the regional risks in the Gulf of Thailand and discussed hot issues and solutions for illegal immigration and fishing.

Addressing the conference, Major General Nguyen Quang Dam, commander of the Vietnam Coast Guard emphasized that the event helps nations in the Gulf of Thailand promote bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

He believes that delegations will participate in many cooperative initiatives in sharing information, establishing hotlines to solve issues arising at sea and training human resource as well as supporting search and rescue activities.

Rena Bitter, the US Consul General in HCM City, affirmed her nation’s commitment to supporting efforts in ensuring security for territorial waters in Southeast Asia and believed that maritime law enforcement in the region will contribute to both the region and US’ stability and peace and prosperity.

Popularisation work helps public grasp new Constitution

The popularisation and education sector needs to take a great responsibility for raising public awareness of abiding by the recently-amended Constitution as 2014 is the first year to enforce the legal document.

Dinh The Huynh, Politburo member and head of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC)’s Commission for Popularisation and Education, was speaking at a conference in Hanoi on January 13 to review the sector’s performance in 2013 and set its 2014 tasks.

He said in 2014, popularisation work must evoke national pride and self-reliance for self-improvement on the path of national prosperity.

It must encourage departments, agencies and people from all walks of life to overcome difficulties, fulfil the 2014 socio-economic development plan agreed by the CPVCC’s eighth conference, and the Resolution on the 2014 socio-economic development plan ratified in the 13th National Assembly’s sixth session.

The move is part of efforts to realise the 2011-2016 socio-economic progression plan and the Resolution set at the 11th National Party Congress.

Huynh also called for a review of the 30-year national renewal as part of preparations for the all-level Party Congress in 2015 and the 12th National Party Congress in early 2016.

The sector must speed up the Party build-up in accordance with the Resolution on some urgent issues in Party building at present set at the PCC’s fourth conference and Direction 03-CT/TW by the Politburo on the campaign “Studying and following the moral examples of President Ho Chi Minh” among cadres, Party members and people of all strata.

It must better manage press and publication activities, culture, arts, science and education while improving the quality of popularisation projects, he said.

Huynh requested the early discovery of negative phenomena in society, whereby a range of solutions must come up to drive back the so-called “self-evolution” and “self-transformation” inside the Party. It must also act to thwart every scheme and “peaceful evolution” activity of hostile forces.

VFF Central Committee opens 7th plenum in Hanoi

The Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (seventh tenure) opened its seventh plenum in Hanoi on January 13 to review front work in 2013 and discuss orientations for 2014.

In his speech, VFF President Nguyen Thien Nhan asked for opinion contributions to contents and operational modes of the front’s activities, noting that the VFF should enhance its role in imparting the people’s aspirations and opinions to the Party and local authorities.

In regard to the renovation of the front’s operational modes, Nhan underlined the need to promote the combined strength of means of communications, set up a system to collect public opinions at home and abroad on the situation of the country and localities, and promote the role of religions and ethnic groups.

President visits Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang provinces

State President Truong Tan Sang toured Ha Giang and Tuyen Quang provinces on January 12 and 13 as part of his trip to inspect the northern border areas.

In Ha Giang, he and his entourage paid pre-Tet visits to ethnic minority people and soldiers and officers stationed in the districts of Meo Vac, Vi Xuyen and Dong Van, which lie at the northernmost point of the country’s border with China.

In Meo Vac, which borders China for 42 kilometres, President Sang noted down local residents’ suggestions on building more roads and connecting to the national power grid to accelerate plantation development, animal breeding and tourism.

He asked the local authorities to pay due attention to expanding educational and healthcare services for the local population, of which 70 percent are H’Mong ethnic minorities, as well as building a grassroots political system.

In Dong Van, the President spent time with soldiers and officers at the Dong Van border guard post, which is in charge of managing and protecting a border section of 6 km.

He inquired into the operation of the Thanh Thuy border gate, where import and export activities between Vietnamese and Chinese traders are busy, and a model on new-style rural area building in Viet Lam commune, Vi Xuyen district.

In the neighbouring province of Tuyen Quang, President Sang examined the construction tempo of a monument featuring late President Ho Chi Minh with ethnic minority people in Tuyen Quang.

The monument is expected to be inaugurated on the late President’s birthday (May 19) in 2015.

During his working session with Tuyen Quang’s authorities, the President heard that the locality achieved a growth rate of 13.5 percent, higher than the national average, and put important facilities into operation, like the Tuyen Quang sugar factory and the Chiem Hoa hydroelectric power plant.

President Sang asked local officials to tap the province’s strong forest resources in a responsible manner to help improve socio-economic life for local residents.

While in Tuyen Quang, he visited the An Hoa paper factory, which currently employs 1,000 local people.

Earlier, President Sang toured Cao Bang and Lang Son provinces.

VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA