Political News Headlines 9/4 Deputy PM welcomes 12th Gyalwang Drukpa Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted a reception in Hanoi on April 8 for His Holiness the 12th Gyalwang Drukpa, Djigme Padma Aungchen. Deputy PM Phuc said that since its presence in Vietnam thousands of years ago, Buddhism has contributed significantly to the country’s national construction and development. The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) is the only organisation representing all Vietnamese Buddhist monks, nuns and followers at home and abroad, Phuc said, adding that together with domestic activities, the VBS has also strengthened connections with its counterparts in the region and the world. Phuc expressed his hope that the 12 th Gyalwang Drukpa, together with Buddhist sects in Vietnam and around the world, will continue promoting the value of Buddhism thoughts in social life, for the development of each country towards the building of a peaceful and prosperous world. He informed the guest of the organisation of the United Nations Day of Vesak (Buddha’s Birthday, Enlightenment and Passing Away) celebrations in the northern province of Ninh Binh from May 7-12. Meanwhile, His Holiness the 12th Gyalwang Drukpa shared with the host the efforts by Buddhist dignitaries and followers in the protection of the natural environment, clean water sources and forests. On this occasion, he also conveyed his profound condolences to the VBS and Vietnamese Buddhist dignitaries and followers over the death of Most Venerable Thich Tri Tinh in late March. Gyalwang Drukpa is the honorific title of the head of the Drukpa School, one of the independent Sarma (new) Schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Djigme Padma Aungchen is the twelfth and present incarnation of the Drukpa lineage. He first visited Vietnam in 2007. Vietnam, Laos enhance telecoms cooperation The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) handed over a complex of telecommunications frequency control stations to its Lao counterpart at a ceremony in Vientiane on April 8, after around one year of construction. The work covers a total of 10,000 square metres. As much as 58 billion VND (2.72 million USD) in non-refundable assistance for the work was donated by the Vietnamese Government while the remaining cost was sourced from counterpart capital in Laos. The project consists of mobile and fixed telecommunications frequency control stations, support facilities and an automated system to grant telecommunications frequency permits. Addressing the ceremony, Deputy Minister Le Nam Thang said the project helps create a comprehensive upgrade of Laos’ radio frequency control and management, contributing to satisfying local demand and the neighbouring country’s global integration. Lao Minister of Post and Telecommunications Hiem Phomachan said the work is his country’s first telecommunications frequency control centre that will help the Lao Government tighten its radio frequency control as well as serve communication and information exchange work.- Vietnam, Cuba strengthen cooperation President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), Kenia Serrano Puig, spoke glowingly of Vietnam’s revolutionary accomplishments, stating they parallel the Cuban national struggle for independence. She made the statement at a meeting with President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan in Hanoi on April 8 as part of her visit to Vietnam from April 7-12. The VFF leader thanked the Cuban Party, Government and people for their support, solidarity and fine sentiments for Vietnam over the years. He praised Cuba’s contributions to the success of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit in March, marking the beginning of a new period of heightened relations for the mutual benefit of both nations. Nhan affirmed that Cuba is entering a new period of economic development with the implementation of the newly approval changed to the Foreign Investment Law. These developments are directly aimed at enhancing the traditional friendship and all-around cooperation between the two countries in the spheres of agriculture, telecommunications, and trade and investment. For his part, the ICAP President thanked Vietnam for sending condolences to the Cuban Party, State and people over the recent death of Cuba’s revolutionary heroine Melba Hernandez Rodriguez del Rey. She also briefed on Cuba’s socio-economic situation in recent times, saying that the visit will contribute to sharing information on the world’s solidarity movements and the implementation of Cuba’s socio-economic renovation policies. On the occasion, President Kenia also thanked Vietnamese Party and Government for agreeing to organize the seventh Asia-Pacific Regional Conference of Solidarity with Cuba by 2015. Vietnamese, Cuban friendship groups ink agreement The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) and the Cuban Institute for Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) have reached an agreement on strengthening their friendship and cooperation. VUFO President Vu Xuan Hong and ICAP Chairman Kenia Seeanno Puig signed the deal in a ceremony in Hanoi on April 8 in the presence of Cuban Ambassador Herminio Lopez Diaz and Vice President of the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association Nguyen Duy Cuong. The agreement highlights the support to the Cuban people in their struggle against the US blockade and embargo, joint efforts in organising national occasions and other important events of each country, the attention to students and alumni studying and working in each country, as well as exchanges of information and delegations. According to Hong, the agreement is the first of its kind between people’s organisations reached after Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s recent Cuba visit. The document reaffirms the coordination mechanisms between the two organisations and their determination to continue working to consolidate the friendship and solidarity between the two nations and peoples. Vietnam’s commitments to ASEAN Community updated Vietnam’s commitments to the building of the ASEAN Community were updated at a conference held in Ho Chi Minh City on April 8. Participants at the event, hosted by the municipal Department of Industry and Trade, heard that the ASEAN Community, expected to be formed in late 2015, will have direct impact on not only the region’s political security, economic and socio-cultural issues but also the development strategies of each member country, including Vietnam . According to the department, ASEAN countries are exerting efforts to complete institutions and policies towards the formation of the community, which will be based on three pillars, namely politics-security, economics, and socio-culture. Its aim is to create a peaceful environment, and a common and equal market among nations. It is necessary to update Vietnam’s commitments to this community as its formation deadline is approaching, said Nguyen Tien Minh, head of the ASEAN Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Once the community is established, each member country must realise its commitments, so suitable development strategies are needed to take advantage of opportunities and deal with challenges from this formation, he noted. Sharing his views with Minh, Nguyen Son from the Office of the National Committee for International Economic Cooperation under the Ministry of Industry and Trade said that 2014 and 2015 are important transitional years for Vietnam ’s international economic integration as it is engaging in negotiations for the signing of a series of trade agreements. To help the ASEAN Community practically contribute to the development of Vietnam, one of the necessary measures is to strengthen information on the building and formation of the ASEAN Community, he said. Laos-Vietnam theoretical conference closes The second theory conference between the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) was wrapped up in Vientiane on April 8. The two-day event was attended by Politburo member Dinh The Huynh, head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Popularisation and Education and President of its Theory Council. This year’s conference focused on improving the Party’s leadership and combat strength in the one-ruling party context in Vietnam and Laos, a fundamental, long-term and urgent issue for both parties. Attendees dilated different topics such as the application of Marxism–Leninism theory, the renovation of personnel work, and Party building at the grassroots level. The results of four working sessions will help the two Parties work out guidelines and policies on their path of national renewal and Party building. During his visit, Huynh also worked with the LPRP Central Committee’s Commission for Popularisation and Training, and the Lao National Council for Social Sciences. Both sides shared professional experience and discussed joint activities between the two commissions and councils in the time ahead. The CPV delegation visited several economic and cultural establishments and met with Vietnamese investors in Laos. HCM City eager to study Shanghai’s Party building A Ho Chi Minh City leader has said she hopes that her city and China’s Shanghai city will continue increasing exchanges and sharing experience in Party building, urban management, socio-economic development, and investment attraction. Vice Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Thi Thu Ha voiced the wish while meeting with Li Xi, alternate member of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee and Vice Secretary of the Shanghai Party Committee, on April 8 as part of her working visit to China from April 5-11. She also highly valued Shanghai’s experience in turning itself into one of the largest seaports and trade-finance centres in China as well as in the building of Party and social organisations in non-State businesses. She briefed her host about her city’s socio-economic development achievements over the past time, with its GDP making up 21 percent of the country’s. The municipal Party Committee has paid special attention to the building and development of Party organisations and trade unions in foreign-invested and private enterprises, she said. For his part, Li spoke highly of the developing China-Vietnam relationship, considering it a driving force for the two cities to boost their cooperation and exchanges in the time to come. Ho Chi Minh City boasts good Party building experience that Shanghai needs to learn from, he said, expressing hope for the two sides’ continued cooperation in this field. Earlier on the same day, the Ho Chi Minh City delegation visited the Shanghai Development and Reform Commission and the Aowei Shanghai Technology Development Co. Ltd.- Vietnam, Cambodia work towards peaceful border The southern province of An Giang and its Cambodian neighbours of Kandal and Takeo on April 8 signed a memorandum of understanding on building a border of peace, friendship and mutual development for the 2014-2019 period. Huynh Cong Muoc, Chairman of An Giang province’s Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee chapter, said that the MoU reflects the close solidarity and friendship between Vietnam and Cambodia in general and the three localities in particular. During the signing ceremony held between An Giang’s Vietnam Fatherland Front chapter and the Solidarity Front for the Development of the Cambodian Motherland’s chapters of Kandal and Takeo provinces, leaders of the three sides also reviewed the results of their 2010-2014 MoU. After five years of implementation, the localities helped maintain social safety and order and security along the two countries’ shared border, they said, adding that practical measures were also taken to boost their socio-economic development and support poor people. VFF Chairman receives ICAP President Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan held a reception for Kenia Serrano Puig, President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), in Hanoi on April 8. The host said besides politics, Vietnam and Cuba need to further expand their cooperation in fields that they have strength in as well as foster their traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation. Expressing his delight at Cuba ’s recent approval of a foreign investment bill, Nhan shared some of Vietnam ’s experience in building a socialist-orientated market economy, attracting foreign investment, developing industrial parks, and training personnel. He spoke highly of the effective collaboration between ICAP and the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO), which has bridged the two peoples and business circles. He asked ICAP and VUFO to increase information exchange and friendship activities so as to make good use of the international support for Vietnam and Cuba . In response, Kenia Serrano Puig updated the host on the socio-economic development of Cuba , describing Vietnam ’s building of the socialist-orientated market economy as a valuable experience to Cuba , which is under a trade embargo. She said the upcoming celebrations of the 60 th anniversary of Vietnam’s Dien Bien Phu victory and the 53 rd anniversary of Cuba’s Hiron victory will help nurture the solidarity between their people. VNA/VOV