Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army Do Ba Ty welcomed Commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Treetod Sonjance in Hanoi on March 10, according to Quan doi Nhan dan (People’s Army) newspaper.

Senior Lieutenant General Ty highlighted the growing ties between the two armies, citing the exchange of visits and information, training, joint patrol, and search and rescue activities, particularly since 2012 when a memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation was signed.

Air Chief Marshal Treetod Sonjance briefed his host of the results of his earlier working session with the Vietnamese People’s Air Defence and Air Force.

According to Ty, the two countries’ air forces need to bolster their collaboration as part of efforts to deepen the bilateral defence relations.

On the same day, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army Lieutenant General Be Xuan Truong received Major General Anipun Kumproh, director of the department for policy and planning under the Thai Defence Ministry currently on a working visit to Vietnam.

The two sides agreed that defence cooperation between the two countries has greatly contributed to maintain peace and stability in the region.

The cooperation should be elevated to match the strategic partnership, they said.

Judicial sector enhances international ties

Chief Judge of the Supreme People’s Court Truong Hoa Binh hosted separate receptions in Hanoi on March 11 for judicial officials from Cuba and Slovakia.

During their meeting, the chief judge and the head of Cuba’s Procuracy Dario Delgado Cura shared the outcomes of legal and judicial reforms in their respective countries.

They also discussed professional issues of mutual concerns regarding law enforcement.

Truong Hoa Binh affirmed that the friendly and cooperative relations between Vietnam and Cuba have been further tightened since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties in 1960.

Vietnam always supports the cause of political struggle of heroic Cuban people, he said.

The same day, Binh welcomed Slovakia’s Minister of Justice Tomas Borec who is on a working visit.

Vietnamese, Lao provinces intensify border cooperation

Northern mountainous Son La and Laos’ Houaphan provinces agreed to step up border cooperation at a working session on March 10-11.

The sides will work to raise local awareness of a Vietnam-Laos agreement on border regulations and ensure security through information exchange, joint patrols and planting border markers.

They agreed to call for investment from the two governments for implementing development projects in their shared border areas, particularly those in trade and tourism.

In 2014, trade between the two provinces generated 1.2 million USD, an annual rise of 0.2 percent.

Renovation needed to improve community awareness

People’s Councils at all levels should pay greater attention to further renovating operations towards becoming closer to the people and being aware of their desires, said Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly Huynh Ngoc Son.

Public complaints should be taken seriously and handled in a timely fashion at the local level to avoid escalated situations, he stressed at a meeting of People’s Councils standing committees from the Red River delta and northern coastal province of Ninh Binh on March 11.

Evaluations of public complaints and aspirations must also be implemented in line with the 2013 Constitution, especially regulations on human and citizens’ rights and other relevant laws.

He also emphasised the significance of close links between People’s Councils and People’s Committees as well as the Fatherland Front in monitoring and addressing complaints.

Simultaneously, People Council members should increase face-to-face meetings with voters to listen to their opinions and concerns, he stated.

Those working in citizen reception should make a great effort to remain continually patient and honest and hold a high sense of responsibility as well as be capable of explaining laws to citizens and instructing them on complaint process, he stressed.

Stronger efforts requested in international integration

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has asked ministries and localities to be more proactive in comprehensive international integration across sectors.

Within 2015, relevant bodies should enhance human resource capacity and foster close connections among interdisciplinary steering committees and central and local agencies in implementing international integration activities, he urged.

The PM required ministries and localities to design their own integration strategy, ensuring dedication and concentrated effort in the undertaking.

He assigned the Foreign Ministry to devise Prime ministerial guidelines on the implementation of the Politburo’s resolution on international integration serving national industrialisation, modernisation and sustainable development to be submitted to the PM in April, as well as drafting a proposal on personnel training and sending Vietnamese representatives to international organisations.

The Government leader also asked for the acceleration of negotiations on free trade agreements to facilitate the signing of a number of deals this year, including those between Vietnam and the European Union, the Republic of Korea, the Eurasian Economic Union.

Meanwhile, he requested stronger engagement of ministries and localities in ASEAN economic cooperation mechanisms through all-level meetings with a focus on building the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015.

At the same time, the Ministry of Information and Communication has been asked to propose communication plans for major international integration events in this April.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung also urged ministries and localities to continue popularising international integration while strengthening business dialogues and ensuring that process benefits all enterprises and people.