Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong to visit VN next week Deputy PM heads Fatherland Front Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan will take on the new appointment of President of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee. Commenting on his new role, Nhan said he would try his best to guide the VFF to fulfill its goals of contributing to national unity as well as mobilising citizens to participate in movements and campaigns designed to help stabilise the macro economy, curb inflation and maintain economic growth. The appointment was made at yesterday's VFF Central Committee's sixth conference, held to discuss its key tasks through 2013. He expressed his hope to receive support from its member groups, agencies and people of all social strata in order to improve the VFF's operations. He also appealed to the Party and State to focus more attention towards the committee which contributes to enhancing the social and religious unity of the nation. Addressing the event, outgoing president Huynh Dam said he also hoped that the Party and the State would create more legal grounds to support the front's supervisory role in order to improve the political system as well as to promote greater national unity. The committee also aims to continue promoting late President Ho Chi Minh's moral examples. President holds talks with Japanese firms President Truong Tan Sang yesterday (Sept 5) met with Japanese delegates to discuss how Viet Nam would provide greater incentives for Japanese investors.   President Truong Tan Sang yesterday met with Japanese delegates to discuss how Viet Nam would provide greater incentives for Japanese investors. Appreciating suggestions from Japanese businesses, Sang stressed that Japan's investment had been a key driver in Viet Nam's economic growth. He said Viet Nam would make necessary changes to its investment policies to meet practical requirements of businesses. The State leader said Viet Nam was going on with its efforts to restructure the economy and improve growth, expressing hope that the country would continue getting support from Japanese businesses. The delegation visited Ha Noi to attend the 2013 Viet Nam-Japan Economic Summit which took place earlier in the day; and briefed the President on the outcomes of the summit. A spokesperson said the delegation was keen to explore opportunities to partner with Vietnamese companies, adding that Viet Nam's investment climate had showed signs of slowing down with fewer FDI projects than other nations in the region. To make the business environment more attractive to Japanese investors, they urged stronger reforms in government policies. NA Chairman says Viet Nam wants closer legislative link with Timor Leste National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung has expressed his wish to expand co-operation between Vietnamese and Timor Leste legislatures by facilitating visits of high-ranking delegations, including those from NA bodies. Receiving Timor Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanama Gusmao in Ha Noi yesterday (Sept 5), Hung said the exchange of visits helped the two sides to share legislation experience and work together effectively at regional and global parliamentarian forums. Viet Nam always treasured multifaceted co-operation with Timor Leste within both bilateral and multilateral frameworks, he noted. The top legislator also suggested the early signing of an agreement on investment protection and a legal foundation for business co-operation. Referring to international relations, the host thanked Timor Leste for backing Viet Nam's bid for a seat at the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2014-16 tenure as well as the country's stance on the East Sea issue. Gusmao said Timor Leste was implementing a 2011-16 development scheme which focused on resources and human development. As a young nation with a population of 1.2 million, Timor Leste expected to expand co-operation with other countries including Viet Nam and learn from their national development experience, he added. He voiced his hope that Viet Nam will support Timor Leste's bid to join ASEAN, contributing to building a more prosperous community in the future. City relations HCM City and Timor Leste have agreed to improve bilateral relations in many fields following an official visit by the Prime Minister Gusmao to the city yesterday. Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam, chairwoman of the HCM City People's Council, welcomed the Prime Minister and his party and explained the city's socio-economic situation. "The city hopes to enhance bilateral ties between the two nations and between Timor Leste and HCM City in particular after the visit," she added. Gusmao said he wanted to learn from the experience of HCM City in building a model to manage and organise the local government system. Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong to pay official visit The Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong, will pay an official visit to Viet Nam between September 11-13. The visit is made at the official invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. PM wants stronger links with South Korea Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung yesterday (Sept 5) urged for greater co-operation with the Republic of Korea (RoK) to provide mutual support for economic development. The statement was made as the PM hosted a reception for the RoK Ambassador to Viet Nam, Jun Dae-joo, who assumed his new role in the country. He said the two sides would benefit from greater cooperation in trade, investment, education, technology and labour. PM Dung requested the RoK to increase Official Development Assistance (ODA) to build infrastructure in Viet Nam; and create favourable conditions for Vietnamese agricultural producers to compete on the Korean market. Ambassador Dae-joo said his country attached importance to its relationship with Viet Nam, pledging to boost ties in infrastructure, energy and support industry development. NA Vice Chairperson visits Romania Vietnam and Romania have agreed to tighten their co-ordination at UN organisations, international forums, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and the community of French-speaking countries for maintaining peace and stability in the region. The agreement came at talks between the Politburo member and Vietnam National Assembly Vice Chairperson Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and Rumanian Vice President of Senate, Cristian Dumitrescu during Ngan’s official visit to Rumania from September 3-7. Ngan expressed her belief that Romania’s integration into the European Union would contribute to promoting the cooperation between the two countries as well as between Vietnam and EU. She also took the occasion to call on Romania to support Vietnam during the process of Free Trade Agreement negotiation between Vietnam and the EU. After briefing her host of Vietnam’s socio-economic situation and the Vietnam National Assembly’s performance, Ngan suggested the two sides continue to share experiences and enhance the relationship between the two countries’ parliamentarians. For his part, Vice –President of Senate - Cristian Dumitrescu affirmed Romania would do its best to boost ties between Vietnam the EU. He also said Rumania has always considered Vietnam as its bridge linking Romania to other Southeast Asian countries. During the meeting, the two sides applauded the continuous development of the traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation over the past 63 years since Vietnam and Romania established diplomatic ties. While staying in Romania, NA Vice Chairwoman Ngan met with Senate Vice President Cristian Dumitrescu, Chairman of the Committee for Industry and Service Iulian Iancu, Chairman of the Committee for Economic Policy, Reform and Privatisation Mihai Tudose, Chairman of the Committee for Budget, Finance and Banking Gheorghe Dragomir, and representatives of the Romania-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Group. Vietnam and UK want closer ties Senior officials from Vietnam and the United Kingdom have applauded the growth of bilateral relations between the two nations, particularly in the last few years. At a September 5 ceremony held in London to celebrate Vietnam’s 68 th National Day and the 40th anniversary of its diplomatic relations with the UK , diplomats declared they would not rest on their laurels, and committed to strengthening the relationship even further in the time to come. In his opening address, Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Vu Quang Minh stated that the Vietnam-UK friendship is based on a strong foundation of historical, cultural and human values. He made clear his expectation that their ties will grow steadily in the next 40 years and beyond. Prince Andrew, Duke of York, said that Vietnam is a special country with whom the UK needs to develop a special relationship. He said British businesses are now leading in financial investments in Vietnam while education is a key focus, with around 8,000 Vietnamese students studying at universities in the UK, far more than in any other country in Europe. Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Defence, Lord Astor of Hever, who last year visited Vietnam, also said that bilateral ties should be boosted. “There is no doubt that we are in what will be the Asian Century. This is something that Her Majesty’s Government recognises and which has been reflected in what my Foreign Office colleagues describe as a “network shift” of diplomatic effort into Asia. This shift reflects the increasing importance that Britain places on this region,” he said. “Our developing relationship with Vietnam, a significant and important country in the region, contributes materially to this,” he said, adding “I am keen to see that this relationship includes a defence and security relationship; not least because we recognise Vietnam as a significant security actor in the region.” Lord Astor stated he was looking forward to a new defence section being established in Hanoi by the end of this year. He said a first resident defence attaché would be in post from November and his appointment would make tremendous difference to the speed at which the countries’ defence relationship develops. About 800 participants attended the ceremony, including representatives from various bodies of the British government, city of London, friendship organisations, ambassadors from diplomatic missions based in London and members of the Vietnamese community. Vietnamese flag hoisted in San Francisco The Vietnamese Consulate General in the US city of San Francisco, in coordination with local authorities, on September 5 organised a ceremony to hoist the Vietnamese national flag in front of the San Francisco Municipal Hall on the 68th anniversary of Vietnam’s National Day (September 2). On the occasion, Director of the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of International Trade and Commerce Mark Chandle handed over to Consul General Nguyen Ba Hung the statement of the city and San Francisco County, signed by Mayor Edwin Lee, which declares that September 2, 2013 was chosen as the Vietnam-US Heritage and Friendship Day in the city and county. Following the ceremony, the Vietnamese Consul General hosted a banquet to celebrate the 68th National Day with the participation of local authorities, diplomatic delegations and overseas Vietnamese. Party official begins Cuban visit Politburo member Le Hong Anh has begun his working visit to Cuba on September 3, aiming to foster the traditional friendship between the Vietnamese and Cuban Communist Parties and their two constituencies. Meeting with Cuban Parliament President Esteban Lazo on September 4, Anh— who is also a standing member of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee’s Secretariat—briefed his host on Vietnam’s first ever confidence vote on elected and approved positions in the National Assembly. He said Vietnam is determined to tighten its solidarity, friendship, and comprehensive cooperation with its Cuban comrades, particularly in economics and trade. Lazo concurred, expressing interest in expanding delegation exchanges that include professional agencies and parliamentary friendship groups. Informing Anh of Cuba’s recent progress in economic development, Lazo highlighted his country’s fundamental goal to build a prosperous and sustainable socialist nation. Anh also conducted a fact-finding tour of Mayabeque, a provincial agricultural, industrial, and scientific powerhouse, to learn from the successes of its socio-economic model. Anh summarised Vietnam’s own agricultural achievements during a working meeting with provincial authorities. He passed on Vietnam’s is willingness to work with Mayabeque in this area. Vietnam, UK celebrate 40 years of diplomatic ties The Vietnamese Embassy in the UK and Northern Ireland has hosted the 68th anniversary celebration of Vietnam’s National Day (September 2) and 40 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries. President at the function were many Vietnamese residents and students as well as British officials and friends and UK friends. In his speech, Prince Andrew, the Duke of York emphasized that the fine development of Vietnam-UK relations has brought long-term benefits to both sides. The establishment of strategic partnership in 2010 marked a significant turning point in two-way trade turnover which has grown by 26 percent over the past three years. The UK is currently one of the top investors in Vietnam, he said. Remarkable progress can also be seen in educational cooperation with the increasing number of Vietnamese students in the UK. 2013 is a special year for Vietnam-UK relations. It marks 40 years of bilateral diplomatic ties and 100 years since President Ho Chi Minh’s arrival in the UK on his national salvation journey. UK Defence Under Secretary of State Lord Astor said he was very proud of his first visit to Vietnam as senior defence official. Lord Astor praised Vietnam’s increasingly important role in promoting coordinated efforts for peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region and wished that the two sides could continue strengthening cooperative relations for mutual benefits. MP George Howarth, President of the UK-Vietnam Parliamentarians Group said UK support for Vietnam in international maritime law is highly appreciated as Southeast Asia is seeking a solution for East sea disputes. Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK and Northern Ireland Vu Quang Minh also highlighted the Vietnam-UK friendship based on mutual understanding, strategic interests and common values. On the occasion, the Vietnamese Embassy presented noble titles and awards to individuals and organizations for their great contributions to promoting the Vietnam-UK ties of friendship and cooperation over the years. Source: VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA