Japanese ships anchor in Da Nang Japanese ships anchor in Da Nang Three ships belonging to the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force Training Squadron and carrying 750 crew, docked at Da Nang's Tien Sa port on Saturday for a four-day visit to the central city.   Three ships belonging to the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force Training Squadron and carrying 750 crew, docked at Da Nang's Tien Sa port on Saturday for a four-day visit to the central city. The squadron, which comprises JS Kashima, Shirayuki and JDS Isoyuki, arrived for search and rescue, and sport competitions with Viet Nam's Naval Zone C, the Military Zone 5 and the city people's committee. Rear Admiral Fumiyuki Kitagawa, commander of the Japan Training Squadron, said the visit was part of a range of activities held by the two countries to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties. He said the visit would promote knowledge-sharing between the two naval forces in the field of search and rescue. The trip follows a visit by training ship Kojima of the Japan Coast Guard to Da Nang City in July. Deputy PM praises elderly role models for development drive Vietnamese people have great respect for the elderly, particularly those who hold prestigious positions in the community. Elderly ethnic people often fall into that category, and play a key role in promoting national unity. Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc made the remark when addressing a meeting last Saturday to review the five-year implementation of the Prime Minister's instruction to promote the role of these people among ethnic minority groups. He urged for clearer recognition of their roles while continuing to implement policies to replicate their examples and create favourable conditions for them to contribute more to safeguarding security and social order. After five years of implementation, the Party, Government and Fatherland Front at all levels have reported that upholding the role of prestigious elders among ethnic groups is crucial to socio-economic development, building a grassroots political system and strengthening national unity. In socio-economic development and poverty reduction, elders and their families had many contributions such as donating land and man hours. Participants agreed that village elders served as a bridge between local authorities and the people, and encouraged them to adhere to Party and State policies and laws. Minister-Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Minorities Affairs Giang Seo Phu said village elders were pioneers and role models who encouraged their offspring and communities to help preserve their cultural values. A meeting was held on the same day in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai to exchange experiences in national defence. Minister of Public Security General Tran Dai Quang stressed that they were also a valuable supply of information for the police, helping them to effectively fight plots and activities of hostile forces Representatives from Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Lam Dong also told their own stories about how they involved the public in safeguarding security and persuaded them to follow Party guidelines and State policies. This had helped to resolve issues related to the activities of reactionary groups, land disputes, protests, riots and illegal border-crossing. Vietnam-Japan human resource cooperation useful Cooperation programmes in human resources development between Vietnam and Japan have proved to be effective, contributing to Vietnam’s socio-economic development. Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Pham Thi Hai Chuyen made the remarks at a workshop on promoting investment in Vietnam and recruitment of Vietnamese apprentices held in Tokyo on October 18. The minister highlighted a joint programmes between her ministry and Japan’s international human resources development organisation (IM Japan) which has helped bring 1,232 Vietnamese to Japan for industrial technical training. The two countries have also inked an agreements on sending Vietnamese nurses and orderlies to work in Japan under the Vietnam-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement and another on training poor Vietnamese youth to meet Japanese enterprises’ recruitment requirements. IM Japan Chairman Kyoei Yanagisawa said the workshop is an opportunity for Japanese businesses to have an insight into Vietnam’s potential human resource market and promote cooperation in the field between the two countries. The workshop drew representatives from 244 Japanese businesses, 70 percent of which are considering investment in Vietnam and 10 percent are interested in receiving Vietnamese apprentices. HCM City voters voice hope for improved education, traffic Voters in Ho Chi Minh City made suggestions on how to improve education quality as well as reduce traffic accidents and ease environmental pollution while meeting on October 20 with National Assembly deputies elected from the city. District 11 voters emphasised the need for a comprehensive educational renovation in order to create remarkable changes in the sector. They suggested the building of more flyovers to help ease traffic congestions in big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. On behalf of the deputies, Secretary of the HCM City Party Committee Le Thanh Hai said that the educational renovation is an important issue highlighted in the Resolution of the recently-ended 8th plenum of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (11th tenure). It lays a foundation for the sector to promote its achievements and fix shortcomings, he added. Hai also said that the municipal authorities have actively taken numerous measures to reduce traffic accidents and ease environmental pollution. Coastal province celebrates milestone The northeastern coastal province of Quang Ninh held a ceremony last Saturday to mark the 50th anniversary of its founding. Addressing the meeting, Le Hong Anh, Politburo member and Permanent member of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee's Secretariat, praised the province's socio-economic achievements. Over the past 50 years, he said, the province has become one of the Red River Delta's three economic hubs. To date, Quang Ninh is the only province with four cities under its direct control; last year, it ranked fifth in contributions to the State budget. The province has seen an average GDP growth rate of over 10 per cent for the last 20 years. Its GDP per capita is US$2,910, 1.7 times last year's national average. By 2020, the province seeks to become a centre for international tourism as well as for modern industry and services. It also aims to be one of the country's biggest economic successes. Anh asked the province to effectively carry out breakthrough areas in the country's socio-economic development strategy for 2011-20 along with renewing its growth model, restructuring its economic sector and developing a green economy. He also required the province to continue promoting the campaign to learn from President Ho Chi Minh's moral example. Lao military officers receive training in Vietnam A training course on border defence for Lao military officers concluded in the northwestern province of Dien Bien on October 18. The Border Guard Command of Dien Bien province, the course’s organizer, presented graduation certificate to 55 trainees, who are officers of the Military Commands of Phongsaly and Udomxay provinces of Laos. The course provided the Lao officers with basic and up-to-date knowledge in border management and defence as well as Vietnam’s experience in dealing with possible problems arising in border areas. Vietnam Women’s Union delegation visits Germany The Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) pledges support to Vietnamese women’s activities abroad in general and Germany in particular, said the union’s President Nguyen Thi Thanh Hoa. Hoa made the commitment while meeting with representatives from Vietnamese women’s associations in Germany during her three-day visit to the country. Representatives at the meeting briefed her on the difficulties and insufficiencies in their movements, expressing hope to receive more support from the Party, State and VWU, particularly in sharing experiences and ways to attract more participants. The VWU President spoke highly of the initiatives and effective action models of the Vietnamese women in Germany, and said she will give out appropriate recommendations to step up activities for women abroad. Earlier the same day, Hoa met with Vice President of the German National Council of Women Organisations Brigitte Triems. The two sides exchanged their experiences in encouraging women to join national and international women organisations, raising public awareness of women’s roles and position, as well as working for their rights and equality in society. They also agreed to further enhance mutual understanding between the two sides for future cooperation. On October 16, Hoa and her escort presented gifts to children at a Vietnamese-German bilingual nursery school, the first ever bilingual education model for Vietnamese, German and international children of pre-school age in the country. The VWU President and Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Nguyen Thi Hoang Anh highly valued the model. They shared the hope that it will be expanded to help Vietnamese people better integrate into German society, while sustaining their Vietnamese origin and culture. Viet Nam values Francophone ties Viet Nam always attaches importance to developing its relations with French-speaking countries, Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan said. The Vice President was receiving Minister Delegate for French-speaking Communities Yamina Benguigui in Ha Noi on Friday, Oct 18. She stated that Viet Nam's participation in the Francophone community is to realise its foreign policy of multilateralisation and diversification of relations and active international integration. The Francophone community serves as a channel for Viet Nam to boost all-around ties with its member countries, especially France and French-speaking African nations, she added. Doan expressed her belief that France will continue promoting its role in Francophone activities and contribute more to the development of the region. For her part, Yamina Benguigui said that Viet Nam, as an active member of the OIF, has actively implemented its duties and commitments to the community, including the promotion of French language teaching. Viet Nam has been carrying out a number of programmes and projects to boost the teaching and speaking of the French language in Southeast Asia and train Vietnamese diplomats and civil servants in the language. She added that her organisation is implementing a French teaching programme in many countries, including Viet Nam. Combating HIV/AIDS The fight against HIV/AIDS and the promotion of gender equality and women's empowerment remain Viet Nam's challenges on the path towards realising its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, said National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong. Phong was addressing a seminar in Ha Noi on Friday held by the Committee for External Relations and the Committee for Social Affairs of the National Assembly, and the Vietnamese Subcommittee to the International Assembly of French-speaking Parliamentarians (APF). Under the theme "NA deputies' role in fulfilling MDGs on combating HIV/AIDS and promoting gender equality," the seminar was attended by NA deputies and officials of NA Offices from Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia, and representatives from several subcommittees of the APF, relevant ministries, branches and international organisations. The seminar created a forum for the NA deputies to share experiences and information in the accomplishment of MDGs in general as well as the fight against HIV/AIDS and the enhancement of gender equality in the parliament's activities in particular. Phong said the event helps delegates seek measures for issues that are challenging the international community and each country during the development process. French Minister for the la Francophonie in the French Government Yanima Benguigui affirmed that the French-speaking community has always given priority to MDGs. The community will stand by its member countries to help them add the gender equality content to their development policies, she said. By 2012, Viet Nam had reached many of the MDGs committed to the international community. In ten years the country has halved the number of poor people and continues to make encouraging progress towards the first goal to eradicate hunger and poverty. The poverty rate dropped from 58.1 per cent in 1993 to 10.7 per cent in 2010. In 2000, the country achieved universal high-standard primary education and by 2012, net enrollment rates for primary education reached 97.7 percent. Remarkable progress has also been seen in promoting gender equality and empowering women, as well as improving child and maternal health. The country has obtained significant achievements in establishing global partnerships for development, helping mobilise the flow of foreign investment and official development assistance (ODA), while taking advantage of opportunities offered by trade liberalisation to spur economic growth and poverty reduction. However, a substantial proportion of the population is in danger of falling back into poverty, as Viet Nam is one of the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. HCM City welcomes Cuban delegation Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Chairman Le Hoang Quan has hosted an October 18 reception for the visiting Cuban State Council delegation led by Secretary Homero Acosta Alvarez. Quan highlighted the special significance of the Cuban delegation’s visit in the context of the Vietnamese National Assembly’s preparations for its upcoming session and anticipated adoption of draft amendments to the 1992 Constitution. HCM City has coordinated with the Cuban Embassy in Vietnam to host a variety of cultural exchanges and other activities in recent years, activities Quan credited with deepening mutual understanding between the two peoples. He congratulated Cuba on its tremendous achievements and expressed confidence the country will overcome any difficulty encountered on its path to sustainable development. His Cuban guest said his delegation hopes to learn from Vietnam’s experiences from Vietnam and thanked Vietnam for the knowledge and assistance it has offered Cuba in the past. The Cuban delegation held earlier meetings with a municipal National Assembly delegation headed by Huynh Thanh Lap. Viet Nam, Mongolia seekcloser relations Viet Nam and Mongolia will facilitate high-ranking visits and speed up projects covering economics, trade, healthcare and culture in order to strengthen mutual trust, understanding and co-operation. Receiving Deputy FM Ho Xuan Son in Ulan Bator on Friday, Mongolian Deputy Prime Minister Dendev Terbishdagva said he was pleased with the traditional friendship and co-operation with Viet Nam over the past nearly 60 years. He stressed that the Mongolian Government and people wish to further beef up bilateral ties in the time to come. Party delegation visits Europe to strengthen political ties Hoang Binh Quan, member of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee and head of its Commission for External Relations, visited Switzerland and Austria from October 13-18 to strengthen ties with political parties of those countries. Quan and his entourage held separate talks with communist, left and progressive parties of the two countries, including the Swiss Party of Labour, the Communist Party of Switzerland, the Communist Party of Austria, the Social Democratic Party of Austria, and the Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour. Quan reaffirmed the policy of continuing to treasure and consolidate ties with communist, labour and left parties, and being ready to establish and broaden those with other political parties in the two countries. Many leaders of those parties pledged to support the strengthening of the comprehensive relations and co-operation between the two countries and Viet Nam, especially in the fields of economics and trade, as they are in the ruling coalitions. VPFA unites Vietnamese and Polish people The Vietnam-Poland Friendship Association (VPFA) held its third congress in Hanoi on October 19, electing a new 48-member executive board led by incoming Chairman and Former Natural Resources and Environment Minister Pham Khoi Nguyen. Vietnam Union of Friendship Organization (VUFO) President Vu Xuan Hong praised VPFA’s achievements over the past term and their contributions to promoting ties of friendship and cooperation between Vietnamese and Polish citizens. He urged the association to expand its people-to-people diplomacy and its various cooperative initiatives in economics, trade, science and technology, environment, education and training, culture, and tourism. Activities should focus on linking localities, businesses, universities, scientific research centres and social organisations across international borders, Hong suggested. Hong presented certificates of merit to organizations and individuals recognized for actively boosting bilateral ties of friendship and cooperation. Polish Embassy in Vietnam Representative Jacek Kasprzyk encouraged the VPFA’s practical efforts to strengthen mutual understanding between two countries’ people. The VPFA gathers former students, trainees, diplomatic officials, and people who have lived, worked, or studied in Poland. It has chapters in Hanoi, Hai Duong, Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa, Ha Tinh, Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City, and Vung Tau. In its previous term, the VPFA organised celebrations of the two countries’ festivals, attended business forums and cultural events, and lobbied to stepping up bilateral cooperation. People's Air Force marks fifth decade The Viet Nam People's Air Force has been honoured with a Golden Star Order ahead of its 50th anniversary on October 22. A ceremony to commemorate the landmark and present the award was organised in the capital city on Friday, with State President Truong Tan Sang and other Party, Government and high ranking army officials in attendance In his speech, Sang highly appreciated the great contributions made by officials, soldiers, technicians and personnel working in the air force over the past 50 years. "Defending and building the homeland are the twin strategic tasks of our country," Sang said. "In the complicated global and regional present context, the mission of defending national independence, sovereignty, unification, territorial integrity and protecting the socialist homeland are the responsibility of the entire party, people and the armed forces, including the air force," He asked the Viet Nam People's Air Force to focus efforts on developing into an elite force, remaining loyal to the Party, the Fatherland and the people. "To accomplish these tasks, you should pay attention to political training," Sang added. The president called on Air Force officials and soldiers to master advanced science and technology, while staying ready to foil any dark schemes from enemies. He also asked them to actively participate in economic activities. "The economy must go hand in hand with national defence and vice versa, to improve the material and spiritual conditions of the soldiers and be worthy of the name "Uncle Ho's soldiers." Sang said. On the occasion, State President Truong Tan Sang expressed appreciation for the great and invaluable support of international friends for Viet Nam and its Air Force. "International support has been a very important factor for the Viet Nam People's Armed Forces in recording notable successes over the past 50 years," Sang said. He recalled how, during the American war for national salvation, the Air Force had played a very important role in foiling the US air and navy attacks on northern Viet Nam. They shot down thousands of US aircraft, particularly during the 12 days battling the US air blitz in late December 1972. Together with the armed forces and people of Ha Noi and other provinces, the Viet Nam People's Armed Forces shot down 81 US aircraft, of which 34 were B-52 bombers, forcing Washington to sign the Paris Agreement to end the war and restore peace to Viet Nam. In addition, the Viet Nam Air Force also recorded resounding victories on the southern battle front, particularly during the Ho Chi Minh Historical Campaign in 1975 while also carrying out its international duties. In the 50 years of development, the Viet Nam People's Air Force has received many prestigious awards from the Party and Government, including the titles "Hero of the People's Armed Forces" and the "Labour Hero" during the country's renewal process. VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA