VN thanks US for increasing funding for bomb clearance

Minister of National Defence Gen. Phung Quang Thanh has thanked the US for its double increase of funding for post-war bomb and mine clearance, saying that this will help Vietnam deal with the war aftermath and bring a peaceful life for the people.

Meeting US Ambassador Ted Osius in Hanoi on April 24, Thanh reviewed with satisfaction new developments in bilateral defence cooperation, including the sharing of experience in the United Nations peacekeeping mission, humanitarian assistance, disaster mitigation, and ensuring maritime security and safety.

He also asked the ambassador to foster the Vietnam – US ties.

Osius, in return, spoke of the need to facilitate high-level visits by defence officials and implement well the cooperation agreement signed between the two sides.

Joint Vietnam-China fishery patrol concludes

Vietnamese and Chinese coast guards concluded their four-day joint fishery patrol on shared fishing grounds in the Tonkin Gulf on April 24.

Vietnam ’s two Coast Guard vessels 8001 and 8003 joined the patrol, during which authorised forces inspected Vietnamese and Chinese fishing vessels operating in the areas and popularised regulations and principles on operations at sea for fishermen.

The joint patrol, the 10 th of its kind so far, aimed to enhance the collaboration between the two sides in implementing the agreement on conducting joint patrol for the protection and sustainable exploitation of maritime resources and creatures in conformity with the Vietnam-China Agreement on Fishery Cooperation in the Gulf of Tonkin .

Both sides also shared experience and information on the realisation of the fishery agreement as well as activities to ensure maritime safety and fishing security.-

Vietnam attends 2015 ASEAN People Forum

Vietnam attended the 2015 ASEAN People’s Forum (APF) that opened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on April 22-24, attracting over 1,400 delegates from the region.

Besides plenary sessions and thematic discussions, the delegates also held dialogues with parliamentarians from ASEAN countries and representatives of the Malaysian and Filipino governments.

The Vietnamese delegation include activists from different mass organisations active in peace, security, environment, climate change, economics, education, agriculture, immigration, women and child rights, and labour.

Vietnamese delegates chaired and co-chaired several workshops and offered ideas to build the people-centred ASEAN Community by late 2015.

Participants are due to meet government leaders of ASEAN member states on April 27.-

Lao guest learns about HCM City’s development experience

Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Le Thanh Hai expressed readiness to share development experience with Laos at a working session with a Lao delegation in the city on April 24.

Hai said confidently that such bilateral discussions would foster the traditional friendship and special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos.

Head of the Lao delegation, former Prime Minister of Laos Bouasone Bouphavanh who is now the head of the Lao Party Central Committee’s Commission for Economic Development Strategy, said he hopes to learn and apply the city’s economic development experience in Laos upon return.

On the occasion, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Hoang Quan briefed his guests about the city’s know-how to devise socio-economic and cultural strategy planning, attract foreign investment, operate industrial and economic parks as well as economic restructuring process.

NA Vice Chairwoman welcomes Nepalese Auditor General

The signing of a cooperation agreement and visit exchange will provide a firm foundation for Vietnamese and Nepalese audit agencies to carry out cooperative activities, National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan said.

She greeted Nepalese Auditor General Bhanu Prasad Acharya, who is in Hanoi for a working visit, on April 24.

Ngan expressed her hope that the auditing agencies will continue sharing experience and contribute to maintaining their countries’ sound affiliation.

She expects that Vietnam’s State Audit Agency would learn from its Nepalese counterpart experience in amending the 2006 State Audit Law, whose new version is expected to be ratified this year.

Auditor General Bhanu Prasad Acharya said his visit allowed the two audit agencies to gain deeper mutual understanding and help strengthen the two people’s friendship.

He said he hoped the two agencies will increase visits, as will experience in forging coordination between auditors and other State agencies.

VNA