US military official welcomed in Vietnam

Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnamese People’s Army, Lt. Gen. Vo Van Tuan received in Hanoi on July 1 deputy commander of the US Army, Pacific, Gari Her.

Major General Gari Her congratulated Vietnam on its establishment of a peace-keeping centre and dispatch of officials to join the UN peace-keeping mission.

He said he hopes the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence will approve the proposals made during the third Vietnam-US army consultation.

The officer also expressed his deep concern over China’s illegal and unilateral placement of its oil rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in Vietnam’s waters, and said that the US State Secretary has officially asked China to withdraw its drilling rig from Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

The US continues keeping a close watch and supporting Vietnam to struggle against China’s wrongful acts by peaceful means and in line with international law, he said.

For his part, the Vietnamese officer thanked the US for its support in protesting China’s illegal acts in the East Sea, especially its support at international forums, including the recent Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore.

He suggested both sides map out long-term cooperation plans and said he hopes the US will share experience in building strong army units to cope with natural calamities and diseases.

Keep up pressure on China: President

President Truong Tan Sang has asked the Vietnamese coast guard and fisheries-surveillance forces to continue their fight to force China to withdraw its oil rig, which has been illegally standing in Viet Nam's waters since early May.

While visiting the forces yesterday, President Sang was told of the difficulties faced by Viet Nam's law-enforcement forces.

He was told that armed Chinese boats had continually fired high-power water cannons at, and intentionally rammed, Vietnamese vessels of all descriptions, causing damage to many of them and injuring many people.

The leader urged the forces to continue communicating with the Chinese side to make it understand its actions were wrong.

He said that the Party and State would always create good conditions for law enforcement forces and provide them with modern equipment.

A spokesman for the forces said that in face of China's aggression, they would continue their work against the violations.

Foreign politicians, OV in Russia support peaceful settlement of East Sea issue

Regarding escalating tensions in the East Sea, President of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives André Flahaut and Australia’s Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull have expressed their support for the peaceful settlement of East Sea issues.

Flahaut expressed his stance during a meeting with Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Le Hoang Quan in Brussel on June 30. Quan hoped the host official would join the international community in raising voice against China’s illegal placement of the oil rig Haiyang Shiyou 981 in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and its actions further complicating the situation.

Quan affirmed that Vietnam pursues the consistent policy of solving issues through dialogue in the spirit of respecting national sovereignty and asking China to comply with international law.

Flahaut said that the Belgian Government valued relations with Vietnam and extended his congratulations to Vietnam for its socioeconomic and cultural achievements. He hoped that co-operation potential between Belgian and Vietnamese localities would be promoted.

On the same day, speaking at the security and economic leadership conference held at the Australian National University, Minister Turnbull said that muscle flexing by China in the East Sea is feeding regional insecurity. The Wall Street Journal quoted him as saying that the Chinese policy would be counterproductive.

Earlier, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe would pay a visit to Australia in July and deliver an address to the Australian Parliament that both sides are committed to maintain the peace, stability and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region.

On June 29, Overseas Vietnamese (OV) in Yaroslav city, Russia, held a meeting supporting the protection of homeland sea and islands.

After hearing Vietnamese Minister Counselor Nguyen Hung’s information about recent tensions in the East Sea, many local Russian friends who closely followed up on the situation expressed their discontent with China’s blatant acts and their support to Vietnam’s stance on resolving the tensions through peaceful means.

After voicing their support for the Vietnamese Government’s policy and protest against China’s acts, the participants donated approximately US$2,000 to a fund for protecting Vietnam’s sea and islands.

Hanoi voters concerned about East Sea tension

Voters in Hanoi’s Ba Dinh, Tay Ho and Hoan Kiem districts paid special attention to the country’s major issues, including the national sovereignty over the sea and islands, and the prevention of corruption, at meetings with Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on June 30 and July 1.

They expressed their pleasure with and belief in the Party and State’s policies and guidelines in leading the socio-economic development as well as solving the East Sea issue, and expressed their strong support to the Party and State’s measures in dealing with China’s illegal placement of its rig Haiyang Shiyoy-981 in the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of Vietnam .

Voters also called for more drastic measures while promoting dissemination work to make the international community understand more about China ’s illegal actions and plot to monopolise the East Sea .

Affirming that the acts by China seriously violate international law and Vietnam’s sovereignty, sovereign right and jurisdiction as well as agreements between the two countries’ leaders, the Party leader reiterated Vietnam’s advocate to solving the issue by peaceful means on the basis of international law, including legal procedures.

He called on voters to heighten vigilance to not let extremists take advantage of the issue to undermine the country’s construction and development achievements.

“It is our policy to resolutely safeguard the country’s territorial sovereignty,” he emphasised.

At the meetings, voters expressed their concern over corruption and wastefulness, stressing the need to drive back corruption, which is considered a dangerous enemy of the society.

Party General Secretary Trong said the fight against corruption and wastefulness is a common attention of the Party, State, Government, National Assembly, the entire political system and the whole people.

During the meetings, the leader addressed voters’ concerns relating to education-training renovation and the ways to conduct votes of confidence on officials.

As for voters’ opinions, he affirmed that all suggestions and comments are useful for the National Assembly to improve the quality of its upcoming sessions. He also promised to convey their recommendations to relevant agencies for consideration.

Government meeting wraps up

The government’s regular meeting concluded on July 1 after two days of sitting, giving comments to the country’s socio-economic, security-defence and external relations performance in June and the first six months of this year, and drawing out directions for the rest of the year.

Leaders of many localities nationwide asserted that besides a number of achievements, including a GDP growth of 5.18 percent in the first half of this year, the country’s socio-economic situation still faced certain difficulties.

They pointed out that business and production still saw obstacles, with a high number of enterprises being dissolved and low credit growth, coupled with slow disbursement of State budget and capital from government bonds.

At the same time, a number of domestic and foreign-invested firms in several localities were affected by the recent incidents caused by some extremists taking advantage of local workers’ protest against China’s illegal placement of its oil rig in Vietnamese waters to damage the enterprises’ property, they said.

It crucial to design effective measures to ensure macro-economic stability and better control inflation, they said, adding that socio-economic goals set earlier for 2014 should not be adjusted.

It is also necessary to focus more on easing difficulties for business, providing support to the expansion of markets, especially export ones, and capital for prioritised areas, and speeding up the process of restructuring State-owned enterprises.

Together with further improving investment environment, it is important to remove obstacles facing investors and broaden markets to avoid depending on any certain market.

More support policy should be designed for investors in rural areas, while more investment made to national target programmes, especially that on sustainable poverty reduction, they said.

Regarding China ’s illegal placement of drilling rig Haiyang Shoyou-981 in Vietnam ’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, they held that the government and the Prime Minister have made drastic and systematic response measures in accordance with international law to resolutely demand China withdraw the rig out of Vietnam ’s waters.

An environment of peace and stability has been maintained to serve the country’s socio-economic development, they stated.

Meanwhile, the security, property and safety of enterprises and investors have been ensured, while effective and timely support rolled out for affected firms so that they could resume their operations.

Leasers of some localities proposed that the Government should take more measures to actively cope with unexpected negative situation in economic, trade and investment relations with China, while issuing special assistance policies for fishermen and mobilising international community’s support in safeguarding national sovereignty.

It needs to provide law enforcement forces at sea with more equipment to enhance their capacity, they said.

President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour Dang Ngoc Tung suggested that the Government should pay a special attention to the diversification of markets to prevent dependence on any single economy, thus avoiding risks.

Concluding the meeting, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung hailed efforts by the entire Party, army and people to the socio-economic achievements in the first half of this year despite challenges and difficulties, particularly China’s illegal placement of its rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of Vietnam.

Vietnam has maintained a high economic growth, macro-economic stability with controlled inflation, monetary market and foreign exchange rate, and increased foreign currency reserves, thus ensuring a balance for state budget, boosting export and reducing the poverty rate, the PM said.

Besides, Vietnam resolutely safeguard its sovereignty by peaceful measures in accordance with international law while affirming the country’s stance of demanding China to pull its oil rig from Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

The measures to solve the issue are applauded by all people and international community, he said, adding that countries around the world have raised their voice to support Vietnam’s justice and condemn illegal acts by China.

The PM elaborated on the tasks for the second half of this year, asking ministries and localities to keep a close watch on the situation and report to the Government in the context that the world economic and political situation remains complicated and the country is struggling against China ‘s acts in the East Sea.

He asked for utmost efforts to safeguard sea and island sovereignty by ways conforming to international law while successfully implementing goals and targets set earlier this year without adjustments to socio-economic development targets.

The leader emphasised three major goals, particularly safeguarding the sea and island sovereignty and demanding China to immediately withdraw its illegal rig from Vietnam’s waters.

Ministries and localities must continue to take measures to ensure normal relations, promote economic ties, trade and investment with China for the common benefits of both sides while considering plans in response to disadvantages arising in specific economic cooperative ties between the two countries.

He asked ministries and localities to build and operate an independent, self -reliant and globally integrated economy while expanding markets for import and export activities and fully tapping trade agreements and international commitments.

The second goal is to keep politics-security stability and social order to serve the country’s construction and development, avoiding turbulences caused by extremists who take advantage of sovereignty protection to violate law and damage firms’ estates.

The PM said the third goal is to realise the country’s GDP growth of 5.8 percent in 2014.

He instructed ministries and localities to complete regulations and institutions, improve investment climate and raise state management effectiveness.

They need to promote international integration, ease difficulties for businesses, while implementing sustainable poverty reduction measures, especially among ethnic minority people, he said.

Economic restructuring should be strictly carried out with focus on weak banks to ensure security and safety for the banking system, he said, adding that agricultural restructuring needs to be accelerated along with building new-style rural areas.

Russia cooperates with Vietnam on criminal transfer

The Russian Government will take a draft law on the ratification of an agreement between the country and Vietnam on the transfer of sentenced prisoners into consideration.

The document submitted by the ministries of foreign affairs and justice has already been adopted by the Government committee for Russia’s legislative activities.

The agreement aims to establish an international legal ground for boosting bilateral cooperation in the field.

It allows foreign nationals convicted in the respective countries to serve the remainder of their sentences in their homeland.

Foreign military attachés visit Thua Thien-Hue

Vietnam-based military attachés sought to learn about public security, search and rescue, mine pollution, trans-national crime and safety for fishermen at sea during their visit to the central province of Thua Thien-Hue on June 30.

The officials from 15 countries, led by Indian Colonel Mulath Sri Kumar, were received by permanent Deputy Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Truong Luu on the day.

Colonel Kumar expressed hope for the locality’s support in facilitating the progress of bilateral trade with Vietnam.

Luu told Kumar that he welcomes their countries’ continued engagements with Vietnam in tourism, infrastructure, industry, information and hi-technology.

The guests later took the occasion to tour several relic sites and attractions across the province.

President signs order to announce amended nationality law

President Truong Tan Sang signed an order dated June 26 to promulgate the Law on amendments and supplements to the Law on Vietnamese Nationality.

The law, approved on June 24 by National Assembly deputies at their seventh session in the 13th tenure, contains changes to articles 13 and 26 of the Law on Vietnamese Nationality.

The new article 13 stipulates that citizens having Vietnamese nationality include those who have Vietnamese nationality by the effective date of this law and those who acquire Vietnamese nationality under this law.

Overseas Vietnamese, who have not yet lost Vietnamese nationality as prescribed by Vietnamese law before the effective date of this law, still retain their Vietnamese nationality.

Vietnamese residing abroad, who have not yet lost Vietnamese nationality and have no papers to prove their Vietnamese nationality as prescribed in article 11 of this law, should make registration with overseas Vietnamese representative missions to have their Vietnamese nationality recognised and their Vietnamese passports issued.

Clause 3 of article 26 related to cases failing to register for retention of Vietnamese nationality as prescribed in clause 2 of the old article 13 was annulled.

The amended law took effect from June 26.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau fosters partnership with Japan

The People’s Committee of the southern coastal province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau on July 1 launched the Japan Desk, aiming to promote ties between Japan and the locality, especially in investment.

This is an important milestone in the partnership between the two sides, said Ho Van Nien, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee.

Nien, who is also head of the new desk, highly valued contributions of Japanese investors to the socio-economic development of the locality and its effort to become an international port in the future.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau has so far hosted 290 foreign direct invested projects with a combined capital of more than 26 billion USD, including 19 Japanese ones totalling over 1.9 billion USD, mostly in steel production, oil and gas pipe processing, mechanical engineering, seaport and apparel.

Nakajima Satoshi, Japanese Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, said Vietnam has been an attractive destination to Japanese investors.

The establishment of the Japan Desk with the support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency is part of the Japanese Government’s policy to back its enterprises abroad, he said.

The desk, formed within the joint initiative signed in April 2003 between the Vietnamese and Japanese governments, is expected to strengthen the coordination among local authorised agencies in settling difficulties facing Japanese investors during their operations in the locality.

It is also expected to help Ba Ria-Vung Tau call for more investment from Japan , while keeping close connectivity with the Japan Desk in Ho Chi Minh City in improving its investment environment.

The same day, the province signed a cooperation agreement with Japanese Muzuho bank that has a network spanning 37 countries and territories.

The deal will allow the two sides to support Japanese enterprises, especially those in Ba Ria-Vung Tau, aiming to increase Japanese investment in the province.

Central Highlands steering committee, diplomats hold working session

The Steering Committee for the Central Highlands and the Foreign Ministry should come up with a coordination scheme to provide the latest information on the region to Vietnamese ambassadors abroad, especially those involving democracy and human rights to counter false allegations by hostile forces.

So said Deputy Foreign Minister Thach Du, who led a delegation of Vietnamese diplomats, at a working session with the committee in Dak Lak province on July 1.

Ambassadors and consul generals will serve as a bridge linking the Central Highlands and international friends, especially in the field of trade, Du said.

Members of the committee also offered suggestions on external relations work, including dissemination of information on the region, its trade promotion, acceleration of demarcation with neighbouring countries of Laos and Cambodia, and activities of non-governmental organisations there.

Covering over 54,400km, the Central Highlands encompasses the provinces of Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Lam Dong, Gia Lai and Kon Tum with a population of over 5.4 million people, 25.7 percent of them ethnic minority, deputy head of the committee, Lieut. Gen. Trieu Xuan Hoa reported.

For the past 10 years, its economy has expanded 10 percent on annual average, generating 15 trillion VND (714 million USD) to its local budget. Its farm produce such as coffee, rubber, pepper, tea and cashew nuts rake in billions of USD from exports.

Nearly 97 percent of local districts and communes have their own medical stations while many new universities, colleges and vocational schools have been built.

A mere 13.64 percent of local households is living in poverty. For the past 13 years, the region has offered vocational training to over 300,000 and generated jobs to more than 1.15 million workers.-

New Land Law ensures transparency in land management

The 2013 Land Law (revised) officially came into effect on July 1, helping ensure transparency and democracy in land management.

According to Dao Trung Chinh, deputy head of the Land Management General Department under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the new law covers several important changes that benefit land users.

He noted that the new law contains clear stipulations on land users’ rights to compensation and resettlement assistance. More importantly, the law provides on fair treatment for both domestic and overseas Vietnamese citizens, as well as offers equal opportunities for Vietnamese and foreign investors, enabling foreign investors to get involved in housing projects for residence, lease or sale.

The new law also tightens the land management and use, requiring property investors and businesses to have adequate economic capacity to ensure the effective use of land.

Regarding land acquisitions, the law states that the activities must be done in a manner of transparency and accountability and pay compensation in accordance with the laws.

In the case of delayed projects, the new law stipulates that the State will revoke land without compensation, if investors do not use the land 24 months after their projects are licensed.

VNA/VOV/VNN