Government News 19/11 Defence Minister meets Myanmar counterpart, Brunei Energy Minister     Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh met bilaterally with Myanmar Defence Minister Wai Lwin and Brunei Energy Minister Pehin Yasmin in Bagan, Myanmar on November 18. Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh (middle, first row) at the ADMM-8 (Photo: VNA) The meetings were part of General Thanh’s activities on the margin of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Retreat (ADMM Retreat), reported the Quan doi Nhan dan (People’s Army) newspaper. Meeting with his Myanmar counterpart, Lieutenant General Wai Lwin, General Thanh lauded the role that Myanmar played in the operations of ASEAN and ADMM over the past years. As the ASEAN Chair, Myanmar has made positive contributions to the success of ASEAN and ADMM, including the organisation of the 25th ASEAN Summit earlier this month, he said. Vietnam hopes for further support of Myanmar, especially in its organisation of the 24th ASEAN Armies Rifle Meet (AARM), the 15th ASEAN Chief of Army Multilateral Meeting (ACAMM) and the fourth ASEAN Sergeant Major Annual Meeting (ASMAM) this month, said General Thanh. On his part, Lieutenant General Wai Lwin reiterated that Vietnam and Myanmar have enjoyed sound economic cooperation, which he said will fuel the defence affiliation. At the meeting with Brunei Energy Minister Pehin Yasmin, the two sides pledged to support each other at multilateral cooperation frameworks, especially within ASEAN and ADMM Plus. The two sides agreed to continue fostering bilateral defence cooperation in various aspects, including personnel training, navy, and delegation exchanges. Pehin Yasmin thanked Vietnam for supporting his country over the past years and receiving enthusiastically Brunei’s officers during their Vietnam visit in May this year. He also asked for Vietnam’s assistance and participation in the defence shooting competition and exhibition that Brunei will host next year. General Thanh agreed that Vietnam will join these events. Party leader to visit Russia, Belarus General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee (CPVCC) Nguyen Phu Trong will pay official visits to Russia and Belarus from November 23-28. The visits will be made at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, the CPVCC's Commission for External Relations announced on November 11. Belarusian army delegation in Vietnam The Vietnamese and Belarusian armies’ television stations should increase experience sharing in the future, said a Vietnamese military official. Deputy Director of the General Department of Politics under the Vietnam People’s Army Lieut. Gen. Mai Quang Phan made the suggestion while meeting with Maitev Sergei Leonidovich, General Director of VoenTV, a unit of the Belarusian defence ministry, in Hanoi on November 18. At the reception, Phan also hailed the outcomes of a working session between the two stations. Leonidovich thanked the department’s support for his working sessions with several Vietnamese army units, noting that mutual exchanges between the two armies will lay a foundation for the bilateral defence ties. Vietnam, Italy share judicial experience A delegation from the Central Steering Committee for Judicial Reform led by its deputy head Le Thi Thu Ba has visited Italy to inquire about the country’s judicial activities. During her November 16-19 stay, Ba joined a working session with representatives from Italy ’s Supreme Judiciary Council, during which she introduced participants to Vietnam ’s judicial reform results, especially the adoption of the 2013 Constitution. She said that many laws related to the organisation and operation of judiciary agencies will be considered and approved by the National Assembly in the coming time so as to concretise the new Constitution. Vice President of Italy’s Supreme Judiciary Council Giovanni Legnini spoke of Vietnam’s efforts in judicial reform as well as the role played by the Central Steering Committee for Judicial Reform in the work. Italy is willing to assist Vietnam in bettering its judicial system, he said. At the working session, the two sides shared their experience in revising several laws such as criminal and civil codes, as well as in personnel training. Deputy PM receives Asiana chairman Deputy PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc received Park Sam Koo, the chairman of Korean business group Kumho Asiana, yesterday in Ha Noi. Deputy PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) received Park Sam Koo, the chairman of Korean business group Kumho Asiana, yesterday in Ha Noi.- Photo VGP   The Deputy PM thanked him for the conglomerate's contributions to commerce, culture and education, including awarding scholarships to Vietnamese students. The business group's efforts had helped strengthen bilateral ties between Viet Nam and the Republic of Korea, he said, adding that Viet Nam would continue to improve its investment and business climate with a view to attracting more foreign investors. The Kumho Asiana chairman said Viet Nam's investment policies created favorable conditions for international enterprises to operate effectively and asserted the group would do its best to bolster the countries' relationship. Kumho Asiana Group is a large conglomerate with subsidiaries in the automotive industry, leisure and hospitality, logistics, chemical production and aviation sectors. On the same day, Park met with permanent member of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat Le Hong Anh. 24th ASEAN Armies Rifle Meet underway The 24th ASEAN Armies Rifle Meet (AARM-24) opened at the Mieu Mon National Training Centre in My Duc district, Hanoi on November 19. This year’s event is drawing the participation of 543 athletes from the armies of the ten ASEAN countries including Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar and Vietnam. They will compete in 22 shooting events divided into five categories, namely rifle, carbine, machine gun, pistol men and pistol women. The Vietnam People’s Army has sent 37 shooters to the competition, which will run until November 28. The AARM started in 1990 under the initiative of the ASEAN Chiefs of Army, aiming to strengthen solidarity, mutual understanding and friendship among the ASEAN militaries. It is held annually on a rotational basis. Vietnam Journalists Association visits China A delegation of the Vietnam Journalists Association (VJA) led by Vice Chairman Ha Minh Hue is on a visit to China from November 16 and 22 at the invitation of All-China Journalists Association (ACJA). At a meeting with an ACJA delegation headed by Executive Secretary Zhu Shouchen, the two sides discussed a number of issues regarding journalism and their activities. They said friendship and cooperation between the two associations have been developed in recent times with a number of exchange visits to share experience in the field and enhance mutual understanding. They agreed to further cement their traditional ties. An ACJA delegation will visit Vietnam later this year. During the visit in China, the Vietnamese delegation also met with leaders of many local press agencies, and toured several training establishments, museums and exhibitions in Beijing, Wuhan city of Hubei province and Guangzhou city of Guangdong province. Party officials attend Indian workshop on Nehru Head of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee’s Commission for External Affairs Hoang Binh Quan attended a workshop honouring India’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in New Delhi, India. The November 17-18 event celebrated the 125th birthday anniversary of the late leader who is considered the architect of the modern Indian state and democracy. J. Nehru emerged as the co-founder of the Non-Alignment movement and the initiator of a wide range of ideological values regarding liberation, peace, democracy, equality, and compassion. A remembrance statement was issued at the end of the workshop, asserting the commitments to maintaining the late Prime Minister’s viewpoints on the world and his heritage. On the occasion, the Vietnamese Party officials met with Indian National Congress Party (INCP) President Sonia Gandhi who expressed her wish to further enhance the time-honoured friendship between the Vietnamese and Indian parties and peoples. They discussed regional and global issues of mutual concerns with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the People’s Party (BJP) as well as seeking measures to increase Party relations with those from the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the CPI-Marxist. Vietnamese Party official visits Laos The commissions for popularisation and education under the Vietnamese and Lao Party Central Committees have agreed to boost collaboration, with a focus on facilitating visits and personnel training. Deputy head of the Vietnamese commission Lam Thi Phuong Thanh held a working session with her Lao counterpart Siphaseut Sensavath in Vientiane on November 18, during which they promised to share professional experience and prepare for the signing of a new cooperation agreement for the 2015-2020 period. Reviewing joint work over the past year, both host and guest noted with delight the achievements made by the two sides, especially in the realisation of the commitments between the two Parties and the communication campaigns on festivities and history of the bilateral friendship. Thanh will conclude her working trip to Laos on November 22. VNN/VNA/VNS/VOV