Clinics in Nha Trang City deteriorated

All clinics in the central coastal province of Khánh Hòa’s Nha Trang City have deteriorated with underdeveloped tools and machines, Lê Phán, director of the Nha Trang Medical Centre, said.

On average, each doctor at a clinic examines some 100 patients per day, three times higher than the health sector’s regulations.

Phán said the city has a total of five clinics all of which were built more than 10 years ago, with limited scope. 

Although there are enough machines, they are outdated, according to the official.

Typically, clinic No 3 was built more than 15 years ago and has not been upgraded even once. The walls have peeled off and are mouldy.

At Clinic No 2, the examination room was also used as the waiting room due to a lack of space, Phán said.

The shortage of modern machines at the clinics has forced many patients to be moved to central hospitals.

Besides this, Damrey Typhoon, which occurred at the beginning of last month, caused further damage to the clinics.

Each clinic has 5-6 doctors, however, in one day only 3-4 doctors conduct health checks on patients. The remaining have to attend regular training courses to improve their qualifications.

Phán said the number of patients is the highest on Monday and Friday, and most are retired and old.

The city health sector is now collecting all efforts to build the Nha Trang City Hospital in accordance with the Khánh Hòa Province’s construction plan, he said.

The municipal health sector completed the design to build the Nha Trang City Hospital last year, but faced several troubles related to location of the new hospital, therefore, construction work has not started. 

Ministry proposes three scenarios for Cai Lay tollgate spat

Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Ngoc Dong on December 5  floated three scenarios for the controversial Cai Lay tollgate on National Highway 1 in Tien Giang Province.

First, the tollgate would stay where it is and road users would have to pay fees when they pass the tollgate. However, the investor will improve services, such as opening more lanes.

Second, the tollgate would be relocated from National Highway 1 to the 12-kilometer road which bypasses Cai Lay Town. If this is the case, the Government would have to renegotiate with the investor to lengthen the toll collection duration. But according to Dong, the relocation option could not materialize as it would affect the investor’s financial plan and its commitment to loan repayment, which he said might increase bad debt in the banking system if it is prolonged.

Third, there should be two toll stations, with one on National Highway 1 to recover the money used for re-asphalting a 26.5-kilometer section of the highway, and one on the 12-kilometer bypass to recover the cost of the newly built bypass.

Speaking to Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper, Dong said there were several solutions proposed during an emergency meeting chaired by the Prime Minister on Monday.

However, no final decision was made at the meeting. The PM told the Ministry of Transport and relevant agencies to review the project and come up with new solutions for the Cai Lay tollgate.

Dong said build-operate-transfer (BOT) is an effective way to raise capital from the private sector to fund infrastructure development projects. However, the implementation of BOT infrastructure projects has shown some shortcomings due to the incomplete legal framework for this form of financing.

Regional conference highlight female labourers, trade union’s role

A conference on famle labourers and the role of trade union in the Asia-Pacific region was held in Hanoi on December 6 by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) in collaboration with the World Federation Trade Unions (WFTU).

The event drew the participation of 15 trade unions from 11 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, and some European countries setting up cooperation with the VGCL.

Addressing the conference, VGCL President Bui Van Cuong highlighted policies towards female labourers are being improved in Vietnam, including the adoption of the Law on Gender Equality in 2006 and the Labour Code with a chapter related to regulations on female workers.

Vietnam ranks 18th in the world in terms of the numbers of female deputies at the National Assembly, he said.

However, Vietnamese female workers still face numerous challenges such as payment, working conditions, training opportunities, promotion and sustainable jobs, noted Cuong, who is also Vice President of the WFTU.

The VGCL will pay more attention to developing policies and supervising the enforcement of relevant legal documents to better take care female workers, Cuong said.

WFTU Head Office General Coordinator Anda Anastasaki described the conference as an important event to consolidate the movement of female labourers in the Asia – Pacific region and in the world as well.

She stressed the improvement of the female workers’ working conditions is a top priority of the WFTU.

At the event, participants discussed measures to promote and protect legitimate rights and benefits of female workers.

Prime Minister commits support to Ontario businesses

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc committed all possible support to Canada’s Ontario firms to do business in Vietnam during a reception in Hanoi on December 6 for Premier of Ontario Kathleen Wynne. 

The PM spoke highly of bilateral trade with Ontario which hit 3 billion USD out of the total 4 billion USD trade between Vietnam and Canada. 

He said the agreement by relevant countries to continue with negotiation on the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), will lay a foundation for Vietnam and Cananda to boost all-around ties, including in trade. 

Phuc expressed wish that two-way trade will grow at least 10-15 percent in the future. 

With potential of partnership in mining, manufacturing, national defence-security, he called on more Canadian firms to invest in Vietnam, noting that many Canadian investors have succeeded in doing business in the Southeast Asian country. 

Wynne informed the host that Ontario is the first state to implement the Vietnam-Canada cooperation agreement following the Vietnam visit by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, adding that as home to a number of big corporations, Ontario contributes to 40 percent of the gross domestic product of Canada. 

She said the business delegation accompanying her in the visit comprises representatives from nearly 50 enterprises who want to seek business opportunities in infrastructure, education, clean industry and health care. 

Many non-profit organisations are also ready to assist Vietnam in climate change response and environment protection, she said. 

Agreeing with the host’s stance on free trade promotion, she said Ontario is actively pushing the Canadian administration on CPTPP negotiations.

Hanoi People’s Council closes fifth meeting

The fifth meeting of the Hanoi municipal People’s Council (15th tenure) wrapped up in the capital city on December 6 after three days of sitting. 

The meeting adopted 5 regular resolutions and 11 specialised resolutions, and discussed reports on the city’s performance in 2017 and key tasks for 2018.

The municipal People’s Council approved the 2016-2020 public investment plan, supplementation to the list of key construction works for 2016-2020, adjustment to the target programme on information technology application in State agencies in the city for 2016-2020, and adopted the master plan on Hoa Lac urban area till 2030 on 1:10,000 scale and a plan on issuing health insurance cards for leprosy patients and households living just above the poverty line. 

The session also saw several changes in holding hearings, with the Council questioning relevant agencies on issues raised within the past one year in written forms. In particular, problems that are slow to be solved were selected for face-to-face question-and-answer sessions. 

The session saw the largest number of officials called up for hearings, with 7 chairmen of ward/district People’s Committees, one vice chairman of the municipal People’s Committee and 9 directors of municipal departments going before the council. 

Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung thanked participants for giving straightforward and constructive feedback on reports and adopting important resolutions on socio-economic development, national defence-security for 2018. 

In her closing speech, Chairwoman of the municipal People’s Council Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc asked the municipal People’s Committee and departments to promptly make plans to realise adopted resolutions and raise the entire political system’s sense of responsibility for accomplishing tasks for 2018 and the following years.

Lao Prime Minister hails Vietnam News Agency’s support

Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith lauded Vietnam News Agency (VNA)’s supports for the Lao News Agency (KPL) in the past years at a reception on December 6 for a VNA delegation led by General Director Nguyen Duc Loi.

The Lao Government leader affirmed the important roles of the two news agencies, stating that VNA’s companion in the past years has helped the KPL better perform missions entrusted by the Lao Party and Government.

The VNA General Director, for his part, informed his host about joint work between the two agencies, including information exchange, personnel training and upgrade of technical infrastructure.

Notably, both sides effectively carried out popularisation work on significant events, especially the Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year 2017 and the Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2017, he stressed.

The VNA hopes to receive further support from Lao leaders so that the two agencies can expand collaboration in the coming time, he said.

On December 5, the VNA delegation had talks with the KPL representatives. 

At the event, the two sides gave evaluations on their cooperation results in 2017 while discussed collaboration plan in 2018 under the spirit of the cooperation protocol during 2016-2020. 

They agreed to enhance cooperation in information exchange and support each other in popularisation work.

The VNA will continue training for KPL’s reporters and editors and help the Lao agency modernize technical infrastructure while KPL will continue to help with the publishing of the VNA’s Vietnam Pictorial magazine in Lao language and broadcast programmes of VNA television channel (VNews) in Laos.

At the end of the talks, leaders of the two agencies inked cooperation minutes for 2018.

Qatar treasures ties with Vietnam

Qatar treasures cooperative ties with Vietnam and is seeking measures to bolster the sound bilateral multi-faceted relations.

Emir of Qatar Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani made the statement during a reception on December 4 for Vietnamese Ambassador to Qatar Nguyen Dinh Thao who presented his credentials.

The Emir hoped to welcome President Tran Dai Quang in Qatar at an appropriate time for both sides, while wishing that the upcoming visit to Vietnam by Qatar’s Foreign Minister and high-level officials will promote the implementation of agreements within the framework of the Vietnam-Qatar Intergovernmental Committee.

The Vietnamese diplomat conveyed President Tran Dai Quang’s greetings to the Qatari Emir.

Expressing his thanks the Qatari Emir for his interest in the bilateral relations, Ambassador Thao affirmed to do his utmost to elevate the Vietnam-Qatar relations to a new height, meeting expectations of people from both sides.

Thống Nhất Railway adds new carriages

Saigon Railway plans to add 10 new carriages to replace old ones on the Thống Nhất (North - South) route on December 10.

They will be lighter and more soundproof, and will have bigger corridors and cleaner toilets. Each carriage will have 56 adjustable seats and an electrical socket per seat for charging electric items, as well as reading lights and TV screens along the carriages.

The Saigon Railway said it would not charge passengers more for upgraded carriages.

The carriages were designed by Dĩ An Train Joint-Stock Company, which built two trains last year used on the HCM City–Nha Trang route. 

In the last two years, Saigon Railway and HARACO (Hanoi Railway Transport JSC.) spent around VNĐ957 billion (US$42 million) on upgrading trains and services.

ASEAN student leaders meet in HCM City, Cần Thơ

Student leaders from 30 member countries are taking part in the 6th annual ASEAN Student Leaders Forum (ASLF) and the 2nd ASEAN University Network – Student Affairs Network Meeting (AUN-SAN) held in HCM City and Cần Thơ City from Dec 5-9.

The event, co-hosted by the Việt Nam National University HCM City (VNUHCM) and Cần Thơ University, seeks commitments toward a prosperous ASEAN Community.

“While ASLF serves as a platform for student leaders in ASEAN to share experiences and opinions pertinent to student organisations and youth in general, AUN-SAN is a supportive and planning platform that will pave the way to the execution of the proposed programmes that student leaders discuss during ASLF,” said Choltis Dhirathiti, executive director of the AUN.

Huỳnh Thành Đạt, president of the Việt Nam National University HCM City, said: “The event helps participants identify and discuss the opportunities and challenges of labor mobility within the ASEAN community, thereby identifying necessary preparation for students from universities in AUN.”

In addition to keynote sessions on students’ opportunities, challenges and skills in labour mobility in ASEAN, participants will travel to Cần Thơ City to tour a museum and water puppet show and take part in a cultural camp, among other historical and cultural activities.

The president of the HCM City Peace and Development Foundation, Tôn Nữ Thị Ninh, and chairman of the AUN Student Affairs Network Secretariat, Abdul Malek Abdul Karin, among other officials, attended the opening ceremony yesterday.

Hà Nội People’s Court opens trial on agriculture ex-director

The Hà Nội People’s Court on Wednesday opened proceedings in the case of ex-deputy director of the city’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Phạm Minh Nguyệt, and five others accused of violations in economic management.

Nguyệt and Nguyễn Thị Huyền Hảo, the former chief accountant of the Hà Nội Investment and Development Ltd Company (HADICO), Đỗ Văn Hảo, ex-general director of HADICO, Đặng Thị Thanh Tâm, former director of the Từ Liêm Tourism and Fruit Enterprise, Dương Thị Chinh, former accountant of the Từ Liêm enterprise and Nguyễn Trọng Hùng, former director of the Bắc Hà enterprise under the HADICO, were accused of property embezzlement, abusing their position while performing their duties and deliberately violating State rules in economic management resulting in losses of more than VNĐ40 billion (US$1.8 million).

Among the six accused, Nguyệt and Huyền Hảo may face the highest penalties including the death sentences if found guilty of property embezzlement and abusing their position, while the four others were charged for wrongdoings during performing their duties including abusing their position and financial management.

The hearing is scheduled to take place from December 6-8.

Nine lawyers are defending the accused.

According to the indictment, from late 2009 to 2014, Nguyệt ordered Huyền Hảo and other subordinate officials under his power including directors of member enterprises to set up false documents to withdraw money from HADICO’s production and market stablising funds. The money was supposedly delivered to him.

The total amount of money withdrawn from the company to transfer to Nguyệt exceeded VNĐ40 billion by 2014.

To hide the fraud, Nguyệt allegedly instructed his subordinates to sign a bank loan contract worth VNĐ19 billion so he could pay the money back to the HADICO and then used his own money to refund nearly VNĐ26 billion to the company.

The procuracy accused Nguyệt of embezzling nearly VNĐ15 billion from HADICO, which his family has completely compensated.

HADICO still lost more than VNĐ1.8 billion, mostly interest arising from the bank’s VNĐ19 billion loans, according to the indictment. 

Đại wins fourth stage of Bình Dương race

Young cyclist Hà Kiều Tấn Đại overcame veteran Lê Nguyệt Minh to triumph in the fourth stage of the Bình Dương Television Cycling Tournament, Ống Nhựa Hoa Sen Cup, yesterday.

Đại from BTV Đại Nam Bình Dương finished first with a time of 4:3.11 in the 142km stage from Buôn Mê Thuột City in Đắk Lắk to Chư Sê District in Gia Lai Province.

Minh of VUS-HCM City and Nguyễn Huỳnh Đăng Khoa of Việt Nam Youth were the runners-up.

The weather was favourable for cycling on the hilly course.

Minh holds the green jersey award as the best sprinter, while the yellow jersey belongs to Phạm Quốc Cường of Domesco Pharmacy Đồng Tháp.

The white jersey for best young cyclist is still held by Nguyễn Minh Luận of the senior Việt Nam national team.

There was a change in the team’s rankings. VUS-HCM City overthrew Domesco Pharmacy Đồng Tháp to lead, while Gạo Hạt Ngọc Trời An Giang are third.

Today, nearly 70 cyclists will take part in the fifth 92km stage from Pleiku City in Gia Lai Province to Đắk Tô District in Kon Tum Province. 

Party official reaffirms fostering ties with Russia

Politburo member and head of the CPV Central Committee’s Inspection Commission Tran Quoc Vuong has affirmed CPV and Vietnamese State’s consistent stance to foster ties with Russia. 

During a working session with Deputy Chairwoman of the State Duma of Russia Irina Yarovaya in Moscow on December 6, Vuong thanked President Vladimir Putin and Russian leaders and people for helping Vietnam overcome the consequences of recent floods. 

Both sides agreed that ties between the two legislatures have improved with regular exchange of visits at all levels. 

Yarovaya said Russian political parties in the Duma always support strengthening ties with Vietnam. 

Both host and guest stressed the need to enhance inspection of the implementation of agreements between the two governments, especially the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union. 

During other talks, the Vietnamese guest and Director General of the United Russia Party’s Institute for Foreign Policy Studies and Initiatives Veronika Krasheninnikova discussed ways to boost ties between the two Parties, including facilitating high-level visits to share experience in state and social management, enhancing exchange between the two parties’ mass organisations, particularly young generations, and increasing links at political multilateral forums. 

Later, they co-chaired a Party consultation on issues of shared concern. 

At the event, Politburo member and head of the CPV Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Hoang Binh Quan and Deputy Secretary of the General Council of the United Russia Party Sergei Zheleznyak signed a cooperation deal between the two Parties for 2018-2021.

The Vietnamese delegation is visiting Russia from December 5-10.

Workshop seeks measures to promote gender responsive budgeting

The UN Women in Vietnam and the Asia Development Bank in Vietnam held a workshop on December 6 on promoting gender responsive budgeting in Vietnam.

Addressing the event, UN Women’s Head of Office in Vietnam Elisa Fernandez said UN Women has supported more than 60 countries in gender responsive budget planning. In Vietnam, since 2014, the agency has conducted research and improved capacity for relevant parties in the work.

She said that Vietnam’s Law on State Budget 2015 affirmed the country’s commitment to gender equality through State budget spending. However, Fernandez urged Vietnam to design specific guidelines for the work, including raising public awareness and building coordination mechanism between financial, planning agencies and other parties.

Meanwhile, Aaron Batten, ADB Senior Economist, said that gender equality is a focus of the bank’s development support programmes for Asia-Pacific. Improving women’s capacity in economic development is crucial in poverty reduction and growth, he said, adding that the ADB has introduced gender responsive budgeting in Vietnam through a programme to improve public spending in Vietnam from 2014.

At the workshop, experts defined gender responsive budgeting as the whole process of planning, implementing, supervising and auditing State funding with careful consideration to gender issues. 

Nguyen Minh Tan, Vice Director of the National Assembly Office’s Department of Finance and Budget said that for the first time, the Law on State Budget 2015 prioritised the allocation of funds to meet gender equality goals.

Participants also sought measures to build effective tools in promoting gender equality, while sharing experience of some countries in implementing gender responsive budgeting, and discussing Vietnam’s initiatives in the work.

Over the years, Vietnam has gained achievements in gender equality, including improving laws and the national system on gender equality.

However, Vietnam has faced a number of challenges, including employment conditions in the informal sector, climate change impacts and limited access to social welfare, which seriously affect women and poor people.

Gender responsive budgeting, a tool for evaluating accounting responsibility and supervising gender equality support commitments of governments, has been applied in more than 100 countries.

Vietnamese students enjoy 600 Samsung scholarships

Samsung Electronics Vietnam has conferred 600 scholarships worth VND600 million to underprivileged students with excellent academic records in three provinces of Bac Ninh, Thai Nguyen, and Bac Giang.

On December 1- 6, students in Bac Ninh and Thai Nguyen provinces received 400 scholarships while 200 students in Bac Giang province be given Samsung scholarships on December 15. Samsung also offered gifts packages of backpacks and learning kits to disadvantaged students to aid their studies.

Since 2010, Samsung Vietnam has awarded 13,000 scholarships worth VND13 billion to students in 1,507 schools nationwide.

Shim Won Hwan, General Director of Samsung Vietnam, said that as the largest FDI business in Vietnam, Samsung is fully aware of its corporate social responsibility and the company will continue to grant scholarships to needy Vietnamese students in future with the hope that successful graduates will progress to work for Samsung.

Workshop looks to boost NGOs capacity in Vietnam

A workshop to improve the performance of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Vietnam has taken place at the Vietnamese House in Washington DC.

The workshop, held on December 4, introduced Vietnam’s current affairs and its priorities in development and cooperation for the goal of poverty reduction and sustainable growth.

Representatives from NGOs operating in Vietnam, businesses and individuals with significant contributions to Vietnam – US relations attended the event.

On the occasion, the Vietnam – US Society, a member of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) and the US Institute for Global Engagement signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation for 2017 – 2022.

Facing various challenges, including climate change impacts, war consequences, and natural disasters, Vietnam, with its limited resources, is in need of foreign support, particularly from NGOs.

There are more than 500 foreign NGOs working frequently in Vietnam. They disburse funds worth about US$300 million to Vietnam on a yearly basis, one third of which come from US NGOs. They also offer training and technical transfers to local partners.

The VUFO, which is in charge of NGOs’ activities in Vietnam, said it is committed to creating the best conditions possible for foreign NGOs and donors.

Workshop seeks measures to promote gender responsive budgeting

The UN Women in Vietnam and the Asia Development Bank in Vietnam held a workshop on December 6 on promoting gender responsive budgeting in Vietnam.

Addressing the event, UN Women’s Head of Office in Vietnam Elisa Fernandez said UN Women has supported more than 60 countries in gender responsive budget planning. In Vietnam, since 2014, the agency has conducted research and improved capacity for relevant parties in the work.

She said that Vietnam’s Law on State Budget 2015 affirmed the country’s commitment to gender equality through State budget spending. However, Fernandez urged Vietnam to design specific guidelines for the work, including raising public awareness and building coordination mechanism between financial, planning agencies and other parties.

Meanwhile, Aaron Batten, ADB Senior Economist, said that gender equality is a focus of the bank’s development support programmes for Asia-Pacific. Improving women’s capacity in economic development is crucial in poverty reduction and growth, he said, adding that the ADB has introduced gender responsive budgeting in Vietnam through a programme to improve public spending in Vietnam from 2014.

At the workshop, experts defined gender responsive budgeting as the whole process of planning, implementing, supervising and auditing State funding with careful consideration to gender issues. 

Nguyen Minh Tan, Vice Director of the National Assembly Office’s Department of Finance and Budget said that for the first time, the Law on State Budget 2015 prioritised the allocation of funds to meet gender equality goals.

Participants also sought measures to build effective tools in promoting gender equality, while sharing experience of some countries in implementing gender responsive budgeting, and discussing Vietnam’s initiatives in the work.

Over the years, Vietnam has gained achievements in gender equality, including improving laws and the national system on gender equality.

However, Vietnam has faced a number of challenges, including employment conditions in the informal sector, climate change impacts and limited access to social welfare, which seriously affect women and poor people.

Gender responsive budgeting, a tool for evaluating accounting responsibility and supervising gender equality support commitments of governments, has been applied in more than 100 countries.

Committee seeks to improve quality of external information work

The Central Steering Committee for External Information Service should work harder to instruct external information work, ensuring its timeliness and liveliness.

The remark was made by head of the Central Steering Committee Vo Van Thuong at a conference in Hanoi on December 6, who underlined the need to increase information in foreign languages and promote news through the internet and social media. 

Thuong, also head of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’s Information and Education Commission, urged the Central Steering Committee to complete relevant legal documents and materialise roadmaps on developing national print and e-newspapers serving external information work. 

Participants at the conference agreed on the necessity to raise public awareness of news for foreign service in the context of renewal, national construction and development, and international economic integration. 

They also called for closer coordination between relevant ministries, departments and agencies at central and local levels. 

The Central Steering Committee will enhance its coordination with overseas Vietnamese representative offices, while paying attention to the reform work, aiming to improve the efficiency of this kind of information. 

A report presented at the conference shows that in 2017, the committee joined hands with relevant agencies to implement a range of external activities, with the most noteworthy being APEC Year 2017, especially the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in the central city of Da Nang in November. 

Joint efforts were also made to highlight State visits to Vietnam by leaders of the world’s major economies like General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and State President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, along with Vietnam-Laos and Vietnam-Cambodia friendship year, the report said.

South African ambassador bids farewell to President

President Tran Dai Quang received outgoing South African Ambassador Kgomotso Ruth Magau, who came to bid farewell at the end of her tenure, in Hanoi on December 7.

Lauding the ambassador’s contributions to Vietnam – South Africa friendship and multifaceted cooperation during the past tenure, Quang wished her success in the coming time.  

The Vietnamese Government always pays heed to increasing engagement with South Africa, considering the ties a priority in its foreign diplomacy, he stated.

The State leader talked with delight about growing bilateral relations, with exchanges of high-ranking delegations organised frequently and annual trade exceeding 1 billion USD.

He said he hopes the sides step up comprehensive collaboration across trade, mining, education, tourism, natural resources, and environment.

Quang stressed the celebration of 25-year bilateral relations in 2018 with an expectation that the two countries will organise practical activities that help lift up their relationship to new heights. 

The President took the occasion to invite his South African counterpart to visit Vietnam.

For her part, Kgomotso Ruth Magau said she is happy that during her past tenure the two countries’ relations have progressed.

She noted South Africa has capitalised on opportunities to cooperate with Vietnam at international forums, and at bilateral level via their party, government, and parliamentary agencies.

South Africa is making efforts to boost economics – trade with Vietnam, the diplomat added.

Lao foreign minister visits Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam

Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith visited the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV) in Hanoi on December 7, talking to local students about 70 years of Laos’s diplomacy and 55 years of the two countries’ relations.

The Lao official was in Vietnam to co-chair the fourth bilateral consultation at the foreign ministerial level and attend an exchange between the two foreign ministries.

DAV Director Nguyen Vu Tung described cooperation in education-training as a traditional cooperation area that has helped provide high-quality human resources for Vietnam and Laos. 

About 14,000 Lao students are studying in Vietnam while 250 Vietnamese are studying in Laos. After graduating, the students have been contributing to their respective countries’ development as well as bilateral relations.

Talking to DAV staff and students, Foreign Minister Kommasith said Vietnam and Laos have strongly supported each other’s development and obtained major achievements in socio-economic development and integration into the region and the world. They have also made practical contributions to the international community.

Bilateral ties have been strongly developing in all aspects, including politics-diplomacy, defence-security, economy-trade, and culture-education, he said, noting that the countries are implementing joint statements and high-ranking agreements in an effective manner. Delegation exchanges and cooperation activities have been held regularly at different levels, considerably helping to improve people’s living standards and mutual understanding.

The official added no countries in the world have such special relations like Vietnam and Laos. Their special bonds have been nurtured by late Presidents Ho Chi Minh, Kaysone Phomvihane, and Souphanouvong, along with generations of the two countries’ leaders and people.

Therefore, young Vietnamese and Lao people should be responsible for maintaining and better bringing into play the traditional ties and special solidarity, he said.

At the meeting, the minister also answered students’ questions about Vietnam-Laos relations and measures for enhancing bilateral ties.

Hanoi Promotion Agency expands cooperation in communication

Hanoi Promotion Agency (HPA) has expanded their cooperation with press agencies to enhance the trade and tourism promotion activities.

The agency was formed in 2015 after merging six centres of relevant departments in Hanoi, including the Department of Planning and Investment, Department of Industry and Trade, Department of Tourism, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Agriculture and the City’s Export Processing Committee, under the Prime Minister’s decision.

Being a focal point for information, the mission of the agency is the enhancement of the promotion of events related to three fields: agriculture, investment and tourism.

According to Nguyen Gia Phuong, the HPA’s Director emphasised that the expansion of cooperation in communications is a common and current trend which plays an important role in promoting the country’s tourism. The online newspapers, particularly publications in foreign languages, are very effective for this type of promotion.

Nhan Dan Online Newspaper, with Vietnamese, English and Chinese version, is one of the HPA’s partners and has become an official and high-quality address to provide useful information on investment and tourism.

The HPA’s expansion of tourism and investment promotion was expected to boost trade and tourism activities of the capital, contributing to the socio-economic development of the country in general and Hanoi in particular.

Seminar looks into potential of developing wind energy

The Danish Embassy in Hanoi, in collaboration with Danish wind turbine company Vestas, held a seminar in Hanoi on December 7 to consider the potential of developing wind energy and the business of operating wind energy mills in Vietnam

Speaking at the event, deputy head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)’s Department of Electricity and Renewable Energy Do Duc Quan said renewable energy is proving increasingly competitive to other traditional energy sources, adding that renewable energy development will help Vietnam diversify and become self-sufficient in power supply while protecting the environment. 

The MoIT will continue refining legal framework and propose mechanisms to facilitate the development of renewable energy; study smart grid and energy storage technology, and forecast capacity to fully tap access to power using renewable energy, he said. 

According to the ministry, Vietnam now has only 6 operating wind energy mills with a total capacity of nearly 200MW. 

Quan expressed his wish that Denmark could continue helping Vietnam with technology transfer, professional capacity improvement and providing financial means via business links and collaboration in development research. 

Danish Ambassador to Vietnam Charlotte Laursen said Denmark will help Vietnam achieve the goal of greener energy and strengthen bilateral energy ties. 

Vestas President for Asia-Pacific Clive Turton the companyVesta wants to assist Vietnam in the process to switch to renewable energy sources. 

Earlier, the Danish Embassy, Tan Hoan Cau Corporation and Vestas Asia-Pacific signed a Memorandum of Understanding on conducting studies on wind strength in Huong Linh commune, Hoang Hoa district, the central province of Quang Tri. The two sides will build a research site for establishing a wind energy farm complex in Huong Linh commune through 6 sub-projects with minimum capacity of 30 MW.