TV audiences demand more creativity: PM

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung yesterday (Oct 28) called on Vietnamese broadcasters to move forward with innovation, creativity, and integrate with the rest of the region to meet the increasing demands of the public in the new era.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung addresses the opening ceremony of the 50th General Assembly of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union in Ha Noi yesterday.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 50th General Assembly of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union held in Ha Noi yesterday, Dung said the explosive boom of information technology has allowed viewers more freedom but also posed major challenges to the industry.

"I believe that the theme of this meeting, which focuses on serving viewers, would allow policy-makers and experts to develop better co-operative solutions and contribute to the maintenance of security and peace in the region," he said.

The ABU 50th General Assembly meeting opened yesterday, attracting representatives from 150 broadcasting stations from 54 countries and territories. Members of ABU cover about 3.5 billion viewers worldwide.

Tran Binh Minh, president of VTV, said broadcasters have to adapt to the changing tastes of viewers, especially young people who rely heavily on the internet and social networks as their entertainment channels, to provide more interactive programmes.

Naoji Ono, acting president of ABU, said eight years ago the meeting was also held in Viet Nam but the goal of keeping the audience satisfied has never changed.

However, Asia-Pacific broadcasters are urged to balance between new technologies and audiences in the digital era, according to experts in one of the panel discussions, and that could mean not leaving out the people who are not connected to the digital world.

Nguyen Thi Kim Hoa, Deputy Director of the Scientific and Educational Department, VTV, said creative and quality content are effective tools to be used to reach audiences, also stressing programmes such as Viet Nam's commune radio programme set up by central and local governments to reach people in rural areas.

In 2011, Viet Nam approved a nationwide plan which will see the country's television stations broadcasting completely in digital by 2020.

By 2015 the plan aims to ensure that 80 per cent of households with television sets across the country have access to digital television by various methods, and that digital terrestrial TV serves up to 60 per cent of the population. The plan will encourage the development of technological equipment according to the global standards.

VTV and Voice of Viet Nam are members of ABU, which was established in 1964.

Chinese Party delegation visits Vietnam

A delegation from the Communist Party of China led by Luo Huining, member of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Secretary of the Quinghai provincial Party Committee, is on a working visit to Vietnam from October 26-29.

During a reception given to the delegation in Hanoi on October 28, Pham Quang Nghi, Politburo member of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, welcomed the Chinese officials’ visit to Vietnam, saying he believes that the trip will contribute to promoting traditional friendship and cooperation between the two Parties and countries.

He highly valued the recent development in the relations of the two Parties and nations while affirming the Party, Government and people of Vietnam attach importance to developing the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China. He described it as the consistent and long-term guideline and leading priority in Vietnam’s policy of external relations.

Following a briefing on China’s political and socio-economic development and strengths of Quinghai, Luo Huining expressed his wish to strengthen multidimensional cooperation between his province and Vietnamese ministries and localities.

He said he believes that with the strong development of the China-Vietnam ties, the connectivity and all-around cooperation between Qinghai and Vietnam and its localities will be closer and more effective, contributing to enriching the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership as well as strengthening and promoting future cooperation between the two Parties and countries.

On this occasion, Qinghai province in collaboration with Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry organised an exhibition in Hanoi, introducing Qinghai’s goods and potential for cooperation in economics, trade and investment.

Earlier, a delegation of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) led by Hoang Binh Quang, member of the CPV Central Committee and Head of its Commission for External Relations, held talks with the Chinese delegation. They compared notes on how to promote ties between the two countries.

While in Vietnam, the Chinese delegation made a fact-finding tour of economic and cultural establishments in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Prime Minister Dung receives German, Australian guests

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung received Governing Mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit and Chief Minister of Australia's Northern Territory Adam Giles yesterday, Oct 28.

During talks with Wowereit, Dung affirmed that Viet Nam attached much importance to fostering its strategic partnership ties with Germany, which could bring practical benefits to both sides.

He asked the two countries to continue closely joining hands to implement efficiency projects that their leaders had agreed on, while boosting co-operation in trade, investment and education and training between Viet Nam and Germany, particularly Berlin.

Thanking the German Government for providing US$1.5 billion in ODA capital, Dung said Viet Nam had used the financial support efficiently and hoped that Germany would maintain this assistance.

He also hoped Germany's government would continue creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese expatriates to integrate into the host country, contributing more actively to the development of the country and the relationship between the two countries.

Hailing Viet Nam's economic transformation from a centrally planned economy to one that operates by market mechanisms, Wowereit expressed pleasure at the development of bilateral ties after two years of strategic partnership.

The two sides realised many important agreements such as the Germany House in HCM City, Viet Nam-Germany University and a metro project in HCM City. Germany plans to organise an Asia-Pacific conference on the German economy in HCM City next year.

Wowereit and Prime Minister Dung discussed their experiences with the transformation from state-run to market economies as well as measures to overcome challenges that arose during the process.

Earlier in the day, Wowereit had a work meeting with Chairman of the Ha Noi People's Committee Nguyen The Thao.

Thao called on the two sides to join hands in handling traffic-related issues and co-operate in human resources development, administrative reform and public education.

Ha Noi would dispatch experts to Berlin to learn from the city's experience in hydrology in order to revive the polluted To Lich River, he said.

The city has met a range of difficulties in investment and infrastructure development due to a large number of immigrants from other provinces, he added, saying the influx resulted in traffic jams, environmental pollution and overcrowded schools and hospitals.

The mayor pledged that Berlin would send experts to Ha Noi to help the city with solid waste treatment and traffic and urban planning issues and stood ready to sign co-operative agreements with the city in these fields.

Australian guest

Welcoming Giles, Dung proposed the two countries increase exchanges of delegations at all levels to strengthen bilateral economic, trade and investment ties.

He affirmed Viet Nam would help Australian enterprises conduct long-term business in the country.

Dung also suggested the two sides boost co-operation in education-training, science-technology, employment, tourism and national defence, saying that he hoped Australia would continue providing ODA capital to Viet Nam.

Giles affirmed that Australia considered Viet Nam an important partner in Asia and wished to increase co-operation in minerals, energy and food processing.

The Northern Territory welcomed Vietnamese entrepreneurs to Australia, he added, saying the region was home to a large number of Vietnamese people learning, living and doing business. They always abided by the laws of the host country and made positive contributions to its socio-economic development.

People-to-people diplomacy fosters Vietnam-Thailand ties

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City’s People Committee Le Hoang Quan and President of the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association (TVFA) Prachuab Chaiyasan have agreed that strengthening diplomacy and people-to-people exchange are significant in developing the friendship between Vietnam and Thailand.

Prachuab Chaiyasan held that in order to boost bilateral ties, it is necessary to foster their links in three levels, including the government, at a local level and people during his meeting with the municipal leader on October 28.

Vietnam and Thailand have already lifted their relations to a strategic partnership, but there is a long way to go in connecting localities and peoples of both sides, he noted.

In the future, the association will exert greater efforts to organise more activities to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, he added.

Sharing Prachuab Chaiyasan’s opinion, Quan said the stepping up of cooperation between localities and people of both sides is crucial to the development of the traditional friendship between the two countries who are now strategic partners.

He also spoke highly of the TVFA’s activities over the past years, saying that the association has made important contributions to the friendship between the two countries.

The city leader said Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok are finalising procedures to twin the two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City will also do its utmost to support Thai businesses and investors as well as the Thai community to live and work in the city, he affirmed.

Costa Rica targets VN partnership

Costa Rica's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship Jose Enrique Castillo-Barrantes and Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh discussed measures to enhance multifaceted ties yesterday, Oct 27.

Holding a dialogue with Minister Jose Enrique Castillo-Barrantes, Minh suggested that Costa Rica and Viet Nam's ministries of foreign affairs increase exchanges of delegations at all levels and regularly implement political consultations.

He said the two sides should speed up the signing of co-operation agreements to create a suitable legal framework for bilateral economic, trade and investment ties.

For his part, Minister Castillo-Barrantes affirmed Costa Rica's neutral foreign affairs policy for friendship, peace and co-operation and the country's policy to develop a co-operative relationship with the Asia Pacific, including Viet Nam. He said this relationship would focus on sectors where both sides could potentially support each other such as trade, agriculture, tourism, culture and education.

He said Costa Rica hoped to foster co-operation with the South East Asian region through Viet Nam.

The two ministers also exchanged views on international and regional issues of mutual concern, agreeing to continue promoting co-ordination between the two countries in international organisations and multilateral forums for the benefits of the two peoples and peace, stability and development of the two regions and the world.

Working together

Meeting with Costa Rica's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship Jose Enrique Castillo Barrantes, who is on a working visit to Viet Nam, Nguyen Tan Dung said he wanted the two countries to continue supporting each other in multilateral forums and political consultations.

He also suggested the two sides co-operate in building legal frameworks, including an agreement on double tax avoidance and investment protection, to strongly increase bilateral trade value.

Dung said he hoped Costa Rica would be a bridge between Viet Nam and Latin American countries in the fields of economics, trade and investment.

For his part, Barrantes expressed deep condolences over the recent passing of the revered General Vo Nguyen Giap and said his visit aims to foster co-operation in various areas, especially in business and investment.

He confirmed that during the visit both sides discussed many measures to increase bilateral co-operation and underlined the need to sign agreements on investment, education and culture.

Costa Rica was willing to support Viet Nam in strengthening relations with other Latin American nations, he affirmed.

ASEAN promotes human rights work

The ASEAN Commission on Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) is looking to expand its work to the southern region of Viet Nam, officials said at a two-day workshop beginning yesterday.

Nguyen Thanh Hoa, deputy minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, said that the first activity of ACWC in the southern region was to promote consultation and dialogue with all stakeholders on human rights mechanisms and related conventions.

Launched in April 2010 in Ha Noi in the lead-up to the 16th ASEAN Summit, ACWC has 20 representatives from ten member states. It aims to promote and protect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and children in the Southeast Asian region.

Cao Thi Thanh Thuy, ACWC's representative on women rights, said that elimination of violence against women and children, the rights of children to participate in all affairs that affect them, trafficking in women and children, women's participation in politics and decision-making, governance and democracy were among thematic areas of the commission's work plan through 2016.

Gender equality in education, promotion and protection of the rights of women and children with disabilities and the social impacts of climate change on women and children were also included in the work plan, she said.

VNN/VNS/VNA