Political News Headlines 3/4 US military official welcomed in Hanoi Lieutenant Gen. Tran Quang Khe, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, received Major General Dniel R.Hokanson, the Adjutant General of the Oregon National Guard in Hanoi on April 2.   Major General Dniel R.Hokanson (L) and Lieutenant General Tran Quang Khe (R). The two military officials agreed that the bilateral cooperative ties have grown comprehensively in recent years. Khe said the Vietnam-US defence ties have been promoted through high-level military delegation exchanges, rescue work, English language teaching and medical training and programmes on overcoming the consequences of war. He noted that the visit by the US military guest gave the two sides a good chance to go ahead with carrying out the Memorandum of Understanding on defence cooperation signed in 2011 and the State Partnership Programme inked in 2012. Major General Hokanson pledged his utmost efforts to make the State Partnership Programme produce the highest efficiency thus helping develop the bilateral cooperative relations in the future. PM advises Khanh Hoa to tap potential in multiple sectors Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung told the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa to focus on socio-economic development, especially in tourism, services and seaports. "Khanh Hoa should continue paying attention to reducing poverty, especially in remote and mountainous areas, in combination with building new-style rural areas, supporting production and improving the local people's material and spiritual lives," he said while meeting with the province's leaders in Nha Trang city yesterday as part of a working visit to the locality. He also urged the province to invest more in infrastructure development, health care, culture and education while removing difficulties for businesses and accelerating administrative reforms. Hailing the socio-economic development achievements the local authorities and people had already made, Dung also expressed his wish that Khanh Hoa would fix shortcomings such as unsustainable socio-economic development and slow administrative reform so as to become an industrialised province in the near future. The province recorded GDP growth of 6.6 per cent and its industrial production index increased 7.1 per cent in the first quarter of this year. Party leader receives outgoing Chinese envoy Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong yesterday, April 3, met the outgoing Chinese Ambassador Kong Xuanyou, praising his practical contributions to the consolidation and development of the Vietnam-China friendship and cooperation.   Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (R) meets with the outgoing Chinese Ambassador Kong Xuanyou in Ha Noi yesterday. The Party leader commended Ambassador Kong on his notable performance during his office tenure. Kong thanked Viet Nam's authorised agencies for creating conditions conducive for him to thrive in his role. Expressing his delight at the progress in their bilateral ties, the diplomat affirmed that he will continue his efforts to further strengthen the traditional friendship and comprehensive partnership between Viet Nam and China. Viet Nam-Russia defence ties strengthened Viet Nam and Russia have made great progress in their defence cooperation, especially in official training programmes.   Deputy Minister of Defence, Senior Lieutenant General Truong Quang Khanh receives for visiting first Deputy Chairman of the Russian Council of the Federal Assembly's Committee on Defence and Security Evgeni Alleksaadrovich Serebrenniov in Ha Noi yesterday.  Deputy Minister of Defence, Senior Lieutenant General Truong Quang Khanh made the remark at a reception for visiting first Deputy Chairman of the Russian Council of the Federal Assembly's Committee on Defence and Security Evgeni Alleksaadrovich Serebrenniov in Ha Noi yesterday. At the reception, Khanh emphasised the importance of increasing defence cooperation in order to boost comprehensive relations between the two sides. For his part, Serebrenniov asserted that the Russian Council and the Vietnamese National Assembly will continue to work in tandem to seek consensus on bilateral defence cooperation. He stressed that Russia will continue to help Viet Nam in training its commanders and officials in the field of science and military technology as well as accelerating the transfer of military technology.     Deputy PM urges seafood policy review Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh yesterday, April 2, called for a review of the nation's policies on aquaculture, seafood processing and support for offshore fishing. Chairing a meeting on fisheries development in Ha Noi, he asked relevant ministries and State agencies to suggest appropriate revisions to the policies so that timely amendments can be made. He also asked them to improve logistics for the fisheries industry, reorganise funding to make it more efficient, and initiate easier access to preferential credit of offshore fishermen. A modern centre with shipbuilding and ship repair services should also be considered, Ninh said. Over the last two decades, seafood production has emerged as one of Viet Nam's key industries, enjoying rapid growth and earning significant export revenues. The industry has helped create jobs for four million workers and helped improve the lives of people while contributing to the national security of islands and sea territories, the meeting heard. Speakers at the meeting said that Viet Nam was on the right track to become a leading country in tra fish farming and export. The country already ranks third in shrimp production and is listed among the world's four largest seafood exporters. Viet Nam's seafood products are now available in 160 countries and territories, the meeting heard. Busan bank to open its Vietnamese branch The Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Busan Bank will open its HCM City-based branch to support Korean investments as well as those from Busan City in Vietnam. This was announced by Busan Mayor Hur Nam Sik at an April 2 meeting with Deputy Prime Minister cum Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh in Hanoi. The Korean guest told Minh that Busan and HCM City will celebrate the 20th anniversary of Busan-HCM City twin relationship and Busan leaders’ meeting with Hanoi municipal Committee Chairman Nguyen The Thao aims to dilate on bilateral cooperation. Hur Nam Sik expressed his hope that the Vietnamese Government will pay attention to and back Korean firms’ operations in Vietnam and pledged his best efforts to help the Vietnamese community in the RoK. The RoK was Vietnam’s biggest foreign investor in 2013 while two-way trade turnover is on the rise, reaching US$30 billion per annum. The Vietnam-RoK strategic partnership is developing finely based on the stronger economic and trade links. Minh reiterated Vietnam’s willingness to offer the best possible conditions for foreign investors to do business in Vietnam including those from the RoK. Regarding the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the provision of Korean scholarships for Vietnamese students, Minh commended the Korean educational support for Vietnam and the fellowship programme in the context that Vietnam’s priority is being given to developing high-quality human resources to meet requirement for further development. The Vietnamese FM also spoke highly of the RoK and Busan’s support for the 30.000 Vietnamese community in the country. Receiving the Busan Governor the same day, Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen The Thao said the capital city has paid heed to upgrading its infrastructure and intensifying investment attraction. The RoK and Busan city have poured a huge amount of official development assistance (ODA) and foreign direct investment (FDI) into projects in Hanoi demonstrated by the two tallest buildings managed by Keangnam and Lotte. Hanoi pledges to create favourable conditions on administrative procedures to receive more big and environment-friendly projects, Thao said. For his part, Hur thanked municipal authorities for facilitating his city’s businesses. Busan wants to further boost investment between the two cities, as well as making thorough preparations for its companies attend the 2014 Vietnam International Travel Mart scheduled for Hanoi on April 3-6, he added. Public security minister greets Chinese, Thai ambassadors Minister of Public Security General Tran Dai Quang hosted two separate receptions in Hanoi on April 2 for outgoing Chinese ambassador Kong Xuanyou and new Thai ambassador Panyarak Poolthup. Meeting with the Chinese diplomat, Thanh congratulated him on his successful term of office in Vietnam and commended his practical contributions to strengthening effective Vietnam-China strategic partnership across a variety of fields-- economics, trade, investment, education, culture, defence and security. The Vietnamese Party, Government and people always attach high importance to developing the friendship with China, considering it valuable assets that need to be preserved. He voiced his hope that Kong Xuanyou will continue to boost bilateral cooperation and relations between the two countries as well as that between the Vietnam Ministry of Public Security and Chinese law enforcement agencies. The Chinese ambassador, in return, affirmed that he will do all he can to further develop the relations between Vietnam and China. At the reception for the new Thai ambassador, Quang noted that the cooperation between the Vietnamese ministry and Thai relevant agencies has always been strengthened through the exchange of trans-national crime information. The fruitful Vietnam-Thailand cooperation in various fields has significantly contributed to lifting their bilateral relations on a par with the strategic partnership, Quang said. He said he hopes that the Thai diplomat, in his new position, will make greater contributions to improving Vietnam-Thailand relations in a practical and effective manner. Ambassador Panyarak Poolthup pledged his best efforts to foster ties between both countries and those between the Vietnam Ministry of Public Security and Thai agencies. President works with police sector President Truong Tan Sang held an April 2 working session with the Ministry of Public Security on crime prevention and law enforcement in Hanoi. He asked the police sector to increase self-discipline and responsibility as well as party building. President Sang added that apart from combating crime, the sector should help to fine-tune legal documents on crime prevention in line with the 2013 Constitution. He suggested that police forces should be at the core of movements to defend national security and social order as well as raise public awareness of respecting the law. Sang also asked police units to propose necessary changes to existing laws, helping authorities to intensify State management in social security and order. Participants said that the global and domestic economic slowdown has left enterprises bankrupt and workers unemployed, resulting in the growing appearance of crime. The crime rate is on the rise in major cities, including illegal debt collection services, loan swindle and drug trafficking while severe violations in finance, banking, construction, land use and management have caused huge economic losses and great public concern, they concluded. VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA