Political News Headlines 2/4

Bulgaria PM Oreshaski to visit Vietnam

Bulgarian Prime Minister Plamen Oreshaski will pay an official visit to Vietnam from April 6-9, according to a Foreign Ministry communiqué.

The visit is made at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

PM to make ASIAD decision next week

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to submit a report as a reference to make a decision whether to go ahead with a plan to host the 18th Asian Games (ASIAD 18), said Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Nguyen Van Nen.

At a press conference on April 1, Minister-Chairman Nen said ASIAD 18 is not only a large sporting event in Asia, but also one of great significance.

To date, Vietnam has yet to make a deposit for the organisation of ASIAD 18, he said, adding that previously, two countries returned their ASIAD host position.

Minister and Government Office Chairman Nguyen Van Nen at a press briefing in Hanoi on April 1

Regarding the plan to restructure communications groups, Nen said the Government has approved the Ministry of Information and Communications’ proposal on the separation of mobile telecommunication in the Vietnam Post and Telecommunication Group (VNPT), in preparation for the equitisation of the firm as scheduled.

According to Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Bac Son, Mobifone will be separated from the VNPT.

Accordingly, Vinaphone and Mobifone will become two separate mobile telecommunication service providers in the market, he added.

Mentioning information on the alleged bribery involving Japan Transportation Consultants, Inc. (JTC) and the railway sector of Vietnam, Nen said the Government as well as the Prime Minister have directed relevant ministries and sectors to engage in the investigation of the case.

If detected, violations will be strictly settled in accordance with the law, said Nen.

Authorised agencies of Vietnam will also work closely with the Japanese side in the investigation, he added.

Deputy PM encourages HCM City-Busan ties

HCM City and its twin city Busan of the Republic of Korea should increase cooperation in environmental issues and climate change adaptation, to make their cooperation more effective.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc made the statement while receiving Busan mayor Hur Nam Sik in Hanoi on April 1.

He acknowledged the recent progress in HCM City-Busan cooperation, which he said has contributed significantly to the development of the strategic partnership between the two countries.

He encouraged Busan’s businesses to invest in HCM City, its neighbours and the central region of Vietnam, especially in the areas of high-tech industries, clean production, and mechanical engineering.

Phuc expressed hope the Busan Council will continue pay more attention to and introduce practical   measures to improve the living conditions of Vietnamese women marrying Korean men.

Mayor Hur Nam Sik vowed to do his utmost to promote relations between the two cities and two countries.

He said the municipal council will come up with measures to address issues related to Vietnamese expatriates living in Busan, as well as to strengthen bilateral cooperation in economics, culture and people’s diplomacy.

After the meeting, Phuc and Hur witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between   the Busan (BS) financial group and the Ministry of Education and Training to grant scholarships to Vietnamese students to study in the RoK.

President highlights defence competence

President Truong Tan Sang has said building Viet Nam's defence capabilities is key to ensuring national security and territorial integrity.

President Truong Tan Sang has working session with the Ministry of Defence in Ha Noi yesterday.

President Truong Tan Sang made the statement at a working session with the Ministry of Defence in Ha Noi yesterday, April 1, which aimed to review recent border defence efforts and set out upcoming missions to shore up the nation's borders.

Sang also said the Party and State had been pushing for issues pertaining to the border, seas and islands to be resolved in accordance with international law to ensure stable and peaceful borders with neighbouring countries.

He also urged authorities to dedicate more efforts to improving local living standards in line with economic growth and build a strong people-based defence.

Participants at the meeting agreed that efforts to ensure sovereignty, political stability and social order in the nation's border regions, seas and islands had been effective, while Viet Nam's relationships with border-sharing countries had grown.

The defence ministry, Border Guard High Commands and localities nationwide were praised for their policies to co-ordinate with other countries to implement agreements and regulations on border gates and border marker planting. Participants agreed this had promoted cross-border cooperation.

Vietnam attends US-ASEAN defence forum

A Vietnamese delegation led by Defence Minister, Gen. Phung Quang Thanh is in Honolulu, Hawaii state, to attend the US – ASEAN defence forum, the first of its kind ever held in the US.

The April 1-3 forum serves as a venue for defence ministers to talk about a future of safety, dynamism and peace for the Asia-Pacific and Southeast Asia in particular, and ways to boost bilateral defence cooperation in rescue and post-disaster recovery.

Besides discussions, they will also tour several defence facilities in Honolulu.

In its statement on April 1, the Pentagon announced that the forum will start a 10-day visit to Japan, China and Mongolia by US Secretary of Defence Chuck Hagel. His fourth Asia visit is meant to reaffirm “Pivot toward Asia” policy by Barack Obama administration.

Malaysian PM’s visit to Vietnam to enhance bilateral ties

Malaysian Prime Minister Razak Najib will pay an official visit to Vietnam from April 3-5 with the aim to strengthen the two countries’ friendship and comprehensive cooperation.

Since the two countries set up their diplomatic ties on March 30, 1973, they have enjoyed the fine development in the fields of politics, defence, economics, trade, education and tourism.

The two sides have maintained exchanges of high-ranking visits and contacts, most recently a State-level visit by President Truong Tan Sang to Malaysia in November 2011 and a Vietnam visit by Malaysian King Abdul Halim Mu’adzam in September last year.

They have always supported each other at regional and international forums, particularly within the framework of ASEAN and the United Nations.

Both share the same point of view on issues on ensuring peace and stability in the East Sea and solving disputes by peaceful means with respect to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) towards the building of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (CoC).

Malaysia is Vietnam’s ninth largest trade partner with two-way trade hitting 9.1 billion USD in 2013.

As of late 2013, it ranked eighth among countries and territories investing in Vietnam, with more than 400 projects worth over 10 billion USD. Meanwhile, Vietnam had 10 projects capitalising more than 740 million USD in Malaysia.

Over the past time, the two countries have signed several tourism cooperation agreements including one on visa exemption for ordinary passport holders in September 2001. This resulted in a surge in the number of Malaysian visitors to Vietnam, from 106,000 in 2006 to nearly 300,000 in 2012. Last year, about 250,000 Vietnamese travelled to Malaysia.

Both also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in education during Prime Minister Phan Van Khai’s official visit to Malaysia in April 2004.

Accordingly, Malaysia offers annual graduate and post-graduate scholarships to Vietnamese students, including those sourced by government and economic groups.

The Malaysian government has officially received Vietnamese workers from 2002 and the two governments signed a labour cooperation agreement on December 1 last year. At present, there are about 80,000 Vietnamese workers in Malaysia.

In addition, Vietnam and Malaysia have also signed a number of agreements on aviation, maritime cooperation, science and technology and telecommunications.

PM Dung welcomes foreign ambassadors

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung hosted separate receptions for the outgoing Chinese Ambassador and the new Ambassadors of Thailand and Egypt yesterday, April 1.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (R) meets with Chinese Ambassador Kong Xuanyou in Ha Noi yesterday.

While meeting Chinese Ambassador Kong Xuanyou, Dung expressed optimism that close co-ordination would help to realise the agreements reached by Vietnamese and Chinese leaders, while facilitating cultural and people-to-people exchange.

He proposed that both nations closely follow the basic guiding principles in the settlement of maritime issues and international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the spirit of the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea.

Kong vowed to do his best to foster camaraderie between the two nations.

Welcoming Thai Ambassador Panyarak Poolthup, Dung recommended that both nations foster win-win partnerships in potential areas.

The diplomat pledged to work closely with relevant units to nurture all-round connections, particularly in economics, trade, investment and agriculture.

While receiving Egyptian Ambassador Boutros Hanna, Dung expressed hope that the new diplomat would help boost bilateral co-operation in trade, tourism, and education, among several other areas.

The diplomat vowed that he would try his best to contribute to promoting the development of relations between the two countries.

Bulgarian PM to visit Viet Nam

Bulgarian Prime Minister Plamen Oreshaski and his wife will begin their official visit to Viet Namon Sunday.

The Bulgarian leader is on a four-day visit at the invitation of Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

Deputy PM welcomes Busan Mayor

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has suggested greater cooperation between Busan andHCM City, which have been twin cities since 1995.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) meets with Mayor of Busan city Hur Nam-sik in Ha Noi yesterday.

 Receiving the Mayor of Busan city Hur Nam-sik yesterday, Phuc noted that the Vietnamese Government would continue its efforts to forge a business-friendly environment.

He acknowledged that the Vietnamese community in the RoK had been growing - of the 130,000 in the country, as many as 30,000 are in Busan and its vicinities and expressed his hope for continued support from the municipal administration in the coming time.

Hur Nam-sik affirmed to contribute more towards fostering links between the two cities by paying more attention to the Vietnamese living in South Korea and promoting economic and cultural activities.

Following the reception, Phuc witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the provision of Korean scholarships for Vietnamese students.

Defence attachés hail Vietnam’s jet search

Defence attachés from 21 countries have hailed Vietnam for its active operating in the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 over the past time, saying that it demonstrates a high sense of solidarity and friendship in rescue efforts.

They made the praise at a working session with the Defence Ministry’s Department of Foreign Relations and the Vietnam People’s Army General Staff’s Rescue Department in Hanoi on April 1. 

From March 8-15, Vietnam mobilised nearly 2,400 personnel, 11 planes of various kinds, 10 ships and a set of tracking radar.

On top of this, 815 fishing vessels and more than 6,500 people also joined in the around-the-clock search.

A command office, led by Deputy Transport Minister and deputy chief of the National Committee for Search and Rescue Pham Quy Tieu, was also established.

During the hunt, Vietnam allowed 12 planes and 19 vessels from Malaysia, Singapore, mainland China, the US and Taiwan to track the plane in its waters.

VNN/VNS/VOV/VNA