Government News 9/12 Party chief meets outgoing Russian ambassador Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong expressed his wish that outgoing Russian Ambassador Andrei Kovtun, in any position he undertakes in the future, will do his part for the ties between Vietnam and Russia, at a reception in Hanoi on December 8. The host reiterated that Vietnam always treasures the development of traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia, and asked Kovtun to convey his regards to President V. Putin and Russian leaders. Kovtun thanked the Party, government and people of Vietnam for their support for him during his tenure. He pledged to make contributions to the bilateral long-standing friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership in the future. Vietnam pledges more efforts to fulfil UN millennium goals Vietnam will continue making more efforts to fulfil UN Millennium Development Goals and contributions to building the UN Development Agenda beyond 2015, Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc told UN officials in Hanoi on December 8. During a meeting with a delegation of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) led by its President Gonzalo Koncke Pizzorno, the Deputy Foreign Minister spoke highly affirmed the Vietnam considers UN Women as its important development partner. Deputy FM Ngoc highly valued the agency’s contributions in helping the Vietnam’s gender equality-related works. Pizzorno expressed his impression on Vietnam’s achievements in implementing gender equality and women empowerment, especially the country’s adoption of the 2011-2020 national strategy on gender equality and the 2011-2015 national gender equality programme. He spoke highly of the successful implementation of the one-UN initiative in Vietnam. During its visit to Vietnam from December 7-12, the UN Women delegation is scheduled to have working sessions with the Ministries of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, Justice, and Foreign Affairs, the National Assembly’s Committee for Social Affairs, the People’s Supreme Court and a number of provinces. President offers development advices to Thanh Hoa province President Truong Tan Sang asked the central province of Thanh Hoa to step up administrative reform, making it easier to attract more foreign investors at a working session with its authorities in the locality on December 8. To propel the local economy further, he suggested more focus on the Nghi Son economic zone and Cua Dat aqua-farming project to develop support industry and generate more jobs. He hailed the province for its 2014 economic growth of 11.6 percent, exceeding the set target and its progresses in building new-style rural areas, saying that it is quite significant because a majority of local population feed on agriculture and rural development. During the year, the local revenue to the State budget is estimated at over 7.5 trillion VND (357 million USD) and the income per capita averages 1.365 USD, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Trinh Van Chien informed the President. Thanh Hoa currently ranks eighth in the provincial competitiveness index and comes sixth in the international economic integration index. It also fares well in the provincial governance and public administration performance index, sitting on the ninth place, he added. Chien, however, also admitted shortcomings, including poor infrastructure in mountainous areas and low agriculture output. The authorities proposed more State support to the establishment of the Nghi Son special administrative unit and development of Tho Xuan airport up to international standards. On the occasion of the 70th founding anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army and the 25th anniversary of All People’s Defence Day, the President toured Z111 factory, an unit of the General Department of Military Industry. Vice NA Chairwoman welcomes Lao, Cambodian youth delegations Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Tong Thi Phong received in Hanoi on December 8 delegations of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union (LPRYU) and the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia (UYFC). The Lao delegation headed by Vilayvong Bouddakham, First Secretary of the LPRYU Central Committee, and the Cambodian delegation led by Hun Many, UYFC President, are in Vietnam for a four-day conference that seeks stronger affiliation and greater role for youths in consolidating solidarity among the three countries. At the reception, t he Vice Chairwoman highlighted the conference’s significance in educating the young generation on the special traditional friendship of the three countries and increasing mutual understanding among the people of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Vietnam always facilitates the young people of the three countries to enhance their experience exchange and cooperation for the interest of the Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian people as well as for the special solidarity, friendship and comprehensive cooperation, Phong said. She expressed her belief that the youths of the three countries will unceasingly increase the quality of existing cooperation programmes and expand fields of collaboration. The Lao and Cambodian youth delegation chiefs pledged to join hands with the Vietnamese youth union’s efforts to foster the special solidarity and friendship between the people, among the three countries. The youth cooperation conference that opened in Hanoi on December 8 has brought together 60 prominent young people from three countries. Hanoi’s ideas gathered for Party documents A working group from the Party Document Compiling Sub-committee on December 8 worked with the Hanoi Party Committee’s Standing Board on the city’s overall situation, including Party and political system building in the 2010-15 period. Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, who headed the working group, expressed his hope that the working session will come up with ideas for the sub-committee in the course of building the documents in service of the Party’s upcoming 12 th Congress. He noted that since its expansion in 2008, Hanoi has experienced a special developmental period, with challenges coming from increased land area and population. The capital, however, managed to maintain an average economic growth of 9.2 percent with per capita income of 70 million VND per year, he noted. It has strongly renewed leading methods and working style, becoming a pioneer in conducting the vote of confidence on municipal officials, he said. The Party General Secretary urged Hanoi to continue its growth impetus for attaining further successes. He also asked the city to make thorough preparations for the upcoming 12 th Party Congress, especially in building documents to be submitted to the event. The documents should reflect all achievements gained and difficulties facing the city, thus seeking ways for the city’s higher growth, continuously deserving its leading position, said the Party leader. Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Pham Quang Nghi pledged that the city will contribute ideas to the building of Party documents in a constructive, responsible manner. He also vowed to exert more efforts to guide the city on the overcoming of all difficulties to continue growing. Workshop highlights Vietnam-Myanmar relations Vietnam and Myanmar should think further and take strategic actions to enhance their partnership in the context of globalisation and increasing geo-political competitiveness, said delegates to a workshop on bilateral relations in Hanoi on December 8. Head of Vietnam’s Institute for Southeast Asian Studies Nguyen Duy Dung said that Vietnam and Myanmar hold a time-honoured and fine relationship with effective collaboration in all fields ranging from politics, economics to people-to-people exchange. Professor Ann Chit Tha from the Myanmar Institute for Strategic and International Studies suggested the two sides coordinate more closely in education, scientific research and human resources with priority given to sustainable development on society, natural resources and environment. It will be useful for both countries to speed up trade and tourism promotion activities, organise regular business visits and exchanges and intensify maritime links via main seaports, she added. Meanwhile, the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, Tran Khanh proposed the two governments work for a new investment protection and promotion agreement as early as possible to replace the one signed in 2000. He stressed the need for the early signing of a bilateral trade and investment cooperation agreement covering 12 priority fields as agreed by their Governments in 2010, as well as set up a joint-venture bank to facilitate foreign currency exchange. The two countries should also extend the visa exemption duration for their ordinary passport holders from nine days at present to one month in line with ASEAN regulations, participants said, suggesting that the two sides also consider upgrading their relation to strategic partnership level and increase coordination within the framework of ASEAN and the Mekong Sub-region. VNA/VOV/VNN