GOVERNMENT IN BRIEF 7/8 VNA, PRD agree to further cooperation The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and the Public Relations Department of Thailand (PRD) on August 6 agreed to tighten their relations after a decade of professional cooperation between the two sides. The agreement was achieved at the 10th Joint Technical Committee Meeting (JTC) in the capital of Thailand co-chaired by VNA's Deputy Director General Le Duy Truyen and PRD Deputy Director General Ampawan Charoenkul. VNA's Deputy Director General Le Duy Truyen (L) and PRD Deputy Director General Ampawan Charoenkul. The two sides reviewed the results of the implementation of their Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Information and News Exchange and discussed measures to improve their cooperation in the new situation, especially while Vietnam and Thailand are preparing to lift their ties to a strategic partnership. Over the past year, VNA sent 350 English news items to PRD, which mainly covered Vietnam's political and socio-economic issues. On its part, VNA receiced around 620 news items from PRD. The two sides also exchanged video news with two items from each side on a daily basis. The cooperation between VNA and PRD has been unceasingly developed over the past decade in line with the fine relationship between Vietnam and Thailand as well as with the development of modern media, VNA Deputy Director General Truyen said. On her part, the PRD Deputy Director General said the existing cooperation and new commitments reached at this meeting will further boost the relations between PRD and VNA, helping both agencies fulfil their task of promoting mutual understanding between the two countries' people. VNA and PRD signed an MoU on cooperation in information and news exchange on August 24, 2003. Since then, high-level officials from both sides have maintained annual meetings to review the implementation of the MoU and explore new possibilities to expand their cooperation. The comprehensive cooperation between the two agencies covers a wide range of activities from exchanging high-level delegations, news teams, text information, media content through the Internet, video clips and footages, to training and sharing professional experiences. The cooperation has also contributed to improving the friendship and understanding between people of the two countries. Thailand’s Former Deputy PM honoured with Friendship Order Thailand’s former Deputy Prime Minister cum Foreign Minister Bhichai Rattakul has been awarded Vietnam’s Friendship Order for his great contributions to developing Vietnam-Thailand relations. In his speech at an August 6 ceremony to present the Order, Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Ngo Duc Thang praised Bhichai Rattakul’s contributions to forging the fine relations between the two nations. Vietnam and Thailand signed an agreement on the establishment of diplomatic ties during the Thai former Deputy PM’s visit to Vietnam 37 years ago. The event marked a significant milestone in developing bilateral relations which was been upgraded to a strategic partnership during Party General Secretary recent visit to Thailand in June. As a veteran politician of the Democratic Party, Bhichai Rattakul used to hold key positions such as Foreign Minister in 1976, first Deputy Prime Minister, speaker of the House of Representatives and President of the Thailand National Anti-Corruption Commission. Thailand strengthens security cooperation with Vietnam The Vietnam-Thailand Joint Working Group (JWG) held its 6th meeting on politics and security in the central city of Danang on August 7. The two-day event was co-chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Defence, Lieutenant General To Lam, and secretary-general of the Thai National Security Council (NSC), Paradorn Pattanatabut. The two sides exchanged views on the security situation in each country, as well as regional and international issues of mutual concern. They pledged to prevent individuals and organizations from making corrupt use of the two countries’ territory to do harm to Vietnam and Thailand. They agreed to strengthen cooperation in combating trans-national crime such as human trafficking, terrorists, drug trafficking and money laundering. They also dwelled upon other issues related to national defence and judiciary matters such as violations and illegal use of labour by fishermen and fishing vessels of both countries. They approved a working plan for the 2014-2016 period within the framework of Vietnam-Thailand Security Vision and other agreements reached by high-level leaders. The 7th meeting of the Vietnam-Thailand JWG will take place in Thailand in 2014. The establishment of strategic partnership during Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s recent visit to Thailand is a milestone in bilateral ties. Vietnam, South Africa look to foster ties Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh has affirmed that South Africa is a traditional friend and one of the leading partners of Vietnam in Africa. FM Minh made the statement during talks with South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana Mashabane on August 6 during his two-day visit to the country. He congratulated the South African people for significant achievements they have reaped under the leadership of the African National Congress (ANC), placing the country on the top of the continent in various fields, including economics, culture, education and science-technology. Minister Maite Nkoana Mashabane described Minh’s visit as a new momentum for further fostering the two countries’ relations. She confirmed that South Africa highly values Vietnam’s role in the region and at international forums, expressing hope that Vietnam will serve as a bridge linking the South Africa Development Community (SADC) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). She voiced wish that the two countries will continue coordination and mutual support at international forums, especially the United Nations, the South-South cooperation framework and the Non-Aligned Movement. Regarding bilateral ties, the two ministers expressed their delight at the developing traditional friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and South Africa over the past years, especially since they set up their partnership for cooperation and development in 2004. The two sides agreed to increase the exchange of all-level delegations and people-to-people exchange activities as well as continue maintaining regular meetings between the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and the ANC, considering it a firm political foundation to develop bilateral ties in a comprehensive and intensive manner in the future. They also reached consensus on priority areas and measures to promote cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, science and technology, defence, tourism and environment, striving to raise two-way trade to more than 1 billion USD in the coming years. Both sides shared determination to speed up negotiations for the signing of the agreement on double taxation avoidance and agreement on investment encouragement and protection, creating a favourable legal framework for businesses of both countries. They also agreed on the expansion of a tripartite cooperation model that has been effectively implemented in Guinea Conakry and other African countries. The African side spoke highly of Vietnam’s efforts and expressed desire to continue strengthening cooperation with the Southeast Asian nation in combating the illegal transport and trading of wild animals and related products. The same day, FM Minh paid a courtesy call to South African President Jacob Zuma, who affirmed that the leaders and people of his country admire the courage of Vietnamese people during the past struggle for independence, which was considered an inspiration and a good example for the South African people to win victory over the Apartheid. President Zuma stressed that South Africa sees Vietnam as its reliable friend and ally, expressing wish that the two countries will continue tightening their all-round ties, especially in economics and trade. During his stay, FM Minh also met with South African Minister of Industry and Trade Rob Davies and co-chaired a ceremony celebrating the 20 th anniversary of Vietnam-South Africa diplomatic ties in Pretoria. VN, New Zealand strive to achieve Pacific trade pact Leaders of Viet Nam and New Zealand have announced that both nations will work closely together in negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. Meeting Governor General of New Zealand Jerry Mateparae in Ha Noi yesterday, Aug 6, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung made it clear that Viet Nam wishes to further cement links with New Zealand, especially in economics, trade and investment. "The Government of Viet Nam will direct ministries and departments to work with the New Zealand side to effectively realise cooperation agreements reached during the visit," Dung said. Using existing mechanisms, he suggested the two sides endeavour to implement the 2013-16 Viet Nam-New Zealand Action Programme, under which they will support each other at regional and global forums while maintaining the exchange of all-level delegations to reach a consensus on wide-ranging co-operative deals. At the same time, he said the two nations needed to tap their investment and trade potential to the fullest to lift two-way trade to a more impressive figure. The Government leader said he expected New Zealand would continue providing Viet Nam with official development assistance (ODA), pledging that Viet Nam would make the most of the aid for its development. He also said he hoped New Zealand would offer more scholarships to Vietnamese students, enabling them to pursue their studies in the country. Mateparae said his visit was to tighten bilateral co-operation and friendship in various realms, particularly in economics, trade, investment, agriculture, education, aviation, clean technology, tourism and coping with climate change. He also said he hoped Viet Nam would back New Zealand's trade expansion with ASEAN member countries. The Governor General underscored education as a key priority in his country's bilateral relations with Viet Nam. He focused on an action programme implementing the partnership at a ceremony in Ha Noi the same day. Last year, more than 2,000 Vietnamese students were reported to be studying in New Zealand, up 90 percent since 2008. And more than 400 Vietnamese officials participated in a New Zealand aid programme called "English Language Teaching for Officials". Earlier, the Governor General laid a wreath to the late President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum. CPV delegation attends Sao Paulo Forum A delegation from the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) gathered with representatives from 42 countries at the 19th meeting of the Sao Paulo Forum held in Brazil, from July 31 to August 4. Viet Nam's delegation was led by Standing Deputy Head of the CPV Central Committee's Commission for External Relations, Vuong Thua Phong, and met with representatives from 91 left-wing organisations. Delegates discussed issues concerning the international community, including sustainable development, migration and climate change, and praised the achievements of left-wing governments. Representatives also reviewed the challenges of left-wing movements and provided measures to quicken the process of regional connectivity in the fight against imperialism. The CPV delegation also attended working sessions with the Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB), the Workers' Party of Brazil (PT), and other left wing political parties. PCdoB and PT leaders spoke highly of Viet Nam's experience and expressed a willingness to deepen their cooperation with the CPV. A bilateral cooperation agreement was signed between the two parties and will run until 2018. Ambassador calls for US governors’ support for TPP Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Cuong has called on the governors of states of the United States to back the ongoing negotiations on the Trans-Asia Pacific (TPP) agreement. Ambassador Cuong’s appeal came at talks with the governors of the states of Wisconsin, Iowa, Delaware, Mississippi, Colorado and Utah, and leaders of the National Governors Association (NGA), on the fringes of the NGA’s Summer Meeting in Wilwaukee city of Wisconsin state on August 1-4. The TPP-themed talks were also joined by the Ambassadors from Japan, Singapore and Peru, which are taking part in the TPP negotiations. The diplomat also urged the US side to support the TPP when it is debated at the federal and state Congresses as the document, once signed, will step up regional economic integration and help the benefiting countries fulfil their development goals. He used the occasion to inform the governors of the outcomes of President Truong Tan Sang’s recent official visit to the US, including the commitments to accomplishing the TPP agreement within 2013 by the two countries’ Presidents. Trade between Vietnam and the US has grown over 140 percent in the past five years, of which agriculture posted a 200 percent-more growth rate, he added, expressing his expectations that these growth rates would continue the rising trend as a result of the signing of the TPP agreement. At the event, the participating governors all pledged support for trade liberalisation, reasoning its significant role behind global economic growth. They praised efforts made by Vietnam and other TPP member countries in building an agreement with highest international standards and committed to accelerating the negotiations in 2013. On this occasion, Ambassador Cuong and his colleagues met with businesses of Milwaukee city, many of whom are running business in Vietnam. VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA