Government News 24/4 Deputy PM welcomes officials from Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs   Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh (R) receives Permanent Deputy Minister for Home Affairs of Singapore Pang Kin Keong  Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh hosted a reception for officials from Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs led by Permanent Deputy Minister Pang Kin Keong in Hanoi on April 23. The guests are visiting Vietnam to attend the annual meeting at the deputy ministerial level and the fifth sports exchange between Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security and Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs. The two ministries have actively contributed to the sound cooperative relations between Vietnam and Singapore in all fields, especially after their establishment of strategic partnership, Binh said. They have carried out a number of cooperation activities such as high-level delegation exchanges and enforcement of law in combating and preventing crimes, fires and promoting search and rescue efforts, thereby ensuring security and order in the respective countries as well as peace and stability in the region, he added. The Deputy PM affirmed that Vietnam and Singapore have gained positive outcomes in coordination at regional and international arenas. The Vietnamese Government always supports and creates the best conditions for the two ministries to enhance collaboration in the fields of their responsibilities.  He asked the two sides to step up cooperation and maintain delegation exchanges at all levels, especially among high-ranking officials, to share information on the region and beyond as well as reinforce their political trust. He hoped the two ministries will increase mutual consultations to reach consensus in addressing issues of mutual concern including the prevention of hi-tech crime, economic crime, drug crime and terrorism. Pang Kin Keong agreed with Binh’s viewpoints and hoped the two ministries will continue working together in these fields, particularly taking drastic measures to prevent drug crime and enhancing public awareness of the harms of drug abuse. He called on ASEAN member nations to strengthen solidarity and join hands to address regional and international issues of shared concerns because solidarity is an important factor to help the bloc overcome challenges ahead. Sri Lankan Parliament Speaker begins Vietnam visit Speaker Karu Jayasuriya of the Sri Lankan Parliament started his official visit to Vietnam on April 23. The five-day visit is made at the invitation of National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan. Vietnam and Sri Lanka established diplomatic relations in 1970. The two countries are targeting 1 billion USD in two-way trade by 2020. Vietnam, Laos beef up legislative ties   Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Tong Thi Phong (left) and Chairwoman of the Lao National Assembly Pany Yathotou   Vietnam persistently treasures and gives the top priority to consolidating and enhancing the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation with Laos, said Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Tong Thi Phong.  The legislator made the statement at a meeting with Chairwoman of the Lao National Assembly Pany Yathotou on April 23 as part of her official visit to Laos from April 23-25.  Vietnam will do its utmost, together with the Party, State and people of Laos, to preserve and foster the special relationship, which is a valuable asset of the two nations, she said.  Phong briefed the host on outcomes of her talks with Vice Chairman of the Lao National Assembly Sengnoun Sayalat.  For her part, Pany Yathotou said Phong’s visit will significantly contribute to intensifying relations between the two countries in general and their legislative bodies in particular.  Earlier, during their talks, Phong and Sengnoun Sayalat reviewed cooperation between the two legislatures in 2017 and discussed cooperation orientations in time to come.  They exchanged operational experience of each legislative body, while seeking measures to boost coordination at multi-lateral inter-parliamentary forums in the region and the world as well.  The two sides agreed to continue exchanging high-ranking delegations, implementing reached agreements, joining hands in personnel training and sharing experience, especially in institution and law building, and law enforcement monitoring.  They will also closely coordinate with each other to supervise the building of the house of the Lao NA, which is the present of the Party, State and people of Vietnam to Laos.  Later the same day, Phong and her encourage made a field trip to the construction site of the house. NA Vice Chairman hosts Ukrainian parliamentarians   Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Do Ba Ty (right) received a delegation of the Ukraine-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians Group led by its Chairwoman Yurynets Oksana Vasylivna.  Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Do Ba Ty received in Hanoi on April 23 a delegation of the Ukraine-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians Group led by its Chairwoman Yurynets Oksana Vasylivna. The Vice Chairman affirmed Vietnam always attaches importance to strengthening and developing friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with traditional countries, including Ukraine. He highly valued close coordination and mutual support between the two countries at recent international organisations and forums, including Ukraine’s commitment to supporting Vietnam’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for 2020-21 tenure.  He asked the parliaments and parliamentarians of both countries to continue maintaining and increasing coordination and supporting each other at multi-lateral inter-parliamentary forums that Vietnam and Ukraine are members. Vice Chairman Ty proposed the Ukrainian parliament and concerned agencies continue creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in Ukraine to live, study and work stably. Chairwoman of the Group Vasylivna expressed her wish that both countries’ parliamentarians will promote their role as representatives of regions and localities to boost cooperation connectivity between Ukraine and Vietnam in the field of economy, trade and investment. Earlier, the Vietnam-Ukraine Friendship Parliamentarians Group led by deputy head of the NA Finance - Budget Committee Dinh Van Nha hold talks with their Ukrainian counterpart. During the talks, both groups’ leaders expressed their joy with thriving economic cooperation of the two countries, while affirming visits and contacts between the two countries’ parliamentarians are good opportunities for the two legislative bodies to exchange information, experience in making laws and supervising issues of shared concern. The Ukraine-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians Group delegation is on a working visit to Vietnam from April 23-28. Belgium-Vietnam ties develop fruitfully, says King Philippe    The relationship between Belgium and Vietnam is developing fruitfully, Belgium’s King Philippe told Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium Vu Anh Quang who came to present his credentials.  The King recalled his visits to Vietnam in 1994, 2003 and 2012, and his meeting with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong in Brussels in 2013.  Lauding Vietnam’s high economic growth rate, King Philippe said Vietnam and Belgium could benefit from economic cooperation.  He suggested Vietnam pay attention to Belgian pharmaceutical products which are highly valued in Europe.  Apart from agricultural cooperation, the two countries should join hands in climate change response, noting that Vietnam is one of the countries hardest hit by climate change while Belgium has strength in this field.  For his part, Ambassador Quang said Vietnam and Belgium have substantial potential for cooperation in both the federal and local levels, particularly in agriculture, clean energy and seaport.  The diplomat pledged to do his utmost to contribute to the bilateral ties, helping elevate the relationship to a strategic partnership in a number of economic sectors, for the sake of the two countries’ people.  Vietnam and Belgium set up diplomatic ties in 1973. The two countries have held high-level meetings and visits regularly, while supporting each other at international forums. Economic and trade cooperation has played a key role in bilateral ties. In 2017, two-way trade reached nearly 2.5 billion USD. Belgium is currently running more than 60 projects worth about 600 million USD in Vietnam. Chairman of Party’s economic commission hosts int’l energy experts   Scene at the meeting   Chairman of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’s Commission for Economic Affairs Nguyen Van Binh received a delegation of energy experts from the global management consulting firm McKinsey&Co in Hanoi on April 23. The experts delivered a report on initial outcomes of the company’s research on the Vietnamese energy sector with recommendations for the industry’s sustainable development. The research was part of cooperative activities within the framework of Vietnam Business Forum organised by the commission. Binh lauded the report’s quality, which would offer an objective view to help Vietnam develop its energy sector. The official considered the research a reference document for Vietnam in implementing projects that summary outcomes of the 10th Politburo’s Resolution 18-NQ-TW issued in 2007 on the national energy development strategy by 2020 and a vision to 2050, and the 9th Politburo’s Conclusion 26-KL/TW issued in 2003 on planning strategy for Vietnam electricity development. Details of the report will be announced for comments from other agencies, sectors, institutes, universities and enterprises in the field at a conference by the commission in Hanoi on April 24. Vice President urges RMIT to expand cooperation with Vietnam   Vice President talks with Vietnamese students at RMIT University   Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh called on Australia’s Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT University) to expand its links with educational institutions in Vietnam in the spheres of experience sharing, scientific research cooperation and student exchange.  She made the appeal at a meeting with Vice Chancellor Martin Bean and other leaders of RMIT University in Melbourne on April 23 as part of her trip to Australia to attend the 28th Global Summit of Women (GSW).  Vietnam always appreciates educational achievements Australia has recorded and stands ready to create the best possible conditions for Australian educational institutions, including RMIT University, to step up cooperation with Vietnam, she said.  Thinh stressed that education-training is one of the important cooperation pillars between Vietnam and Australia, adding that about 30,000 Vietnamese students are studying in Australia and more than 1,000 Australian students came to Vietnam under the New Colombo Plan.  On this occasion, the official talked with nearly 1,000 Vietnamese students at the university.  She said the establishment of the Vietnam-Australia strategic partnership has created a premise for the two countries to step up their collaboration across fields, including education-training.  The Vice President asked the students to study hard to contribute to the homeland after graduation.  She also lauded Vietnamese students in Victoria state for their activities aiming to preserve Vietnamese traditions, expressing her hope that Vietnamese students in RMIT University in particular and Victoria state in general will become ambassadors of  the Vietnam-Australia friendship.  As the third oldest university in Victoria, RMIT University ranks 13th among the top universities of Australia. With branches in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the university has contributed to personnel training in Vietnam.  On April 23 morning, Vice President Thinh visited a high-tech tomato farm of a Vietnamese investor named Thai Ngoc Nha, who was urged to share his success experience with Vietnamese businesses.  Later the same day, Vice President Thinh met a delegation of the Vietnamese businesses’ association in Australia led by President Tran Ba Phuc. She also attended a launch ceremony of a club of Vietnamese businesswomen in Australia. Hanoi welcomes Swedish investors   Participants of the meeting (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn)  Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Ngo Van Quy received a visiting Swedish business delegation on April 23 to discuss cooperation potential across fields. Stressing the long-time relations between Vietnam and Sweden, Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam Pereric Hogberg said the visit of Swedish firms is among activities in celebration of 50 years since Vietnam and Sweden established diplomatic relations. Encouraging trade-investment figures recorded between the two countries recently have laid a basis for future cooperation between Sweden and a potential market like Hanoi, added the diplomat. Welcoming the delegation, Quy said collaborative activities between Vietnam and Sweden as well as Swedish localities and Hanoi are on the rise but still fall short of potentials. The official called for Swedish investments in local high-tech and eco-friendly projects in building smart city and infrastructure, particularly public transport. PM asks for increased export for sustainable development   Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has affirmed that controlling markets is a way for the Vietnamese economy to take off.  He made the statement during a national conference in Hanoi on April 23 discussing comprehensive measures to boost exports hosted by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.  The PM said successful countries and businesses consider the world as a market to expand their reaches, thereby seeking ways to improve their competitiveness.  The domestic market with a population of nearly 100 million is important, but it is necessary to look at the global market to achieve sustainable growth, he said.  The leader noted that though administrative procedures have improved, they remain below expectation. He expressed his wish to listen to policy feedback of localities and associations to increase added value of exported commodities, thus making it easier for Vietnamese firms to join the global value chain.  He underscored the need to update Vietnamese exporters about market information and legal regulations abroad, opportunities and risks, and orientations to manufacturing and exports.  Leaders of localities and ministers were required to look towards export to contribute to sustainable growth. Based on public feedback, the PM will issue a Directive on measures to boost manufacturing and exports.  Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh said the country’s exports grew by 15.8 percent last year, exclusive of cell phones, computers and electronic spare parts.  Exports still predominantly rely on foreign-invested enterprises, which contribute over 70 percent.  Though tariff has been cut to zero percent, Vietnam’s farm produce such as milk, pork, fruits and vegetables still find it hard to enter foreign markets, he said The Ministry of Industry and Trade proposed three major measures to sustainably step up exports, including restructuring agriculture, closely controlling supply, and gradually improving the quality of agricultural and aquatic products.  It will also work to maintain stable export markets, improve the efficiency of trade promotion, and cope with trade defence and protectionism that are not in line with international commitments.  At the same time, the ministry will step up institutional reform, refine legal corridor for export activities, accelerate administrative reform, and clear barriers to payment and credit to ensure sufficient capital for manufacturing and export, the minister added. VNN