Government News 25/5 Vietnam always facilitates foreign investors: official    Minister and Chairman of the Office of the Government Mai Tien Dung (second from right) in a meeting with RoK large corporations.  The Vietnamese Government always creates favourable conditions for foreign businesses, including those from the Republic of Korea (RoK), to invest and expand operation in the country, said Minister and Chairman of the Office of the Government Mai Tien Dung. In a meeting with leading Korean corporations in Seoul on May 24, Dung underlined that as part of efforts to develop the economy, the modernisation of the public administrative system has been prioritised. In the future, the Vietnamese Government will focus on a project to branch out e-Government, he noted, expressing his hope that the RoK government and enterprises will share experience and support Vietnam to build the e-Government system. “Sharing issues of Vietnam’s priority with RoK friends means showing great expectations of effective cooperation between the two sides in the era of digitalised economy,” Dung said. Representatives from the RoK business association thanked the Vietnamese Government for giving them favourable treatment. They  noted that they are ready to work with the Vietnamese Government, ministries and authorities and large IT groups like FPT, VNPT and Viettel to develop e-Government in Vietnam. Chairman of the Office of the Government Mai Tien Dung is on a visit to the RoK from May 22-27. HCM City wishes to foster cooperation with Israel    Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan (L) hosts Israeli President Reuven Rivlin Ho Chi Minh City wishes to boost cooperation with Israel in short, medium and long terms, thus bringing practical benefits to both sides, said Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan. At a meeting with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin in Jerusalem city on May 24 (local time), Nhan suggested the President continue supporting the promotion of collaboration between Israeli and Vietnamese partners, including those from Ho Chi Minh City, in fields of both sides’ strength and demand. He also proposed Israel, via its Agency for International Development Cooperation and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, continue granting scholarships to and assisting the city in training high quality human resources in high technology. He expressed his hope that the two counties will soon complete negotiations for the signing of a free trade agreement with a view to raising two-way trade to 3 billion USD in the years to come. For his part, President Reuven Rivlin congratulated Vietnam on the great achievements it has made over the past four decades, especially in agriculture, health and tourism. He spoke highly of the Vietnamese authorities’ support for the private economic sector and the development of the Vietnamese army. The same day, the Ho Chi Minh City delegation visited the Hebrew University, one of the oldest and most famous universities in Israel, with the largest number of scientists holding Nobel and Fields prizes. They also called at the Mobileye Company and the Israel Innovation Authority. Later on May 24, the delegation left Tel Aviv, concluding their working visit to Israel. Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association marks 68th year    President of the Vietnam–Russia Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group Phan Xuan Dung makes a remark at the event.   A gathering was held in Hanoi on May 23 to celebrate the 68th anniversary of the Vietnam–Russia Friendship Association (May 23, 1950) and to recall great memories in the history of the Vietnam–Russia friendship. The event was hosted by the Vietnam–Russia Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group and the Central Vietnam–Russia Friendship Association, allowing the two organisations to share experience in foreign affairs work. In his opening remarks, President of the Vietnam–Russia Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group Phan Xuan Dung said Vietnam and Russia have focused on maintaining and developing ties between the two national assemblies. The two sides have exchanged visits to share practical experience in performing the legislatures’ functions, monitor the implementation of bilateral agreements signed by the two governments and improve the legal environment to facilitate cooperation between the two countries’ localities and businesses and increase understanding between their peoples, Dung noted. He expected the two nations will further foster their parliamentary and people-to-people diplomacy and promote coordination between the Vietnam–Russia and Vietnam–Russia parliamentarians’ groups. President of the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association Tran Binh Minh, for his part, mentioned the association as one of the most active friendship associations in Vietnam because of its large number of members and the strong bonds between them. Minh said he hopes that activities of the Vietnam–Russia Friendship Association and the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group will play a significant part in expanding the two countries’ relations and developing people-to-people diplomacy. Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Konstantin Vkunov lauded the growth of Vietnam–Russia relations, saying he expects ties to be strengthened through exchanges of high-level visits and friendship activities between the two sides. Vice Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam Uong Chu Luu congratulated Russia on the reelection of President Vladimir Putin.  He also looked forward to more activities by the Vietnam–Russia Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group and Vietnam–Russia Friendship Association to promote bilateral relations. Reforms to ensure social insurance key pillar in social security system    At the seventh session of the 12th-tenure Party Central Committee  Reforming social insurance policies is aimed at ensuring social insurance is truly a key pillar in the social security system and to gradually expand its coverage for all people, according to a resolution of the Party Central Committee. Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on May 23 signed off Resolution 28-NQ/TW on reforming social insurance policies, issued at the recent seventh session of the 12th-tenure Party Central Committee. The resolution states that the social insurance system will be developed flexibly into a diverse, multi-level and modern system that matches international practices. The State’s management capacity and efficiency will be improved while a lean, professional, modern, trustworthy and transparent system for social insurance policy implementation will be developed. The resolution also sets up detailed objectives for each period. It targets that by 2021, about 35 percent of the workforce will take part in social insurance, and about 28 percent will participate in unemployment insurance. About 45 percent of the persons beyond the retirement age will receive retirement pensions, monthly social insurance benefits and post-retirement benefits. The satisfaction with social insurance index will reach 80 percent. By 2025, around 45 percent of the workforce will take part in social insurance, and some 35 percent will participate in unemployment insurance. About 55 percent of the persons beyond the retirement age will receive retirement pensions, monthly social insurance benefits and post-retirement benefits. The satisfaction with social insurance index is expected at 85 percent. The resolution targets that by 2030, about 60 percent of the workforce will take part in social insurance, and about 45 percent will participate in unemployment insurance. About 60 percent of the persons beyond the retirement age will receive retirement pensions, monthly social insurance and post-retirement benefits. The satisfaction with social insurance index is hoped to reach 90 percent. The resolution requests reforms be made synchronously to expand social insurance coverage towards social insurance for all and to ensure the long-term balance of the social insurance fund. Those reforms include building a multi-level social insurance system, flexibly amending the regulations on the minimum social insurance participation duration eligible for retirement benefits, enhancing the connectivity of social insurance policies, and reforming the making and the implementation of policies to promote people’s trust in and satisfaction with the social insurance system. To achieve the abovementioned objectives, the resolution also devises certain resolutions, including fine-tuning the legal system on labour, employment and social insurance; improving the State’s capacity and efficiency of social insurance management; promoting the capacity of administering and effectiveness of implementing social and unemployment insurance policies; and enhancing the Party’s leadership and the role of people, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-political organisations in this work. Ministries urged to address slow public investment disbursement   Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue speaks at the function  Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue on May 24 asked the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and Training, and Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to quickly address their slow disbursement of public investment. According to Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Manh Hung, as of May 20, the ministry had disbursed nearly 233 billion VND (10.2 million USD), equal to 17 percent of the yearly target. Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Le Khanh Hai reported that in the first four months of this year, his ministry’s disbursement reached 15.1 percent of the yearly target. The capital belonging to the 2017 plan that was rescheduled to be disbursed in 2018 has yet been disbursed. Meanwhile, a report of the Health Ministry showed in the first five months of this year, the ministry disbursed over 233 billion VND, equivalent to only 4.43 percent of estimates. The ministry’s disbursement of public investment was 81 percent of the yearly target in 2016, and the figure in 2017 was 54.7 percent. Deputy Health Minister Pham Le Tuan attributed the slow disbursement tempo to the disbursement of the Bach Mai II Hospital project and Viet Duc Huu Nghi II Hospital project under the Project 125. He said it was difficult for the ministry to carry out the Project 125 projects within 3 years as the fact shows that it takes 5-7 years to accomplish the construction of big, modern hospitals.  Deputy PM Hue said the two projects are examples of weaknesses in public investment. According to him, the ministry’s change from Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract to small bidding packages is a reason for the slow progress of the project 125. He requested ministries, particularly the three above-mentioned ministries, to figure out reasons, and define the responsibility of the heads of the ministries as well as individuals and organisations involved in the slow transfer and disbursement of public investment. VFF Vice President sends wishes on Lord Buddha’s birthday    Vice President and Secretary General of the VFF Central Committee Hau A Lenh  (second from left) extends congratulations on Lord Buddha’s birthday.   Vice President and Secretary General of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Hau A Lenh visited Most Venerable Thich Bao Nghiem in Ba Da Pagoda, Hanoi on May 24 to extend congratulations on Lord Buddha’s birthday. Most Venerable Thich Bao Nghiem is Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) Executive Council, Head of the VBS’s Faith Popularization Committee, and Head of the Executive Committee of the Buddhist Sangha of Hanoi and the central province of Ha Tinh. Lenh sent his best wishes to Most Venerable Thich Bao Nghiem as well as Vietnamese Buddhist dignitaries, monks, nuns and followers both at home and overseas on the 2562nd birthday of Lord Buddha and the annual Buddhist Rains Retreat this year. He hoped they were having a joyful and peaceful celebration of the Lord Buddha’s birthday. He spoke highly of the VBS as it has stayed united in harmony with the entire nation. At the same time, as an important member of the VFF, the VBS has actively taken part in many patriotic movements, charity events and activities to promote environmental protection and adaption to climate change, he said. The VFF official thanked the VBS for its contribution to the country in recent years, saying he expects Most Venerable Thich Bao Nghiem and the VBS will continue serving as a bridge between the State, Party and VFF and Buddhist followers. On the behalf of the VBS, Most Venerable Thich Bao Nghiem expressed his gratitude towards the VFF Central Committee’s gesture and affirmed that the VBS together with Buddhist monks, nuns and followers will continue maintaining and promoting the good traditions of the sangha and complying with the State’s policies and regulations. Vietnam joins 10th Pan-Tonkin Gulf Economic Cooperation Forum    Delegates at the 10th Pan-Tonkin Gulf Economic Cooperation Forum   Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Cong is joining 500 delegates from ministries, sectors, research institutes and enterprises of ASEAN countries and China at the 10th Pan-Tonkin Gulf Economic Cooperation Forum that opened in Nanning province of China’s Zhuang Autonomous Region on May 24. Addressing a ministerial-level dialogue, Deputy Minister Cong said that Vietnam speaks highly of the building of multi-mode transport routes connecting China’s southwestern region with Vietnamese localities as well as other countries in the region. The routes help save time and cost of transporting goods from ASEAN countries to central Asian and European countries, he said. He also called for all countries to continue cooperating closely in prioritised areas such as infrastructure, environmental protection, agriculture, and people-to-people contact, while mobilising capital and sponsorship for major projects within their partnership framework. During the event, participants discussed the achievements in cooperation after 10 years of organising the forum, the building of multi-mode transport routes between ASEAN and China through enhancing transport and infrastructure connection, and seaport cooperation, thereby strengthening exchange, trade, investment cooperation and people-to-people contact between the two sides. Launched in 2016, the Pan-Tonkin Gulf Economic Cooperation Forum groups China’s three provinces of Guangxi, Guangdong and Hainan, and 10 ASEAN countries - Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The forum also drew representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat, sponsor organisations such as the Asian Development Bank, as well as international scholars. VNN