Goverment News 23/8 PM orders meticulous preparation for WEF ASEAN Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has called for meticulous preparation for the World Economic Forum on ASEAN (WEF ASEAN).  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has called for meticulous preparation for the World Economic Forum on ASEAN (WEF ASEAN), which will take place in Hanoi on September 11-13. Hosting the Government’s regular meeting on August 22, PM Phuc required all sub-committees to make use of the experiences gained through the organisation of APEC 2017, the sixth Greater Mekong Sub-Region (GMS-6) Summit, and the 10th Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Summit. The Government leader stressed that improvement to Vietnam’s business climate should be manifested through the preparation to connect WEF investors with Vietnamese firms. He asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, in collaboration with the Hanoi People’s Committee, to enhance the popularisation of Vietnam’s image and position as well as provide support for international reporters to cover the event. Alongside breakthrough initiatives, the careful preparation of content is crucial for the success of the event, he underlined, asking relevant ministries and branches to do their utmost to prove Vietnam’s ability as a forum co-host.                                  According to the Foreign Ministry’s report, Vietnam and the WEF have already agreed on the main content of the forum. The event will take place in Hanoi from September 11-13 under the theme “ASEAN 4.0: Entrepreneurship and the Fourth Industrial Revolution”. The agenda has been built with 60 sessions, many of which will be broadcast on the WEF websites, as well as prestigious news agencies worldwide. This is one of Vietnam’s biggest foreign events this year, attracting more than 1,000 domestic and international delegates. The presidents and prime ministers of eight countries have confirmed their attendance at the event. The forum will see the participation of 50 ministerial-level representatives, 800 heads of regional- and world-leading corporations, as well as some 120 reporters from world and regional media outlets to cover the event. The WEF was established in 1971 as a non-profit foundation and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The forum engages the foremost political, business, and other leaders of society to shape global, regional, and industry agendas. Founded in 1967, the ASEAN groups together Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. High level visits to shape basis for stronger Vietnam-Egypt ties    President Tran Dai Quang (R) and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi during the latter's State visit to Vietnam in September 2017  Delegation exchanges at the highest level between Vietnam and Egypt will create a solid foundation for bilateral cooperation to develop, said Vietnamese Ambassador to the African nation Do Hoang Long. He made the remark in an interview with Vietnam News Agency ahead of a trip to Egypt from August 25 to 29 by President Tran Dai Quang. This will be the first State visit by a Vietnamese head of State to Egypt since the countries set up diplomatic ties in 1963. Ambassador Long underlined the importance of this tour as it is not only a reciprocal visit after Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi came to Vietnam in September 2017 but will also reiterate the commitments both sides made last year and strengthen bilateral connections in all aspects such as politics, economy, trade, investment, culture and education. During the trip to Vietnam by President el-Sisi, the two countries’ leaders witnessed the signing of nine cooperation agreements in various fields, and the implementation of these deals has resulted in encouraging outcomes, he added. During President Quang’s tour, the two sides plan to ink cooperation documents relating to finance, stock market, oil and gas and education. They will be a basis for them to translate words into action, reinforcing relations in trade, investment, culture, politics, education and many other areas. The diplomat affirmed that there remains much potential for both sides to strengthen links in fields of their strength, including agriculture, services and sea-based economy. However, current partnerships remain modest, with bilateral trade only about 350 million USD per annum at present. Their businesses haven’t had enough information to learn about each other’s markets. To reach the annual trade target of 1 billion USD, both countries need to make stronger efforts, Long said, adding that they should create a legal corridor for enterprises, ministries and sectors to carry out concrete activities. Meanwhile, businesses also need to be more active in gaining information, learning about markets and seeking partners. Services are the field Vietnam and Egypt should also increase collaboration in, especially those with high added value, since if they only depend on the export of goods, mainly agricultural products, it will be very difficult for them to boost trade to 1 billion USD. The ambassador suggested cooperation be fostered in new spheres, particularly in the context of Industry 4.0, noting Vietnam has strengths in software production and export and telecom services. These are fields the two sides should capitalise on to raise bilateral trade to 1 billion USD each year. In terms of culture and people-to-people exchange, Long said they are also important areas because culture and people-to-people exchange are the bridge helping the two peoples understand more about each other. He said the countries need to increase delegation exchanges between cultural and arts associations to boost mutual understanding. President’s visit to Ethiopia to enhance bilateral relations    President Tran Dai Quang  President Tran Dai Quang is paying a state visit to Ethiopia from August 23-25, aiming to discuss measures to boost bilateral ties, particularly in economics and trade. In an interview with Ethiopian press ahead of the visit, President Quang expressed his delight at leading a delegation to Ethiopia, saying that it is the first visit by a State leader of Vietnam to the African country since the two set up diplomatic ties in 1976. Vietnam attaches importance to maintaining its traditional friendship and fostering collaboration with Ethiopia. However, in recent years, the two countries have not organised delegation exchanges regularly, and economic and trade cooperation has failed to meet potential. “During this visit, I will hold talks with President Mulatu Teshome and meet Prime Minister Abiy Admed and leaders of the House of Federation and the House of Peoples' Representatives to exchange views on orientations and measures to boost bilateral cooperation, with the focus on strengthening political trust, stepping up cooperation in economics, trade, investment and agriculture and promoting cultural and people-to-people exchanges,” Quang stated. He added that he will use the occasion to meet leaders of the African Union (AU) to discuss how to intensify multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and the AU and its members, and to coordinate effectively at regional and international forums, especially within the framework of the United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement and South-South Cooperation. The Vietnamese leader expressed his belief that his visit will push bilateral ties into a new era of development. He told reporters that economics and trade will be a main pillar in bilateral cooperation. With each country’s population at about 100 million, they hold many opportunities to expand exports to each other’s market. Vietnam wants to ship farm produce, processed food, footwear, garment and textiles, seafood, electronic products, construction materials and rubber and wood products to Ethiopia. Several Vietnamese enterprises have invested in Africa, and are considering pouring capital into Ethiopia. Therefore, the two countries should carry out preferential policies and help their enterprises promote trade and investment, Quang suggested. It is also necessary to have an appropriate payment mechanism to ensure safety for business transactions, he said, stressing the need to speed up negotiations towards the signing of agreements to create a legal framework for business and investment activities. Regarding Vietnam’s relations with Africa, President Quang stated Vietnam has to date established its diplomatic ties with 53 out of 55 African countries. Vietnam’s friendship and cooperation with African nations has grown well in many fields. Vietnam is willing to act as a bridge for the AU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), boost comprehensive collaboration between the two continents and maintain close coordination at inter-regional and global forums, thus contributing to peace, cooperation, development and prosperity. Vietnamese Embassy in Russia raises funds for victims of Laos dam collapse   Staff at the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia donate at least one day’s salary to the fund for victims of Laos dam collapse  The Embassy of Vietnam in Russia on August 22 held a fundraising event to support victims of the hydropower dam collapse in Laos’ Attapeu province, which caused great human and property losses. At the event, Vietnamese Counsellor Nguyen Quynh Mai underlined the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Laos, saying Vietnamese ministries, agencies and localities have been conducting a wide range of practical activities in support of Lao victims. Staff at the embassy and Vietnam’s representative offices in Russia offered at least one day’s salary to the fund, hoping Lao people will soon overcome the consequences of the incident to stabilise their lives and recover production. The donation will be sent to Lao people through the trade union of the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry. A dam of the Sepien-Senamnoi hydropower plant in Laos’ Attapeu province broke on July 23, affecting 13 villages in Sanamxay district with six completely flooded. As of August 14, 39 people had died while 97 other remained missing, according to the Lao government. Vinh Phuc province promotes foreign aid Vinh Phuc province receives additional aid from foreign NGOs  The northern province of Vinh Phuc will create optimal conditions for foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs), businesses and individuals to support its disadvantaged localities and needy people. Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Duy Thanh made the pledge at a conference on foreign aid promotion hosted by the committee on August 22. According to Thanh, to raise the efficiency of foreign aid mobilisation, local authorities have devised plans and policies to facilitate NGOs’ projects in the province.  Vinh Phuc has also enhanced monitoring and regular assessments to ensure assistance efficiency, while working with other localities in aid mobilisation and management, he added. At the conference, sponsors vowed to provide more than 1.4 million USD for NGO projects to be carried out in the locality in 2019. A total 13 NGOs from many countries are operating in the province, including those from the US, the Republic of Korea, France, Japan, the UK and India. The organisations have launched projects with total assistance exceeding 720,000 USD, mostly in social issues, urgent aid, capacity development and improvement, microfinance and environmental protection. Major projects include one to offer prosthetic legs to disabled people and another to support Agent Orange/dioxin victims. In the first seven months of 2018, three more organisations conducted research for their development plans in the province, while six new projects are awaiting approval. They include projects in sustainable agricultural value chain development for small-sized farmer households, support for senior citizens and healthcare solutions. Quang Ngai urged to develop tourism   Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh speaks at the working session with Quang Ngai officials on August 22  Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh has urged the central province of Quang Ngai to tap into its tourism potential, in part by calling for domestic and foreign investment to build more tourism products. During a working session with provincial authorities on August 22, she lauded the province’s efforts in socio-economic development, especially in terms of maintaining the welfare of local people. She noted that Quang Ngai needs to develop industry in tandem with environmental protection, while also accelerating poverty reduction by making use of the State’s sustainable poverty reduction and new rural development schemes. In new rural development, she suggested giving priority to qualified localities, adding that those that have met the criteria for new-style rural areas should be developed into model ones. Apart from socio-economic development, she called for further attention given to maintaining national defence and security.  Thinh noted that people in the fishing sector should be educated about relevant domestic and international laws, as well as knowledge regarding national sovereignty. In particular, the province was asked to not overlook disaster prevention and control, and instead strive to deal with issues of public concern such as pollution, child abuse, and drowning. In the first half of this year, Quang Ngai posted a 9.23 percent growth in gross regional development product (GRDP) year-on-year. The value of  the agro-forestry-fisheries sector surpassed 1.44 trillion VND, or 49.3 percent of the plan. It earned 245.5 million USD from exports, equivalent to 54.6 percent. Revenue to the State budget topped 9.2 trillion VND in the half of 2018. Quang Ngai is famous for its cultural vestiges, such as the Chau Sa Citadel, and Ong and Mai Son pagodas; and beautiful landscapes like Thien An mountain, Tra Khuc river, and Sa Huynh and My Khe beaches. Tourists also have a chance to visit popular old battlefields such as Ba To, Tra Bong, Ba Gia, Van Tuong, and Son My.  Vietnam, China push cooperation between localities   At the meeting  Tran Quoc Vuong, Politburo member and permanent member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, on August 22 asked China’s Shaanxi province to enhance cooperation with Vietnamese localities and improve the efficiency of collaboration in economy, trade, tourism, and culture.  He made the suggestions at a meeting with Hu Heping, member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Secretary of the Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the CPC, during which Vuong also briefed the host on Vietnam’s socio-economic development.  Vuong highly valued the achievements recorded by the Chinese province in recent times, noting his belief that under the leadership of the CPC Provincial Committee and local authorities, Shaanxi residents will successfully complete targets and tasks set by the 19th CPC National Congress. In response, Hu Heping spoke of Shaanxi province’s efforts in Party building, socio-economic development, and poverty reduction, especially its experience in reforms and opening up, as well as the implementation of the resolution adopted at the 19th CPC National Congress.  He informed his guest about the outcomes of cooperation between Shaanxi and Vietnam in general and its localities in particular, and expressed his opinions on orientations to step up the affiliation for the time ahead.  During their stay in Shaanxi, Vuong and his delegation visited new style rural building models and socio-economic  establishments in Yan’an and Xi’an cities.  Vice President presents gifts to poor children in Binh Dinh   Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh, together with representatives of the “Stand Tall Vietnam” Milk Fund, handed over milk, scholarships, and gifts to 100 children whose parents are soldiers working to protect the country’s sea and island sovereignty. (Source: plo.vn) Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh on August 22 presented scholarships and gifts to needy children and households in the central province of Binh Dinh. The official, together with representatives of the “Stand Tall Vietnam” Milk Fund, handed over milk, scholarships, and gifts to 100 children whose parents are soldiers working to protect the country’s sea and island sovereignty. She also gave 50 gifts to social policy beneficiaries in Binh Dinh province on the day. On this occasion, representatives from the National Fund for Vietnamese Children; the Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs; Vietnam Dairy Products JSC (Vinamilk); and the “Stand Tall Vietnam” Milk Fund presented 64,000 glasses of milk to primary school students in Phuoc Thang commune, Tuy Phuoc district. These students also received free medical check-ups by doctors from Vinamilk’s Nutrition Counselling Centre. Since 2008, the “Stand Tall Vietnam” Milk Fund has given 33 million glasses of milk, worth nearly 140 billion VND (6 million USD), to primary school students. This year, the fund is expected to buy over 1.5 million glasses of milk, valued at 10 billion VND (432,220 USD), to children in 23 cities and provinces. The same day, President Thinh handed over 2 billion VND (86,443 USD) to 40 needy families in Hoai Nhon, Phu My, Phu Cat, and Hoai An districts in order to help them build houses. The funding comes from Hung Thinh Corporation based in Ho Chi Minh City. VNN