Political News Headlines 15/4 NA Standing Committee starts 27th session The 27th session of the National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee convened in Hanoi on April 14, focusing on building draft laws on various issues such as security-defence, economics and education. During the meeting, members of the committee will discuss 13 draft laws and raise their opinions on supervising lawmaking programmes and adopting several important resolutions, said NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung. Hung stressed that the committee needs to pay attention to carefully debating different points of view between investigative agencies and drafters to reach a decision recommendation to present to the NA during its upcoming seventh sitting. The same day, the committee’s members contributed their opinions on issuing a draft law on curriculum reform and the content renovation of textbooks for general education after 2015. Vietnam, Australia boost judicial bond A delegation of the Ministry of Justice led by Minister Ha Hung Cuong is on a working visit to Australia, with a view to enhancing the legal and judicial cooperation between the two countries. The visit also aims to realise the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the ministry and the Australian Attorney-General’s Department in 2012. The document looks to tighten the collaboration between the two countries’ legal and judicial bodies, expand their mutual assistance related to civil and trade issues, and legal training. During the visit, which concludes on April 16, the delegation will share its experience in building the penal system in accordance with Vietnam’s implementation of commitments to international conventions and agreements, such as the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime and the United Nations Convention against Corruption. On the occasion, the delegation and the Australian side are expected to ink three cooperation documents, including an MoU between the ministry and its counterpart, a cooperation agreement between Vietnam’s Academy of Justice and the Faculty of Law of the University of New South Wales, and a consensus between the Hanoi University of Law and the Melbourne Law School. The visit takes place shortly after the two countries successfully organised the Vietnam-Australia Friendship and Cooperation Year, marking the new phase of the development of the bilateral ties. PM lays out ambitious plans for central city Da Nang should strongly and sustainably boost socio-economic development, especially in hi-tech business, tourism and the poverty alleviation industry, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung told the central city's administration yesterday. Dung said the central city had already achieved good results in construction, planning and infrastructure investment. "The city has successfully changed its economic structure, of which tourism and service accounted for nearly 68 per cent. Budget collection and exports have also grown well in the first quarter," Dung said. He said the city should overcome any difficulties and promote its socio-economic development in coming years. The prime minister also assigned ministries and agencies to co-operate with Da Nang administration to develop proposals and plans for infrastructure development. This includes roads, airports, seaports, railways, metro system, sporting complexes, an international convention centre, student village, biology institute centre, hospital expansions, the Viet Nam-UK University and seeking funds for the East-West Economic Corridor which links Laos, Thailand, Myanmar and Viet Nam. He also agreed with Da Nang on developing Public Private Partnership (PPP) model projects, but he warned the city to be cautious with Building-Transfer projects. The city has earned VND2.64 trillion (US$126 million) for the state budget revenue in the first quarter, of which VND1.7 trillion was from taxes and fees. The city also earned $235 million from exports. Chairman of the city's People's Committee, Van Huu Chien, also proposed that the prime minister create more support for the city with Official Development Aid (ODA) projects and funds for a hi-tech park. The city also requested the Government to supply 50 per cent of funds to build high power vessels for local fishermen. Last week, the prime minister agreed on the city's adjusted master urban plan for 2030 until 2050, which will help build the city as a centre of sports, education, science and technology for the central and Central Highlands region. Da Nang is situated in the central region of Viet Nam and at the end of the East-West Economic Corridor – linking Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Viet Nam. This year, the city has attracted 285 FDI projects with a capital of US$3.32 billion. During his working visit to the Song Thu shipyard Corporation yesterday, Prime Minister Dung also praised the endeavours of staff and engineers. He also urged the corporation to raise its potential to contribute to the country's shipyard industry development. The corporation, which is a major ship builder in Viet Nam, has exported 24 vessels, including fast crew supply ships, rescue ships, salvage tugs, drive tugs and patrol boats, for the Middle East, South America, Europe and domestic markets. Last year, annual exports totalled US$55 million. The ship builder earned $71 million in revenue last year. Vietnam, China’s Guangdong province seek to beef up trade ties Trade cooperation between Vietnam and Chinese province of Guangdong continues playing an important part in the Vietnam-China partnership, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh has said. Addressing a conference in Hanoi on April 14, which was jointly organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the People’s Government of Guangdong province, the Deputy PM hailed the organisation of the conference, describing it as a great chance for the business communities of both sides to strengthen their connectivity. It is expected to help enhance trade ties between Vietnam and China as well as Vietnamese localities and Guangdong in particular, thus reducing Vietnam’s trade surplus from China and contributing to fulfiling the target of raising two-way trade to 60 million USD by 2015, Minh said. Despite the gloomy global economy, Vietnam and China have still enjoyed trade growth at an average of 30 percent annually in the past decade, the minister noted, adding that cooperation prospects between the two countries are still bright. Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Cam Tu said last year Vietnam-Guangdong trade hit nearly 12.3 billion USD, up 40 percent over 2012. He said that by the end of February this year, the figure had already reached 1.71 billion USD. Vietnam ’s exports to Guangdong were worth 720 million USD, a 19.4 percent rise, while its imports were valued at 995 million USD, a 7.5 percent over the same period last year. Vietnam is currently accounting for 11.6 percent of the total trade between ASEAN countries with the Chinese province, Tu added. According to Hu Chunhua, Secretary of the Guangdong Party Committee, Vietnam and Guangdong can supplement each other in natural resources and economics. He also gave some proposals to boost bilateral partnership, including expanding investment and trade ties, speeding up the construction of joint economic zones and infrastructure system, and beefing up agro-fishery cooperation. On the occasion, the two sides inked a number of trade and investment agreements in agriculture, electronics, telecommunication and education with a total value of over 200 million USD. Central Theoretical Council discusses renewal lessons The Central Theoretical Council hosted a seminar during its 11th session in Ho Chi Minh City on April 14, with theoretical and practical issues arising during the country’s Doi Moi (renewal) being the main theme of discussions. Opening the event, the council’s chair Dinh The Huynh, who is also a Politburo member, said the country will mark 30 years since launching the Doi Moi policy in 2016. Initial review of the process has reveal nine new and important issues that are in need of careful research, including feasible solutions for the country to become an industrialized country by 2020, the role of social development and management in the Party’s strategic thinking, the system of values for the Vietnamese people and nation in the country’s new stage of development, and the content, model and method of the Party’s ruling. Huynh also mentioned the need to enrich the content of the socialist-oriented market economy, which Vietnam is pursuing. How to mobilize all labour forces and resources for development is also another important question among others, according to the official. According to Le Thanh Hai, Politburo member and Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, there are three key questions regarding the socialist-oriented market economy that need to be scrutinized, particularly the changing of ways of thinking and working of the authorities from central to grassroots levels in exercising the State economic management in the context of the market economy. He said Vietnam is behind other countries in building the market economy, so the country can make use of tested-and-approved market tools that are suitable with its specific situation. In addition, policies and solutions to ensure social welfare, reduce poverty sustainably and unceasingly improve the general living standard, thus helping maintain socio-political stability are urgently needed, he said. VNA/VOV/VNS/VNN