Government News 25/3 Hanoi, Hong Kong seek stronger economic partnership   Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung (R) receives Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of Hong Kong (China) Yau Tang-wah. (Source: hanoi.gov.vn) Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung had a meeting with a delegation from Hong Kong (China), led by Hong Kong Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Yau Tang-wah, in Hanoi on March 23. At the meeting, Yau expressed his wish to promote cooperation and dialogue between Hong Kong (China) and Hanoi. He also spoke highly of the economic growth of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the two major economic hubs of Vietnam. Yau hoped that Vietnamese and Hong Kong enterprises would support each other and share their investment experience. He expressed his wish that Hanoi and Hong Kong would cooperate in the areas of information technology, railways and aviation in which Hong Kong has advantages. Chung thanked the guest for his positive assessment of Hanoi, noting that Hanoi has seen breakthrough socio-economic development over the past eight years. He hoped that the cooperation between Hong Kong (China) and ASEAN, including Vietnam, will open up a new period of investment and partnership between enterprises of both sides. The chairman noted that Hanoi attaches great importance to start-ups and wishes to cooperate with Hong Kong to create favourable conditions for IT start-ups. Vietnamese, Lao embassies in China hold friendship exchange   Vietnamese Ambassadors to China Dang Minh Khoi addresses the event  Vietnamese and Lao Ambassadors to China Dang Minh Khoi and Vandy Bouthasavong as well as officials of the two embassies attended a get-together at the Vietnamese Embassy in Beijing on March 23. Addressing the event, Khoi extended greetings to the Lao ambassador and embassy’s staff on the 63rd founding anniversary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and congratulated the Lao people on important achievements they have gained over the past 63 years. He expressed delight at the progress of the Vietnam-Laos traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation, as well as relations between the two embassies over the past years. The two embassies have supported each other, contributing to promoting the Vietnam-Laos relations as well as the development of the friendship between ASEAN and China, he noted. The diplomat congratulated Lao Ambassador Vandy Bouthasavong on his successful assumption of the role as the Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Beijing. Khoi expressed his hope that 2018 will be a successful year for the relationship between Vietnam and Laos in general and between the two embassies in particular. Meanwhile, Vandy Bouthasavong lauded the maintenance of exchange activities between the two embassies, which has helped enhance mutual understanding and solidarity among officials of the two agencies, especially young diplomats. Over the past years, the embassies of Vietnam and Laos have held regular meetings at the beginning of the year and invited each other to celebrations of traditional New Year of each country. National Assembly Vice Chairman visits Madagascar   Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Phung Quoc Hien A high-level delegation of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA), led by its Vice Chairman Phung Quoc Hien, on March 23 began a three-day working visit to Madagascar. The same day, NA Vice Chairman Phung Quoc Hien met with Speaker of the Parliament of Madagascar Jean Max Rakotomamonjy in the capital city of Antananarivo. Rakotomamonjy affirmed the fruitful relations between Vietnam and Madagascar, and expressed his hope that the multifaceted cooperation between the two countries would be enhanced, including the exchange of delegations. He also mentioned several measures to strengthen relations between the two parliaments, including the establishment of friendship parliamentary groups. Regarding economic aspect, the Malagasy Parliament leader hailed Vietnam’s achievements, adding that Vietnam and Madagascar have many similarities in natural conditions, therefore the two sides can increase their cooperation in aquaculture, fishing and cultivation. He hoped that the visit will help boost economic and trade ties between the two countries. For his part, Hien affirmed that, in addition to the fine political and diplomatic ties, the two countries should further their economic and trade relations to fully tap cooperation opportunities, particularly in agricultural production. Underlining Vietnam’s leading position in rice production and export, Hien said food imports make up of 10 percent of Madagascar’ import revenue, while Vietnam can buy cashew nuts – a key product of Madagascar, for processing and exporting to other nations. The Vietnamese legislator also highlighted cooperation potential in light industry and processing industry, and proposed a number of measures to boost investment, such as the signing of a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) and an Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (IPPA). Hien took this occasion to convey NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan’s invitation to Speaker Jean Max Rakotomamonjy to pay an official visit to Vietnam. Int’l friends bid last farewells to former PM Phan Van Khai   Delegates pay tribute to late former PM Phan Van Khai at the Embassy of Vietnam in Thailand  The Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand opened the book of condolences on March 20-21 to pay tribute to former Politburo member and former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, who passed away in Ho Chi Minh City on March 17 at the age of 85.  During the two-day ceremony, the embassy welcomed Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Secretary-General to the Thai Prime Minister Anuson Chinvano (former Thai Ambassador to Vietnam), President of the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association Prachuab Chaiyasan, and 56 delegations of diplomats and representatives of overseas Vietnamese people in the country. In his last farewells written on the funeral book, Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai hailed the significant contributions that late former PM Phan Van Khai had made to the development of Vietnam and the prosperity of its people, saying that his sound leadership and strategic vision had enhanced the bilateral relations between Vietnam and Thailand. Meanwhile, the Vietnamese Embassy in Turkey flied the Vietnam and ASEAN flags at half-mast and set up an altar for the passed-away leader in line with the local and Vietnamese practices. From March 20-23, dozens of delegations, including those from the Offices of the Turkish President, Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister, embassies in Turkey, as well as overseas Vietnamese people in the country came and wrote in the book of condolences, expressing their sorrows over the passing of former PM Phan Van Khai. Overseas Vietnamese and diplomats from foreign countries such as China, India, the US, Indonesia in Vancouver, Canada, also wrote in the funeral book and expressed condolences over the death of the outstanding and dedicated leader at the Vietnamese Consulate General in Vancouver from March 22-23. Previously on March 20-21, the Vietnamese Embassy in Canada held a similar ceremony, receiving over 45 Canadian and international diplomatic representatives who came to share the sorrows with the Party, State and people of Vietnam and the family of late former PM Phan Van Khai over his decease.  Director General of the South and Southeast Asia and Oceania Bureau, under the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, Ian Burchett sent a message to the ceremony, reading “Canadian people shared the sorrow with Vietnamese friends over the death of former PM Phan Van Khai, whose devotion and political view had been fueled by his love for the nation.” Representatives from the Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada also sent condolences and wrote farewells on the funeral book in the Vietnamese Embassy in Canada from March 20-21. Raising Vietnamese NA’s status in international arena   Vietnam’s participation in the 138th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly (IPU-138) activities is one of the most important tasks for the legislative body’s multilateral parliamentary diplomacy. The high-ranking Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) delegation is led by its Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan in attending the 138th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly (IPU-138) and related meetings in Geneva, Switzerland, on March 24-25 at the invitation of IPU President Gabriela Cuevas Barron. The NA delegation will join activities of the IPU Executive Committee and other committees and take part in an IPU forum to further increase the role and position of the Vietnamese NA at the IPU, which helps to protect and promote national interests. It shows Vietnam’s commitment to implementing the foreign policy set out by the 12th National Party Congress, to improve the quality and efficiency of multilateral foreign affairs and actively contribute to forming multilateral institutions. While attending the IPU-138, NA Chairwoman Ngan is scheduled to deliver an important speech at the plenary session on the topic of global mechanisms for migrants. Meanwhile, other members of the NA delegation will be involved in activities within the framework of the IPU-138 and attend meetings of the IPU Executive Committee, General Assembly, standing committees, Asia-Pacific Group (APG), Governing Council, and the Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments (ASGP). At IPU standing committees, Vietnamese NA deputies will talk about priority issues such as sustainable development, gender equality, youth, and HIV prevention, while also participating in IUP resolutions to protect Vietnam’s interests, co-sponsoring practical resolutions and preparing for complex issues that may arise such as migration, homosexuals, and the situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Myanmar. Chairman of the NA Committee of External Relations Nguyen Van Giau, who is a member of IPU Executive Committee, will attend, or authorize others to attend, the meetings of the IPU Executive Committee, and heads of delegations of Asia-Pacific Group (APG) members and ASEAN + 3 to carry out other assigned tasks. At the IPU General Assembly, Vietnamese representatives will act as speakers for the Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, Finance, and Trade to discuss issues surrounding improving the engagement of the private sector in implementing sustainable development goals (SDGs), especially on when it comes to renewable energy. NA Chairwoman Ngan and the NA delegation’s participation in the IPU-138 aims to protect Vietnam’s interests, consult international perspectives, and show the country’s stance on global issues. They will carry out sideline bilateral activities with partners that Vietnam has a few conditions to initiate official bilateral activities. It is also a chance for Vietnam to promote its land and people to the international community, while expanding its presence, and enhancing the position of the NA in particular, and the country in general, in the international arena. Major Swedish businesses to visit Hanoi in May   Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung receives Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam Pereric Hogberg (Photo: Hanoimoi.com.vn) A delegation of big businesses from Sweden will visit Hanoi in May to seek to help promote sustainable public transport in the capital city, according to Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam Pereric Hogberg. The ambassador met Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung on March 22, informing him of the visit and seeking the municipal authorities’ assistance to the delegation.  He noted that Swedish businesses have been increasingly interested in the investment environment in Hanoi and will share their experience contributing to the city’s sustainable transport plan. Chairman Chung thanked the diplomat for bridging businesses of the two countries, affirming his support and saying he will work with the Embassy of Sweden in Vietnam to realize plans, programmes and seminars on public transport as the city is heading to become a smart city with sustainable growth and being adaptive to climate change. At present, Hanoi is reforming its public transport, looking to use high-quality buses imported from Europe, especially from the Volvo group from Sweden, with a view to turning people’ interest in using public transport means. As the two countries are looking toward the celebration of the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties in 2019, Ambassador Pereric Hogberg expressed his hopes that more celebrative activities will be held in Hanoi, like cultural events at the Hoan Kiem (Returned Sword) lake in the heart of the city. Chairman Chung said he supports and will provide assistance for the organization of the activities. VNN