Government News 3/1 Vietnam, Czech Republic mark diplomatic ties A meeting was held on February 2 at the headquarters of the Chamber of Deputies in Prague to mark the 65th anniversary of the Vietnam-Czech Republic diplomatic ties. Speaking at the event, Ambassador Truong Manh Son highlighted the achievements and disappointments faced over the past 65 years between Vietnam and the Czech Republic. Son said that Vietnam is now fixated on strengthening mutual trust and understanding with the Czech Republic and deepening bilateral ties. Around 60,000 Overseas Vietnamese (OVs) are living and working in the Czech Republic he said adding that they strictly follow the law and make significant contribution to society. Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies Jan Hamáček in turn said the fine results of bilateral relations over the past 65 years have laid a firm foundation for the two countries to further tighten bilateral ties. At the meeting, participants enjoyed a special art performance presented by Vietnamese artists. In addition, there was a photo exhibition on Vietnam’s land, people and the traditional ties between Vietnam and the Czech Republic. Laos, Cambodia congratulate CPV’s founding anniversary Laos and Cambodia have congratulated Vietnam on the 85 th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV). In its congratulatory message, the Central Committee of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) wrote that the LPRP and the Lao people consider Vietnam’s achievements and triumphs as a source of motivation to their national construction, defence and development cause. It conveyed the belief that under the sound leadership of the CPV led by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the Vietnamese people will realise the Resolution adopted by the 11 th National Party Congress towards the goal of a wealthy, strong, democratic, equitable and civilised country. The LPRP also expressed their delight that the special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States and peoples, fostered by the great Presidents Ho Chi Minh and Kaysone Phomvihane and generations of following leaders, has become an invaluable asset to the prosperity of the two nations. The Party, State and people of Laos vowed to work together with their Vietnamese counterparts to preserve the relationship for the sake of their people and for peace, friendship and cooperation in the region and the world, the message said. On the occasion, the LPRP also expressed its profound and sincere gratitude to the Party, State and people of Vietnam for their precious, timely and effective assistance during the Lao revolution. The Central Committee of the Cambodian People’s Party also wished for successes during the national construction and development process for the CPV Central Committee and Vietnamese people. The Party and people of Cambodia continue to praise the past and present support received from their Vietnamese counterparts during the national defence and development. May the friendship, traditional solidarity, and cooperation between the two Parties, nations, and peoples be everlasting, it said. Vietnam, Laos boost cooperation in inspection work Lao Vice President Bounnhang Volachit has asked party inspection agencies of Laos and Vietnam to continue enhancing cooperation and providing mutual help in their professional work. The Lao leader made the request during his meeting with a delegation of the Vietnam Party Central Committee’s Commission for Inspection led by its deputy head Mai The Duong in Vientiane on February 2. The Vice President stressed the inspection role in the present context, saying that the two agencies need to share experience in the field, thus contributing to implementing the Party’s guidelines and the State’s policies in each country. For his part, Duong briefed the host of outcomes of the talks between the Vietnamese delegation and its counterpart from the Lao Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission and Government Inspectorate. He said the two sides agreed to enhance cooperation and experience sharing in inspection work in order to realise a cooperation agreement in the field between the two inspection commissions. Cambodia, Vietnam boost religious cooperation The Vietnamese Government’s Committee for Religious Affairs and Cambodia’s Ministry of Cult and Religious Affairs held talks and signed a cooperation agreement on religious work for the 2015-2020 period in Ho Chi Minh City on February 2. The document replaces the memorandum of understanding in the field between the two agencies in 2007. During the talks, Pham Dung, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and head of the Committee for Religious Affairs, spoke highly of two agencies’ cooperation on religious affairs in the past, saying that the two sides obtained achievements in the field via exchanging delegations and mutual support in organising international religion-related events in each country. Meanwhile, Cambodian Minister Min Khin stressed the need to promote the cooperation agreement via meetings on religion between border-sharing provinces. The increased cooperation on religious affairs will benefit the two countries’ people, helping them understand their traditions, culture and customs, Minister Min Khin said. Host and guest shared experience in state management on religious affairs and assessed the results obtained in the implementation of the 2007 MoU. The two sides agreed to step up delegation exchange, cooperation in personnel training in religious work, supporting cooperation between the Buddhist Sangha of Vietnam and the Cambodian Buddhist Sangha. Vietnam, central-eastern European countries mark diplomatic ties President Truong Tan Sang, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung and their counterparts of central-eastern European countries exchanged congratulatory messages to each other on the occasion of the 65th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and the nations. In their congratulatory messages, the Vietnamese leaders said 65 years ago, the central-eastern European countries (CEEs), including the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Bulgaria, and Albania, were one of the first nations around the world recognising and establishing the diplomatic relations with Vietnam. The sound traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between Vietnam and the CEEs have been nurtured by generations of leaders and people based on mutual trust, understanding and willing to assist each other. The Vietnamese people are always grateful to the valuable support of the CEEs in the cause of national independence, construction and current development, the leaders said, citing tens of thousands of Vietnamese officials and engineers received training in the CEEs and many of whom are holding key positions in the Vietnamese State’s apparatus and the socio-economic field. For their part, CEEs leaders held that the relationship between Vietnam and the CEEs has stood the test of all challenges and made active contributions to the cause of respective national construction, creating a strong base for multilateral cooperation in the context of global changes. They expressed their admiration to Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements in recent years, and said they believe the country will continue to be a stable factor in the Southeast Asian region, and the vivid example of addressing global complicated issues via peaceful means. Vietnam has become an important friend of the European Union and a dynamic member of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), they said. The leaders of Vietnam and the CEEs pledged to make more efforts to further deepen their traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation for mutual benefits, peace, and prosperity in the region and the world. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh also exchanged congratulations with CEEs Ministers of Foreign Affairs on the occasion. Vietnam-Russia diplomatic ties marked in HCM City The Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Associations organised a ceremony on February 2 to mark the 65th anniversary of Vietnam-Russia diplomatic ties (January 30, 1950). During the event, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Manh Ha said the friendship and cooperative ties between Vietnam and Russia have always been nurtured and cemented by mutual trust and commitments. Ha highlighted the significant achievements the two countries have made in many fields in spite of challenges and changes, contributing greatly to the respective development. Ho Chi Minh City’s residents, together with Vietnamese people nationwide, will continue fostering the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Russia and bettering the already closely-knit solidarity between the people of the City and Russia, Ha asserted. Consul General Aleksei Vladimirovich Popov reviewed the traditional relations between the two nations, hailing the cooperation between their localities, especially with Ho Chi Minh City. He expressed hope that the two countries will strive to realise their set goals for their respective benefit, for peace, security and the development in the region and the world. By 2014, Russia has invested in 21 projects in Ho Chi Minh City, with a total capital of 32.45 million USD. Two-way trade between the City and Russia stood at nearly 290,000 USD in 2014. Russia is one of the top ten countries and territories with the highest tourist number to the city, with nearly 84,000 arrivals. VNA