Government News In Brief Chinese province seeks closer ties with Vietnamese localities  Politburo member Pham Quang Nghi (R) and Wang San Yun,Secretary of the Gansu provincial Party Committee The enhancement of the friendly and pragmatic cooperation between Vietnamese and Chinese localities will tangibly contribute to boosting the traditional relations between the two Parties and States, said a Vietnamese Politburo member. Politburo member Pham Quang Nghi, who is in charge of the Hanoi Party Committee, made the comment during his meeting with Wang San Yun, a Chinese Party Central Committee member and Secretary of the Gansu provincial Party Committee, in Hanoi on December 6. The Party, Government and people of Vietnam always treasure the traditional friendship and multi-faceted collaboration with the Chinese Party, Government and people, the host said, stressing that this is the country’s consistent and long-term policy and strategic option. Nghi described the Chinese delegation’s visit to Vietnam as a practical activity that helps actualise agreements reached by the two countries’ leaders, especially following recent important meetings by the their high-ranking leaders and at a time when the two countries are marking the 65 anniversary of their diplomatic ties. For his part, Wang said the Party and State of China wish to work with the Vietnamese side to develop the bilateral ties in a healthy, stable and sustainable fashion, for the interests of the two countries’ people, and for peace, stability and development of each country, the region and the world at large. Noting with joy the fruitful development in relations between the two Parties over the past time, the guest expressed his belief that the visit will open up new opportunities for cooperation between Gansu province and Vietnamese ministries, branches and localities. The official informed his host about the socio-economic situation of China and Gansu province, particularly the outcomes of the recent fifth meeting of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee. Later on the day, Wang held talks with Hoang Binh Quan, a Party Central Committee member and Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations. The two sides compared notes on concrete measures to advance exchange and affiliation between Gansu province and Vietnamese ministries and localities, thus contributing to beefing up the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in a healthy, stable and sustainable manner. The Chinese delegation visited Ho Chi Minh City before coming to Hanoi. National Patriotic Emulation Congress to open on December 7 The ninth National Patriotic Emulation Congress is scheduled to commence in Hanoi on December 7, drawing 1,800 delegates who are role models in all spheres of life. The participants will include those holding the titles of Hero of Labour; Hero of the People’s Armed Forces; and Meritorious and People’s Teacher, Doctor, Artist and Artisan. Others will represent collectives that were granted the Ho Chi Minh Prize and the State Prize, or excelled in patriotic emulation movements over the last five years. Their efforts are considered great contributions to national reform, development and protection. The two-day congress will review the patriotic emulation movement and rewards given out between 2011 and 2015 while setting up orientations from now to 2020. Outstanding collectives and individuals are also expected to deliver speeches at the event. A new emulation movement themed “Solidarity, creativity and emulation for national construction and protection” will be launched at the congress. A press centre serving the event opened in the capital on December 6. The same day, leaders of the Party, State and Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF), including Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and VFF President Nguyen Thien Nhan, along with the congress’s delegates, paid homage to late President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum and to heroic martyrs at a nearby monument in Hanoi. On December 5, VFF Vice President Nguyen Van Pha held a reception for 15 Vietnamese expatriates living in 14 countries and territories who will attend the ninth congress. Vietnam’s first patriotic emulation movement was launched by President Ho Chi Minh, who made an appeal calling on all Vietnamese citizens on June 11, 1948 to do their utmost for the resistance war against the French and for nation-building. Hai Phong voters briefed about outcomes of NA’s sitting Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung joined National Assembly (NA) deputies in the northern city of Hai Phong at a meeting with Le Chan district voters on December 5 to inform them about the outcomes of the NA’s freshly finished 10th sitting. The deputies briefed local constituents on the parliament’s lawmaking activities and question-and-answer sessions regarding Government members’ performance. The legislators’ activities were also reported. Hai Phong voters expressed their delight at the outcomes of the NA’s 10th sitting, especially reforms in lawmaking activities and question-and-answer sessions that directly addressed pressing issues. They asked the NA and the Government to fine-tune policies designed for socio-economic development in coastal and insular areas, and safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity. They also hoped the Cabinet would help Hai Phong build an international university to improve local human resources training. At the meeting, PM Nguyen Tan Dung, who is also a deputy of Hai Phong, notified voters of Vietnam’s socio-economic situation, noting the impacts of the world’s sluggish economic recovery, debt crises in many countries and tension in the East Sea. Despite those facts, the country has ensured macro-economic stability and curbed inflation. It expects to hit a GDP growth rate of 6.5 percent this year, beating its goal of 6.2 percent. He also highlighted progress seen in culture, social welfare, administrative reform, corruption prevention, defence-security, diplomacy and international integration. The leader pledged the Government’s concerted efforts to continue ensuring macro-economic stability, containing inflation, reducing budget overspending, and promoting national financial safety. Economic restructuring and growth model changes will be accelerated. Meanwhile, more attention will be paid to sea-related economic activities, environmental protection, climate change response, educational reforms, cultural and social development, and improving people’s livelihoods. He also underlined the Party’s and State’s resolve to effectively execute free trade agreements that have been or will be signed to optimise opportunities and minimise negative influences. Regarding Hai Phong, the PM promised the best possible conditions for the city to boost its economic growth and better residents’ living standards. Utmost efforts to be made to realise voters’ aspirations: President President Truong Tan Sang promised that the utmost efforts would be made in the remaining months of his term to successfully realise voters’ aspirations at a meeting with constituents of districts 1 and 3 in Ho Chi Minh City on December 5. At the voter-meeting round – the last of its kind of the 13th National Assembly – the President reported on his performance as a deputy of HCM City over the last five years. He said he has joined other deputies in 52 voters’ meetings. He clarified 10 to 17 problems at each meeting. The lawmakers submitted voters’ opinions to the NA, central agencies and local authorities while directly supervising the settlement of 15 complex complaints and denunciations. As a result, the HCM City People’s Committee has addressed almost 80 percent of constituents’ complaints, denunciations and opinions. President Truong Tan Sang spotlighted national achievements made during the 13th tenure, including curbed inflation, a stable macro-economy, ensured social welfare, and cultural and social progress. He also admitted that there were matters yet to be tackled, such as the rapid increase of public debt, obstacles in business activities and the economy’s low competitiveness. In response, HCM City voters spoke highly of the lawmakers’ performances in the 13th term and voiced their hope for their continued devotion through the rest of their terms. At the meeting, some participants asked the NA deputies to utilise their abilities more through question-and-answer and supervisory activities. They also voiced disappointment in irresponsible answers by heads of some ministries and sectors. Regarding some issues raised at the meeting, President Truong Tan Sang vowed severe punishments for actions that cause economic losses at State-owned groups. He also acknowledged failures in corruption prevention. He called for the public’s supervision over public debt to prevent wastefulness in the use of foreign loans. Meanwhile, the leader also reiterated the Vietnamese Party and State’s viewpoint on the country’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos, and its disagreement with China’s illegal and forceful occupation of those chains of islands.- Activity highlights footprints of late Lao President in Vietnam The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations, the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association and the Laos-Vietnam Friendship Association are organising an activity from December 10-17 to highlight the footprints of Laos’ late President Kaysone Phomvihane in Vietnam. A delegation of 45 Lao officials led by Vilayvong Bouddakham, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union and Vice President of the Laos-Vietnam Friendship Association, is expected to join the event to mark the 40th anniversary of Laos’ National Day (December 2, 1975) and the 95th birthday of the late Lao President (December 13, 1920). The programme aims to better the Lao officials’ understanding of President Kaysone Phomvihane’s activities in Vietnam, thus reinforcing the special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations. As scheduled, the delegation will visit Lao Kho village in Son La province where the Northern Lao Volunteer Team was founded in 1948. They will also see the site observing the preparatory meeting of the second congress of the Lao People’s Party (now the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party) in Hoa Binh province, a location where the first armed forces of Laos (the Latsavong unit) was set up in Phu Tho province and the Lao revolutionary relic site in Tuyen Quang province. The Lao officials will participate in a symposium on the activities of President Kaysone Phomvihane in Vietnam and visiting schools where he used to study in Hanoi. They are scheduled to visit the Kim Lien relic site in Nam Dan district in the central province of Nghe An, the hometown of late President Ho Chi Minh. They will also see the Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Museum, which exhibits the life and career of President Kaysone Phomvihane and the Vietnam-Laos friendship. The officials will meet with leaders of the Vietnamese Party and State, and authorities of cities and provinces to study the political and socio-economic situation in Vietnam. They will also speak with local people who once knew President Kaysone Phomvihane. VNA