Political News Headlines 17/5 Investors’ interests to be guaranteed in Vietnam   The Vietnamese Party and State will protect the legitimate rights and interests of foreign investors operating in Vietnam, considering their benefits as Vietnamese benefits, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has said. Vietnam will do its utmost to ensure foreign investors’ security and safety in the country, Phuc told a trade promotion conference in Ha Giang province on May 16. He made the commitment following a number of rallies recently staged by workers in industrial parks in the south protesting against China’s illegal placement of its giant oil rig Ocean-981 in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. Several extremists incited workers to damage properties of companies, affecting production and workers’ living conditions themselves. The government, ministries, agencies and localities made immediate intervention to stabilise the situation. “…..Our task is to firmly defend our sovereignty and territorial territory, but we have to follow Vietnamese law, and international practice, and protect investors’ legitimate rights”, Phuc said. Themed “Our Potential - your opportunity”, the conference aimed to introduce Ha Giang’s investment opportunities to domestic and international partners and investors. Deputy PM Phuc proposed that the province continue to finalise its socio-economic development planning, boost administrative reform, and increase the effectiveness and efficiency of State management, and improve the investment environment. Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Trieu Tai Vinh said to attract foreign investment, the province has set up investment promotion counseling centers and an official (ODA)  mobilisation board, responsible for attracting ODA from NGOs. It has also introduced a number of incentives on land use, water and power supplies, while simplifying administrative procedures. At the conference, Ha Giang called for investment in tourism, services, agro-forestry development, border economy, and processing industry development. The province granted investment licenses to 9 projects, and signed 6 memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation and investment with businesses. Deputy PM pays tribute to sunken ferry Sewol victims   Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh on May 16 paid tribute to the victims of the sunken ferry Sewol at the Korean Embassy in Hanoi. On behalf of the Vietnamese Government and people, Minh conveyed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved and expressed hope that in due time the Korean Government, people and victims’ families will overcome their grief and stabilise their lives. Ambassador Jun Dae Ju thanked Vietnam for its fine sentiment for Korean people. On the occasion, Minh briefed the ambassador on recent rallies in several industrial parks in southern Vietnam where Vietnamese people expressed their patriotism and protested against China’s illegal placement of a mobile oil-rig Ocean-981 deep inside Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. However, some extremists incited workers to cause social disorder and instability and destroy properties of both Vietnamese and foreign investors, including Korean businesses. Minh emphasised that the Vietnamese Government has deployed drastic measures to prevent and strictly punish extremists in line with law. He stressed that Vietnam has made great effort to build an environment of peace and stability, create the best possible conditions and ensure safety for foreign individuals and businesses in Vietnam. He said he hopes that the Ambassador will send the message to the Korean community, encouraging them to continue to live and work in Vietnam. President clarifies Vietnam’s East Sea stance with voters President Truong Tan Sang made clear Vietnam’s stance on China’s illegal placement of an oil rig in the East Sea while meeting with voters for National Assembly deputies in Ho Chi Minh City’s districts 1 and 3 on May 16. Vietnam has asked China to withdraw its rig Haiyang Shiyou - 981 and escort ships from the country’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone, meeting the aspiration of the Vietnamese people and the world community as a whole, the President said. He elaborated that both sides have contacted each other on the issue on over 10 occasions, during which Vietnam reiterated its national sovereignty. Voters suggested Vietnam files proceedings against China to an international tribunal in case China refuses to stop its brazen acts in defiance of international law and Vietnam’s sovereignty. About anti-Chinese riots that caused damage to foreign companies in several localities, the President assured them that lawbreakers will bear the full responsibility and victims will receive all possible support to resume their operations. Referring to the recent high-profile corruption scandals, voters underscored the need to close loopholes in financial management among the State-owned enterprises. Sang said the wrongdoers have faced severe punishments, and asked for a closer public watch over the State agencies as a deterrent to any of such evils.- Vietnamese in RoK protest against China’s provocation The Association of Vietnamese Communities in the Republic of Korea (RoK) have issued a statement condemning China’s illegal placement of a mobile oil rig Ocean-981 inside Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone. This unilateral action of China has severely violated the sovereignty of Vietnam, posed a direct threat to maritime and regional security, and contravened the principles of dispute resolution in the East Sea by peaceful means. This is a severe violation of international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), especially the 2002 ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC). A Chinese ship closely monitoring Vietnam’s law enforcement force. The association urgently demanded that Chinese authorities remove its oil rig from Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and maritime border, and never repeat similar action in the foreseeable future. “We will provide sufficient evidence and information on the aggressive behavior of Chinese government regarding their violation of Vietnam’s territory, which is posing a threat to the peace, stability, maritime privacy and free trade within the region to our friends from the Republic of Korea as well as other expatriate communities in Korea,” the association said in the statement. They called on the international community to protest against China’s provocative acts, for the sake of a world of eternal peace and sustainable development. They vowed to continue their tireless fight in a peaceful manner until China stops their violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty. Overseas Vietnamese key for development The Government should encourage the overseas Vietnamese community to play a more active role in developing the nation, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Thanh Son told media yesterday. While Resolution 36/NQ-TW dated in 2004 by the Vietnamese Communist Party Politburo created basic policies to address many of the needs of overseas Vietnamese, conservative views held by ministries and agencies concerning their reasons for leaving the country prevented many from returning to invest in Viet Nam. "Overseas Vietnamese are a very important resource for the country," said Son, who is also head of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese. There are currently around 4.5 million Vietnamese living in 103 countries and territories. Last year, total remittances reached US$11 billion, in addition to the $9 billion that overseas Vietnamese invested in projects in the country. He emphasised that the Government welcomed everyone who returned with goodwill for the purpose of peace and national construction. "Detailed measures and actions should be mapped out to change the mindset of conservative people both inside and outside the country. This will contribute to national reconciliation," Son said. He recommended that Resolution 36 be revised or a new resolution of its kind be created to affirm and promote the important role of overseas Vietnamese. At the press briefing yesterday, Deputy Minister Son said that a meeting marking the decade of implementation of Resolution 36 would be held in Ha Noi on May 20 and 21. The meeting will attract about 300 delegates including Party, State and Government leaders and overseas Vietnamese representatives. They will discuss policies to ensure the rights of overseas Vietnamese as well as Government support for them to integrate into host countries and contribute to Viet Nam's development and national unity. Head of Party’s economic commission receives Lao guest The Chairman of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Economic Affairs, Vuong Dinh Hue, received Lao Minister of Finance Liane Thykeo in Hanoi on May 16. At the event, Hue updated the Lao delegation on Vietnam’s macro-economy and shared the country’s experience in budget management. He asked the two sides’ finance sectors to lift their cooperation on par with their potential, adding that Vietnam is willing to work with the Lao ministry in building economic and financial policies and developing its macro-economy. For his part, Thykeo informed his host of Laos’s socio-economic development in recent years and noted that the partnership between both finance ministries has been growing. He said Laos also hopes to further exchange its budget management experience with Vietnam. PM instructs mobilising all resources for building new rural areas Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has emphasized the need to mobilise all social resources for building new style rural areas besides investment from the State budget. Addressing a May 16 conference of the steering committee for the national target programme on building new rural areas, the PM said building new rural areas is an important policy that has won the support of people nationwide. Noting that the country’s rural areas have seen many positive changes during the three years implementing the policy, he said however, investment for the programme remains limited, while many agencies and local administrations still fail to grasp the importance of the policy. PM Nguyen Tan Dung chaired a national conference reviewing three years of implementing a target programme on building new rural areas A greater effort is needed in order to achieve the set target of having 20% of all communes nationwide meet all the criteria for new rural areas by 2015, he said. The PM instructed that priority should be given to building infrastructure of transport, irrigation, power supply, health care, education and telecommunications in target areas. He also asked local authorities to adopt policies to attract more investment in their rural areas with a view to developing industrial production and services, thus creating more jobs and increasing income for rural labourers. The conference heard that thanks to the policy, infrastructure in many rural areas has been upgraded, while incomes and living conditions of rural residents have been improved remarkably. At the present, 185 communes have achieved all 19 criteria for new rural areas and nearly 600 others have met between 15-18 criteria. On average, each commune has so far fulfilled 8.47 criteria compared to 4.7 in 2011. Reports at the conference noted that the revision of the criteria to suit the specific situation in different regions has contributed to the positive outcomes. Production planning and new production models are the bright spots in the implementation of the new rural area building programme. Most provinces and cities have built large-scale fields and promoted mechanization in agricultural production. Many localities have successfully established economic models combining agriculture and tourism, or traditional craft village and tourism. Infrastructure building also received due attention, with nearly 5,000 projects now underway aiming to build 64,000 km of rural roads. There are 19 national criteria for new rural areas, which cover building infrastructure, improving production capacity, building public works, protecting landscape and environment, and promote local traditions and cultural identities. Uruguay extols cooperation with Vietnam The leader of Uruguay has praised the strides made in developing cooperation between the country and Vietnam, with the highlights so far a framework agreement on trade and investment and a deal on double taxation avoidance. Acting President Danilo Astori voiced his warm sentiment while receiving new Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Dinh Thao on May 15. Astori highlighted the bilateral delegation exchanges which have taken place recently, with the latest Uruguay visit undertaken by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh resulting in the signing of the two main cooperation documents. During the December visit, the Uruguayan Government announced its decision to recognise Vietnam as a full market economy. Ambassador Thao said Vietnam hopes to push all-around cooperation with Uruguay , prioritising trade and investment. The sound political relations have contributed to moving bilateral trade ties forward, Thao said, raising statistics from Uruguay’s customs office that two-way trade hit over 81.5 million USD last year, the highest ever recorded, representing a year-on-year rise of 20 percent. Of the amount, Vietnam ’s exports stood at 27.5 million USD, up 14.4 percent, while its imports from the South American country soared 22.7 percent to 54 million USD. In addition to forging political and economic ties, the pair are also embracing cultural cooperation to match their potential. They agreed to continue strengthening bilateral coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums and international organisations like the United Nations in the future. Malaysian delegation visits Ha Noi Politburo member Le Hong Anh yesterday received a high-ranking delegation from the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO). The delegation, led by Malaysia's Home Minister, Dato Seri Dr. Amid Zahid Hamidi, is on a four-day visit to Viet Nam. Hamidi told Anh of the outcomes of dialogue between Viet Nam's Communist Party delegations and UMNO, saying his Party would continue to foster relationships. Hamidi said he was concerned about the situation in the East Sea, adding that China's action clearly violated the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. He also called on China to respect Viet Nam's sovereignty and that of neighbouring countries. Anh spoke of the possibility of raising the Malaysia- Viet Nam relationship to a strategic partnership. Anh said the two countries also needed to foster co-operation in economic and national development. NA plans to re-organise operations National Assembly Standing Committee members yesterday agreed there was a need to renew and revise the Law on National Assembly Organisation. Discussing draft amendments to the law, deputies said they had new content relating to the operation of the National Assembly in line with Party policies and the Constitution. Stating that NA deputies must be at the centre, NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung said it was essential to have clear regulations on functions, tasks and the authority of deputies. Regarding the operation of the NA Council for Ethnic Affairs, council chairman Ksor Phuoc proposed adding a regulation that members of ethnic groups without NA representatives be invited to attend council meetings and discuss issues and policies relating to ethnic affairs. Later, the deputies discussed draft amendments to the Pharmacy Law. They said the law needed revising because some of its regulations were no longer suitable. They also discussed amendments to increase State management over the sector and to help promote the development of the pharmaceutical industry. Regarding drug prices, several deputies agreed it was necessary to manage drug prices to ensure the interests of all sides. Some said it was essential to have clear regulations that were in line with the Pricing Law. They said the State would help stabilise drug prices when there were fluctuations for essential drugs, products paid for out of the State budget or drugs supplied to the disadvantaged. It was also necessary to increase inspections and punish those who violated drug price management, they said. The same day, deputies also discussed draft amendments to the Law on Vietnamese nationality. Lao finance minister visits capital The Chairman of the Party Central Committee's Commission for Economic Affairs, Vuong Dinh Hue, received Laos Minister of Finance Liane Thykeo yesterday, sharing the country's experience in budget management. Hue noted that Viet Nam was willing to work with the Laos ministry in building economic and financial policies and developing the country's macro-economy. For his part, Thykeo stated that Laos also hopes to further exchange its budget management experience with Viet Nam. China’s illegal acts should be brought to international organisations It is international law that Vietnam should rely on, Associate Professor cum Doctor Nguyen Ba Dien, Head of the International Law Subject of the Law Faculty under the Hanoi National University said in an interview with the People’s Army newspaper on May 16, regarding China's illegal placement of the drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 deep in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone. Associate Professor Dien held that China’s illegal placement of its oil rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone is part of its chain of activities to achieve its goal of taking over the US’s position, becoming the world’s No. 1 super power. To achieve this goal, it is a must for China to control the whole of the East Sea . To further clarify China’s scheme, the Vietnamese lawyer pointed out some landmarks. Accordingly, in 1956, China used force to occupy a group of islands to the east of Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago at the time when French administration had just handed over this archipelago to the government of the then Republic of Vietnam. Later on, in January 1974, China continued brazenly mobilizing forces to take control the group of islands to the west of Vietnam ’s Hoang Sa Archipelago, which at that time was ruled by the Republic of Vietnam regime. In 1988, China again attacked several islands of Vietnam such as Gac Ma, Co Lin and Len Dao. Vietnam had bravely fought against China and successfully safeguarded Co Lin and Len Dao Islands . In 1992, China continued invading some islands in Vietnam ’s Truong Sa (Spartly) Archipelago. China also covered some shoals with concrete to create floating structures, illegally occupying part of Truong Sa Archipelago of Vietnam. Continuously, China issued a series of regulations, including the one on the basic line to illegally define the basic line of Hoang Sa Archipelago, which runs counter to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982), and decided to establish Sansha city. Since 1999, China has continuously issued fishing bans in the East Sea, violating the jurisdiction as well as the fishing right of Vietnam and other countries’ fishermen. Furthermore, China invited international tenders for 9 oil and gas lots lying deep inside Vietnam ’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. Worst still, in 2011, Chinese boats cut cables of PetroVietnam’s seismic survey vessels and most recently, China has brazenly placed an giant oil rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Ba Dien affirmed that this is the matter of the time. “In fact, China ’s strategic scheme and ambition to occupy the whole East Sea is unchanged”, he said. China’s recent acts aim to serve its own long-term goal to be the world’s No.1 super power and at the same time to legalize Hoang Sa Archipelago which China illegally took over from Vietnam. Since China used force to occupy Hoang Sa Archipelago, it has always refused the discussion to settle the issue. Deliberately placing the drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in the area which is 18 nautical miles from Tri Ton Island, China attempted to show that the area belongs to the exclusive economic zone of Tri Ton Island, part of Vietnam’s Hoang Sa Archipelago, which China had illegally occupied. Obviously, China wants to turn the undisputed area into the disputed one. “The evil-minded aim of China is to materialize its groundless “nine-dash line” claim to possess both Hoang Sa and Truong Sa Archipelagoes and 80 per cent of the East Sea”, the professor stressed. Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Ba Dien also pointed out that China’s recent acts in the East Sea is in violation of international law. Firstly, China has infringed what stipulated in the Charter of the United Nations (UN) while China is a permanent member of the UN Security Council. A major principle to rule world peace and security in the world is that the use of force and the threat to use force in international relations should be prohibited. Specifically, China has violated clause 1 of Article 2 of the UN Charter. Under this clause, China has defied its obligation of respecting Vietnam ’s territorial integrity and sovereign right when it used force to occupy Vietnam’s Hoang Sa Archipelago and step by step took over Vietnam ’s Truong Sa Archipelago, especially when it made use of the occupied island to encroach Vietnam ’s sovereign right. China has also violated clause 3 of Article 2 of the UN Charter which stipulates that international disputes shall be settled by peaceful means. When placing the drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981, China used force, such as aircraft and vessels, to approach and ram Vietnam’s vessels and even fired water cannons at Vietnam’s fisheries surveillance force and Vietnam Coast Guard vessels, damaging many Vietnamese vessels and injuring many members of the Vietnam fisheries surveillance force. Moreover, China has infringed clause 4 of Article 2 of the UN Charter, which stresses that the principle of refrain from threat or the use of force in international relations. China has also violated Article 33 in the UN Charter regulating the use of peaceful means to settle international disputes. What is more, China has defied one of 7 big principles of the UN Charter is “fulfill in good faith the obligations assumed by them”. China’s recent illegal act has seriously infringed the UNCLOS 1982 as well. Accordingly, China has violated Vietnam ’s sovereign right and jurisdiction on its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf; the definition of basic lines of archipelagoes as well as the Article 121 of the UNCLOS 1982. It is obvious that China has defied regulations relating to safety area of man-made equipment and structures. The clauses 4 and 5 of Article 60 and Article 80 of the UNCLOS 1982 rule that the coastal state may, where necessary, establish reasonable safety zones around such artificial islands, installations and structures and that zone shall not exceed a distance of 500 metres around them, measured from each point of their outer edge. Over the past days, China has announced the safety zone around its illegally- placed oil rig is one nautical mile and increased it to three nautical miles and now 10 nautical miles in reality. That is a perverse violation act. Additionally, China has violated the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) between ASEAN and China as well as the agreement on the fundamental principles guiding the settlement of issues at sea signed by Vietnam and China in Beijing, China in 2011. China has also seriously violated the major principle on actual occupation regulated in the international law. Under this principle, a state has legal occupation of land, islands or a waters when it first occupies publicly and peacefully and exercises its right continuously. Besides, that occupation must be under state form. All international legal precedents admit only one state having its sovereignty over waters and islands when it exercises that basing on the actual occupation principle. Regarding China ’s acts towards Hoang Sa and Truong Sa Archipelagoes, it is clear that China has used force instead of peaceful means. Asked whether Vietnam should bring China’s acts of violation against Vietnam’s sovereignty to international bodies, Professor Nguyen Ba Dien stressed that Vietnam has no choice rather to rely on international law. Responding to China’s provocative acts, the Vietnamese people including overseas Vietnamese, over the past days, have shown their solidarity and backed the Party and the Government with the determination of safeguarding the national sea and islands in a peaceful manner. China’s acts against Vietnam’s territorial sovereignty are illegal. China’s ambition and claims have been unreasonable and not basing on the law of civilization and the era but the law of power. Considering above-mentioned acts, it is clear that international law is not in favour of China if those violations are brought to international bodies. Affirming that Vietnam can bring China’s acts of violating Vietnam’s territorial sovereignty to international organizations, the professor regards the UN General Assembly, including the UN Security Council, UN General Secretary, the International Court of Justice, International Court of Arbitration, International Court on the Law of the Sea and others. However, he recommended that there should be a suitable roadmap, methods and thorough consideration before bringing the case to international forums. Thus, Vietnam should well prepare legal files, evidences, argument and people and political determination as well as combined strength of the entire people and international solidarity. On the ground, Vietnam should not allow China to encroach an inch of its territory and must remove Chinese oil rig from Vietnam . The professor said that Vietnam should not use force or open fire first. It does not mean that Vietnam has no self-defence right. Under Article 51 of the UN Charter, a state can exercise self-defence in case a foreign state uses force and threat to use force to infringe its independent sovereignty, sovereign right and jurisdiction. “That is the last measure”, he said, adding that Vietnam should use the power of justice-international law while China has not. “Vietnam has adequate historical, scientific evidences and arguments to confirm its undisputable sovereignty over its Truong Sa and Hoang Sa Archipelagoes and its sovereign right and jurisdiction over its territorial waters in the East Sea . International arbitration and international court are the just intermediary to support Vietnam in proving and safeguarding its sovereignty”, the professor concluded.- Deputy PM urges progress on major transport projects Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has required the transport sector to solve difficulties faced by transport projects and to promptly put them into operation, to meet the need for national socio-economic development. The Deputy PM, who is head of the State Steering Committee on Key Transport Projects, made the request at a May 16 meeting with relevant ministries, sectors and investors on the implementation of major transport projects. According to the Ministry of Transport, the list consisted of 26 major projects with a total investment of VND576.48 trillion (US$27.09 billion), including 15 road projects, six railway projects, two airway projects and three maritime projects – however, only nine projects and subprojects had been completed and put into operation. Nearly all of the remaining projects were behind schedule, which was attributed to lack of capital, sluggish land clearance and prolonged settlement of land clearance issues. Thus, members of the Steering Committee will work to review each project and point out hindrances to resolution of these problems. Several ongoing projects that needed to accelerate progress included Ho Chi Minh road, Noi Bai-Lao Cai highway, Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay highway, Da Nang-Quang Ngai highway, Hanoi-Hai Phong highway and Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway. At the meeting, participants were also informed of the implementation and operation of other urgent transport projects, the settlement of issues related to quality of transport work, solutions to ease investment pressure on the State budget and adjustments to reduce the cost of projects. Deputy PM Hai pointed out the main hindrances to these projects were tardy progress and land clearance. He directed the Ministry of Construction to review its processes and procedures for construction projects, to facilitate the projects. At the same time, the Ministry of Planning and Investment was asked to handle the capital for ODA transport projects and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment was told to address issues related to mining and material supply. The Deputy PM also ordered investors and contractors to speed up their work, while also improving the quality of projects. Ha Giang urged to improve investment environment Ha Giang needs to improve its investment environment and protect the appropriate rights of investors, in order to attract more investment projects to the province, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has said. The government leader made the recommendation at a conference on investment promotion held in the northern province of Ha Giang on May 16, which aimed to provide a platform for domestic and foreign enterprises to explore local policies, potential and opportunities. He was briefed on the province’s difficulties in luring foreign investment in line with its potential and strengths, including poor transport infrastructure and human resource quality, low competitiveness and a high poverty rate (27%). According to Ha Giang leaders, the province has always prioritised resources for mobilising investment and will continue boosting administrative procedure reform in investment activities and the timely removal of difficulties for investors. Addressing the conference, Deputy PM Phuc emphasised that Ha Giang has great tourism potential with its favourable climate and soil, natural beauty and diverse cultures, alongside other agricultural strengths such as medicinal plants, clean-water fisheries and livestock. He urged the province to rapidly implement key measures, including completing the local socio-economic development plan, establishing effective policy mechanisms to mobilise resources for realisation of the plan and enhancing economic links with other localities in the region. Ha Giang also needs to pay more attention to comprehensively developing human resources through efficient policies on education, healthcare and culture, moving towards sustainable poverty alleviation, the government leader stated. He asked ministries and agencies to support Ha Giang in promoting its infrastructure upgrade, poverty reduction projects, preservation of unique ethnic cultures and rapid and sustainable socio-economic development. Chairman Vu Tien Loc of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry also put an emphasis on Ha Giang’s tourism and agricultural advantages, recommending that the province focus on improving provincial-level competitiveness and connect its socio-economic development plan with that of the northwestern region. At the conference, the provincial People’s Committee granted investment licenses to investors with a total registered capital of VND3.6 trillion (US$169.2 million). Ceremony marks 55th anniversary of legendary Truong Son – Ho Chi Minh Trail The Ministry of Defence held a ceremony in Hanoi on May 16 to celebrate the 55th anniversary of Truong Son – Ho Chi Minh Trail and Traditional Day of Truong Son Soldiers (May 19, 1959-2014) and receive the State certificate recognising the route as a Special National Relic. In his opening remark, head of the General Department of Politics under the Vietnam People's Army, Senior Lieutenant General Ngo Xuan Lich recalled the glorious history of the Truong Son soldiers, young volunteers and people in building and maintaining the legendary Truong Son – Ho Chi Minh Trail. He reiterated that on May 19, 1959, a special military mission with an initial 500 members was assigned the task of opening the route and transporting military supplies to assist the southern battlefield during the resistance war against the US aggressors. From a liaison route, the trail was upgraded to support a transportation system that supplied manpower and materiel to the southern battlefield, contributing greatly to the historic victory of Vietnamese people to liberate the south and reunify the country. Lich added that lessons from the construction and operation of the legendary road were invaluable assets of the nation and the glorious tradition of Uncle Ho's soldiers, marking a heroic and glorious page of the nation’s struggle for national liberation and reunification, as well as in the cause of building and defending the country. After liberation, units taking part in building the trail were re-organised to establish Multi-battalion 12, with the new task of undertaking the construction of hundreds of important infrastructure works that played a key role in socio-economic development and national defence and security. Praising the great achievements of Truong Son soldiers and Multi-battalion 12, Politburo member Le Hong Anh, a standing member of the Party Central Committee Secretariat, suggested officers and soldiers of the People's Army of Vietnam in general and the battalion in particular thoroughly grasp the Party and State’s policies and laws to build a revolutionary, regular, elite and modern people’s army, confirming its role as a loyal and reliable political, revolutionary and fighting force to the Party, State and people. He urged the Multi-battalion 12 – Truong Son Construction Corporation to ensure its task of economic efficiency associated with effective political and social security and national defence, striving to build the company into a strong business that was highly competitive in the market environment and met the requirements of international economic integration. At the ceremony, Politburo member Anh presented the Military Exploit Order, first class, to the army corps in recognition of its excellent contributions to national construction and defence. Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam also handed over the Special National Relic certificate for Truong Son Trail to Multi-battalion 12 and representatives from the 11 provinces along the route. India-Vietnam solidarity committee opposes China’s acts President of the India-Vietnam Solidarity Committee Geetesh Sharma has opposed China’s violations of Vietnam’s sovereignty and called on China to exercise restraint and come to negotiation table abiding by the international law and precedence. In his recent statement, Geetesh Sharma expressed the deep concern over China’s illegal placement of its drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. More than 80 Chinese vessels, including military ships and aircraft have massed to escort the rig. “Those ships have constantly threatened and attacked Vietnamese ships operating in the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of Vietnam, causing heavy material damage and wounding many people,” the statement said. “Such actions of Government of China not only seriously violate Vietnam’s sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, but also run counter to international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” the statement emphasised. It goes against the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea signed by ASEAN member states and China, and violate the agreements on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related reach between senior leaders of Vietnam and China, the statement added. These actions adversely affect people to people relations, the solidarity and friendship between Vietnam and China, peace movements in the region and the world besides threatening peace, security, stability and cooperation for mutual development in the region and the world. “In fact, the expansionist and hegemonic policies of the Government of China is not a hidden agenda. They have demonstrated it time and again to bully the neighboring countries by intrusion into their sovereignty, the latest example being Vietnam,” the statement said. While strongly condemning their action, Geetesh Sharma called on to the Chinese government to exercise restraint and come to negotiation table abiding by the international law and precedence. Peace in the Asian region is in peril and so all the peace loving forces should unitedly come forward and condemn unequivocally such acts of intrusion. “The Government and NGOs in Vietnam should utilise all the available platforms to apprise the global community of the situation and ensure the peace in the region in not disturbed and justice is done to Vietnam,” the statement said. Source: VNN/VNA/VNS/VOV/Nhandan