Public Security Minister meets international guests

Politburo member and Minister of Public Security, General Tran Dai Quang hosted a reception for General Hun Manet, Commander of Cambodia’s National Counter-Terrorism Special Forces in Hanoi on May 15.

At the meeting, Minister Quang spoke highly of the fine developments of the traditional friendship and comprehensive co-operation between the two countries, affirming that Vietnam was willing to co-operate with Cambodia in terrorism prevention through experience exchanges and joint drills, for peace and stability in the region and the world.

For his part, General Manet expressed hope that the Vietnamese security forces would continue to share experience and co-ordinate with Cambodia in training personnel in the field.

The same day, Minister Tran Dai Quang received President of the Thailand-based Amata Corporation, Vikrom Kromadit.

At the reception, Minister Tran Dai Quang praised the corporation’s efforts and investment in Vietnam for over the past 20 years, which has positively contributed to boosting the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Thailand.

The Minister affirmed that Vietnam will do its best and take necessary measures to ensure the safety of foreign investment activities in the country.

He also expressed his wish that Amata Corporation would continue to expand its investment projects in Vietnam.

New Vice Chairman of sub-committees with Laos, Cambodia appointed

PM Nguyen Tan Dung has assigned Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung as Vice Chairman of the Viet Nam–Laos Cooperation Sub-committee.

Mr. Dung will also head the Viet Nam-Cambodia Cooperation Sub-committee.

President Sang expresses condolences to Turkey

President Truong Tan Sang has sent condolences to his Turkish counterpart Abdulla Gul over the coal mine collapse that killed 282 Turkish minders earlier this week.

The tragedyd occurred on May 13 in Soma town in the western Turkish province of Manisa.

Vietnam will do its best to help Laos develop its financial, monetary and customs sectors, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh has said.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh welcomes Lao Finance Minister Liane Thykeo (Source: VNA)

At his Hanoi reception for visiting Lao Finance Minister Liane Thykeo on May 15, Deputy PM Ninh confirmed the dispatch of financial and economic experts to Laos to assist it in surmounting its current difficulties.

He suggested the two finance ministries pay special attention to the training of high-skilled workers in spurring the development of the financial and banking sector.

Lao Minister Liane Thykeo declared that the two finance ministries have reviewed their cooperation programmes and agreed to concentrate on efficiently tackling the existing problems to their cooperative financial sources.

He expressed hope that the comprehensive cooperation and longstanding friendship between the two nations will be further promoted.

Viet Nam boosts ties with Caribbean nations

Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc

Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc has paid visits to Latin American and Caribbean countries to boost economic, trade and investment ties with the region.

In Venezuela, Ngoc met with Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Rafael Ramirez, and Foreign Minister Elias Jaua. He also co-hosted meetings between ministries and sectors of the two countries. Senior Venezuelan leaders affirmed that the Venezuelan government appreciated its comprehensive partnership with Viet Nam in promoting and creating favorable conditions for bilateral co-operation.

In Columbia and the Dominican Republic, the Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister met with the United Leftwing Movement Party General Secretary and Minister for Regional Integration Affairs, Miguel Mejia, had political meetings with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and met with officials from Ministries and the economic, trade, agriculture, tourism and investment sectors.

Regarding the latest movements in the East Sea, both leaders expressed deep concern over China's acts, which have caused tensions in the East Sea. They stressed that it was necessary to resolve international conflicts through peaceful dialogue, without using force and in accordance with international laws, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

US Marine Corps War College delegation visits

Vice Chief of the General Staff of the Viet Nam People's Army Sen. Lt. Gen. Vo Van Tuan yesterday hosted a reception in Ha Noi for a delegation from the US Marine Corps War College, headed by its Director, Col. Keil Gentry.

At the meeting, both sides agreed that defence cooperation between Viet Nam and the US was developing rapidly, especially in search and rescue activities, war aftermath settlement and personnel training.

Regarding the East Sea situation, Tuan said that China's illegal placement of the Haiyang Shiyou-981 oil rig in Viet Nam's exclusive economic zone seriously infringed the country's sovereignty and jurisdiction stipulated in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Malaysian party pledges to boost ties with Vietnam

The United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) Party will make tireless efforts to consolidate and further develop the traditional solidarity and friendship between the Malaysian and Vietnamese people as well as its relations with the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV).

Vice President of the UMNO Dato Seri Dr. Amid Zahid Hamidi made the statement while meeting with Le Hong Anh, standing member of the CPV Central Committee Secretariat, in Hanoi on May 15 as part of his four-day visit to Vietnam.

Hamidi, who is also Minister of Home Affairs, expressed his admiration at the great achievements Vietnam has made during its renewal process.

He thanked the CPV for its sharing of experience in Party building and personnel training, expressing his belief that under the leadership of the CPV, the Vietnamese people will successfully implement their industrialisation and modernisation cause, thus improving the country’s position in the regional and global arenas.

The Malaysian official raised concern about recent tense developments in the East Sea , saying that China ’s acts violated the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), to which China is a signatory.

He urged China to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Vietnam and other neighbouring countries.

Welcoming the Malaysian delegation, Anh said the visit will practically contribute to further promoting the friendship between the two Parties and two peoples.

He thanked the Malaysian Government led by the UMNO for its cooperation with Vietnam in regional and international forums as well as its support for Vietnamese workers in the country.

In the coming time, the two sides should continue fostering their relations, especially the exchange of delegations and the sharing of experience in implementing economic development and national construction policies, Anh said.

He expressed his wish that the UMNO, as the ruling party in Malaysia, will continue making active contributions to promoting the Vietnam-Malaysia relationship towards a strategic partnership.

Earlier, the Malaysian guests held talks with a CPV delegation led by Hoang Binh Quan, member of the Party Central Committee and head of its Commission for External Relations.

The two sides discussed concrete measures to strengthen relations between the two Parties and the two countries in the time ahead and signed a memorandum of understanding on boosting cooperation and exchanges between the two Parties.

NA Standing Committee debates gov’t socio-economic report

The National Assembly Standing Committee commenced its 28 th meeting on May 15 in Hanoi with a debate on the government’s report on the implementation of the socio-economic and state budget plan for 2013 and the goals for 2014.

NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung said midst the tension currently seen inside and outside the country, it is crucial to comprehensively analyse all aspects of the national socio-economic situation and review external relations.

In 2013, the country fulfilled 10 out of the 15 targets set by the NA and closed in on three more. However, it fell short of targets to keep the state budget overspending rate in line with GDP and to significantly reduce poor households, according to the report.

Meanwhile, the country recorded its best performance in reining in inflation over the last decade, while GDP growth was higher than the previous year at 5.42 percent, it said.

The Government also reported that the country saw a year-on-year GDP growth rise of 4.96 percent in the first quarter of this year. The consumer price index in April increased slightly by 0.88 percent against December last year, resulting in a year-on-year rise of 4.73 percent rise in the first four months of this year.

The report also pointed out some shortcoming in the country’s economic development, including poor credit quality, bad debts and the inefficient execution of the 30 trillion VND (1.42 billion USD) housing package.

During the meeting, participants were concerned about the recent incidents caused by anti-China protests in some localities, damaging the property of foreign-invested enterprises and seriously affecting the implementation of the plan and the investment environment in Vietnam.

Unexpected developments in defence and security will pose strong impacts on the socio-economic results of the country, they said.

Some members of the committee proposed that the Government report should provide clearer analysis on how these security changes may impact the economy, thus being able to plan responsive measures, ensuring socio-economic development and maintaining the country’s favourable investment environment.

Some other members said the Government should design concrete and long-term solutions to cope with similar situations, maintaining the sustainable development of the country.

Sharing the opinion, NA Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu said the Government report should stay updated with the current situation, including the defence-security developments, while properly assessing and forecasting the situation to the end of the year and following years, pointing out potential challenges to set suitable targets.

According to head of the NA People’s Ombudsmen Committee Nguyen Duc Hien, the report should design support policies to assist fishermen in maintaining their operation at sea, protecting the national sea and islands.

Concluding the first working day, NA Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan urged relevant Government agencies to promptly update the report with the socio-economic situation in the first months of this year for review.