Political News Headlines 22/4 ASEAN Culture and Art Ministers close sixth meeting The message given at this meeting is that “Culture is an important element in life. The young generation today will be leaders in the future and a driving force for the development of ASEAN.” The 6th Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers responsible for Culture and Arts (AMCA 6) wrapped up in the central city of Hue on April 20. The meeting reviewed cultural cooperation within ASEAN and discussed the role of culture and arts as well as the common effort to build an ASEAN Community. To date, the process of implementing the master plan for ASEAN socio- cultural community has achieved positive results. Nearly 90% of the total 339 goals related to the ASEAN socio-cultural community have been carried out through various activities-ASEAN cultural city, ASEAN Youth Camp, ASEAN ancient town network. The ministers agreed to strengthen cultural and art cooperation for sustainable development of the ASEAN cultural community, towards building an ASEAN community by 2015. They also reached high consensus on the role of culture as a pillar for sustainable development and agreed in principle with the Hue Declaration on the role of culture for the sustainable development of the ASEAN Community. ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh said: “Cultural cooperation in ASEAN is focusing on the preservation of cultural heritages. Twenty-one of the 33 UNESCO-recognized world heritages in ASEAN are cultural heritages. Economically, culture and traditions in ASEAN countries are important factors, contributing to promoting tourism and economic development.” Through this meeting, ASEAN is actively cooperating with the dialogue partners like the Republic of Korea (RoK), Japan and China. Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh and Chairman of the sixth ASEAN meeting+3 (China, Japan and the RoK), said "ASEAN has always proactively defined approaches with dialogue partners especially China, Japan, the RoK. For Japan, we are proposing a new policy on Asian cultural exchanges and a project entitled “Towards Asia” which was started by the establishment of a center under the Japan Foundation for Cultural Exchange aiming to enhance people-to-people exchange and cooperation in ASEAN culture and art ". The Ministers agreed to hold their next meeting in Brunei in 2016 under the theme “Culture for the future sustainable development of ASEAN” and exert combined efforts to realize the set targets, focusing on the Hue Declaration on the role of culture for the sustainable development of the ASEAN Community. Forum focuses on developing regional economic linkages The governments of Cambodia, Laos and Viet Nam should invest more in transport infrastructure in order to boost economic connectivity, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said at a forum in Buon Ma Thuot City in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak yesterday. The event focused on building partnerships in order to develop the Cambodia-Laos-Viet Nam Development Triangle, which comprises 13 border provinces in the three nations and was set up in 2009 under the initiative of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Participants discussed ways to foster development within the triangle, as well as how to reduce poverty and increase competitiveness. Phuc suggested that localities focus on developing agriculture, especially industrial plants producing rubber and coffee, as well as infrastructure at border economic zones and human resources training. He also urged the implementation of a master plan adopted by the three countries' Prime Ministers to incorporate local plans into regional development, which he noted must occur in conjunction with protecting the environment, simplifying administrative procedures and reinforcing border security. The event also offered the three countries a chance to enhance economic connections both inside and outside the triangle and address social, security and environmental protection issues, thus strengthening co-operation. The forum was co-hosted by the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Law makers consider draft revisions to civil verdict enforcement law The National Assembly Standing Committee on April 21 scrutinised a Government proposal on revisions and amendments to the Law on Enforcement of Civil Judgements. According to the proposal, the revision of the law is prompted by the shortcomings in the enforcement of civil judgements. The number of enforced verdicts, while showing an increase from the period before the law was put in place, remained short of target. A total of 239,144 judgements issued in 2013 were not implemented within their due date, it said, citing reasons such as some unfeasible stipulations in the law and unclear contents of some court decisions. The Government proposed adding 11 new articles, making amendments to 65 articles and abolishing 4 articles of the current 183-article civil judgement enforcement law. Most opinions of the committee’s members agreed with the need to revise the law, stressing that attention should be paid to issues of great concern, including the verification of assets and conditions of judgement debtors in order to execute the verdict and the coercive enforcement of judgements. The law makers also noted that any revisions and amendments should be in line with related laws including the Penal Code, the Civil Code, the Criminal Procedure Code, the Civil Procedure Code and the laws on the organisation of people’s courts and people’s procuracies. Hanoi to celebrate South Africa’s liberation day The South African Embassy will host a ceremony and art performance in Hanoi on April 27 to mark the country’s 20th Freedom Day. At an April 21 press briefing in Hanoi, Ambassador Kgomotso Ruth Magau expressed the pride of South African people, who struggled continuously for national liberation and have since gained a wealth of significant achievements. She said her country has established close friendship with Vietnam since the 1950s. Both countries are experiencing economic restructuring to improve the living conditions of their people. Magau noted the two countries have gone to great length to strengthen friendship and cooperation in potential fields, especially trade and industry. Vietnam is considered an important trade partner of South Africa in Asia, Magau stressed. Vietnam and South Africa established diplomatic ties in 1993, just before South Africa held the first democratic election in April 1994. Deputy PM: Cao Bang needs to boost border trade The northern border province of Cao Bang should pay more attention to developing border trade by enhancing economic cooperation with China’s Guangxi province. Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh, who also heads the Vietnam-China Steering Committee on Bilateral Cooperation, made the remark during his working session with local officials on April 21. He was briefed on the locality’s socio-economic development situation, especially its affiliation with China ’s border localities. Cao Bang and Guangxi have cooperated effectively in recent time, especially in tourism, import-export, agriculture, forestry, human resources development, border management and crime prevention. Cao Bang has invested almost 1 trillion VND (47 million USD) in developing border economic zones, which generated an import-export turnover of 502 million USD in 2013. In order to optimise its potential for further border economic development, Cao Bang proposed the Government upgrading several transport routes going through the locality and financial supporting the building of infrastructure facilities in border economic zones and tourism sites. Deputy PM Minh acknowledged the locality’s efforts in promoting economic partnership with the Chinese locality. He assigned relevant ministries and sectors to consider investment sources for the locality’s proposed plans. Hanoi strengthens cooperation with Moscow Hanoi will create the best possible conditions for Russia to invest in the city’s culture, education, military, transport and infrastructure. Ngo Thi Doan Thanh, Chairwoman of the Municipal People’s Committee, made the statement while receiving a Duma delegation of Moscow led by Duma member Sviatoshenko Vladimir Alekseyevich in Hanoi on April 21. Thanh noted the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia is developing well in all areas, supporting cooperation between their localities. In its development process, she said Hanoi has received great support and assistance from international friends, including Moscow.   She thanked Moscow for licensing the Hanoi-Moscow Culture-Trade Center Complex (INCENTRA) to get off the ground and complete on time.   Briefing her guests on Hanoi’s recent development, Thanh said in 2014 the capital has begun implementing the newly revised Constitution and the Law on the Capital, creating a legal corridor for socio-economic development. The city is upgrading its infrastructure and drawing up a zoning plan till 2030 with a vision for 2050 to turn it into a modern metropolis. Recently Hanoi ranked eighth among 25 leading tourist destinations in the world in a survey conducted by TripAdvisor. For his part, Sviatoshenko Vladimir Alekseyevich said Russia has carried out annual cultural exchanges with other countries, including Vietnam. He expressed his belief Moscow and Hanoi will work out plans of action to raise their global profiles, contributing to elevating the Russia-Vietnam partnership to new heights. Hanoi, Moscow enhance bilateral ties Chairwoman of the Hanoi People’s Council Ngo Thi Doan Thanh on April 21 held a working session with a delegation from the Moscow City Duma, who are in Vietnam to further strengthen the two countries’ legislative ties. Thanh said that to ensure socio-economic achievements, Hanoi always receives support from its foreign partners, including Russia. The inauguration of the Hanoi-Moscow Culture, Trade and Hotel Centre in the Russian capital in late 2013 reflects the fine relations between the two cities, she added. Thanh also affirmed that Hanoi is always willing to creating particularly favourable conditions for Russian businesses to invest in culture, education, military affairs, transport and infrastructure in the city. Head of the Moscow delegation Sviatoshenko Vladimir Alekseyevich sent his congratulations to the Vietnamese people on the upcoming Dien Bien Phu Victory anniversary, marking the battle which put an end to the French colonial rule in Vietnam on May 7, 1954. He expressed his belief that with the similarities held by Vietnam and Russia, Hanoi and Moscow can support each other in the international arena, thus lifting the two countries’ relations to a new level. Chinese culture minister welcomed in HCM City Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Le Hoang Quan hosted a reception on April 21 for Chinese Minister of Culture Cai Wu, who is on a working visit to Vietnam. The municipal leader described the visit as a contribution to the strengthening of the Vietnam-China friendship and multi-faceted cooperation. He highlighted the cooperative ties between Ho Chi Minh City and Chinese partners from Shanghai, Guangdong, and Guangzhou provinces, and noted that China is running nearly 130 investment projects worth 300 million USD in the city. He also thanked the Chinese Ministry of Culture and art training institutes and colleges for educating the city’s students in the field. Hailing the coordination between China and Vietnam and the city in particular, Minister Cai Wu said he was impressed by the robust growth of Vietnam’s southern economic hub. He praised the country for successfully organising the sixth meeting of ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Culture and the Arts (AMCA) and related meetings with dialogue partners recently in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue, which manifests Vietnam’s special attention to developing its own culture. The strengthening of cultural exchanges is increasingly important to help the youth understand more about the diverse culture of each country and their bilateral long-standing cooperation, he added. Hanoi to celebrate South Africa’s liberation day The South African Embassy will host a ceremony and art performance in Hanoi on April 27 to mark the country’s 20th Freedom Day. At an April 21 press briefing in Hanoi, Ambassador Kgomotso Ruth Magau expressed the pride of South African people, who struggled continuously for national liberation and have since gained a wealth of significant achievements. She said her country has established close friendship with Vietnam since the 1950s. Both countries are experiencing economic restructuring to improve the living conditions of their people. Magau noted the two countries have gone to great length to strengthen friendship and cooperation in potential fields, especially trade and industry. Vietnam is considered an important trade partner of South Africa in Asia, Magau stressed. Vietnam and South Africa established diplomatic ties in 1993, just before South Africa held the first democratic election in April 1994. Source: VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA