Day: June 24, 2021

Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Ha Kim Ngoc on June 23 met with Republican Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska state to discuss measures aimed at further promoting the Vietnam – US comprehensive partnership.

During the meeting, the two sides expressed their delight at the strong development of the bilateral relations, and agreed to strengthen economic and trade pillars in the bilateral relationship, especially cooperation in energy, agriculture and tourism.

Senator Sullivan affirmed that Alaska wants to expand cooperation in liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade with Vietnam.

Ambassador Ngoc highly valued the US government’s decision to include Vietnam in the list of recipients of the support of COVID-19 vaccines.

He expressed his hope that Sullivan, together with the US Senate, parliament and government, will pay more attention so that Vietnam can soon receive vaccines.

For his part, Senator Sullivan expressed his special affection for Vietnam and deep impressions of his previous visit to the Southeast Asian nation. He said he looks forward to returning to Vietnam, and is very interested in helping Vietnam overcome the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two sides agreed on the importance of maintaining constructive dialogues to iron out differences between the two countries.

The Vietnamese diplomat wished that the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s investigation under Act 1974’s Section 301 will not cause adverse actions against Vietnam and economic cooperation between the two countries.

Regarding regional issues of common concern, Ambassador Ngoc suggested Senator Sullivan and the US Senate pay attention to devoting necessary resources to effectively implement the Mekong-US partnership.

They shared the view that the US should continue to play a constructive role in and contribute to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development, and rules-based orders in the East Sea and the Indo-Pacific./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The Japanese Business Association of Ho Chi Minh City (JCCH) has donated 20,000 USD to Vietnam’s COVID-19 vaccine fund, an initiative aiming to provide enough vaccines for the inoculation of at least 75 percent of the country’s population.

The JCCH has also called on its member companies to contribute to the fund. Together with the JCCH, the Japan Business Association in Vietnam and the Japanese Business Association in Da Nang have donated to the fund.

The contribution demonstrates the Japanese business community’s support for the Vietnamese government’s drive to speed up the purchase of vaccines and mass vaccination against the coronavirus.

Earlier this week, the Japan-based AEON Group announced it would contribute 25 billion VND (around 1.08 million USD) to Vietnam’s COVID-19 vaccine fund, joining hands with the Vietnamese Government to stamp out the pandemic.

The national COVID-19 vaccine fund had received over 7.4 trillion VND (321.7 million USD) as of 5pm on June 23. The sum was donated by 338,346 individuals and organisations./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Spokeswoman of the Foreign Ministry Le Thi Thu Hang on June 24 emphasised Vietnam’s demand for the relevant parties to not take any action that further complicates the situation in the East Sea, but contribute to the maintenance of peace and stability in the waters.

At the ministry’s virtual regular press conference, she made the remark in response to reporters’ question about the Chinese reconnaissance vessels and aircraft recently spotted in the vicinity of Chu Thap (Fiery Cross) Reef in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago.

The spokeswoman once again stated that Vietnam has sufficient historical evidence and legal basis to testify to its sovereignty over Truong Sa archipelago in line with international law.

Any activity violating Vietnam’s sovereignty over and related rights in this archipelago is illegal and void, Hang said.

In the current regional and international context, Vietnam demands the parties concerned to not take any action further complicating the situation in the East Sea but make practical and active contributions to the maintenance of peace and stability in the waters while creating a favourable environment for the negotiation on a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), she emphasised.

With regard to China’s recent launch of a project on tagging floral species in Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago, the spokeswoman said Vietnam has repeatedly affirmed that it has sufficient historical evidence and legal basis to testify to its sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes in accordance with international law.

Any action under any form that infringes Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa as well as the country’s sovereign right and jurisdiction over its sea areas is valueless and unrecognised, and Vietnam resolutely objects to such action, she added./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on June 24 sent his condolences to President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte over the death of former President Benigno Aquino III.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son also extended his condolences to his Philippine counterpart Teodoro Locsin.

Former President Benigno Aquino died on the same day at the age of 61./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung chaired a teleconference on June 24 to inform the outcomes of the 13th National Party Congress to the The Left party of Germany.

Co-chairing the event were Co-Chairwomen of The Left Janine Wissler and Susanne Hennig-Wellsow.

Trung briefed participants about major contents of documents of the Congress on socio-economic and cultural development, the building of the Party and political system.

He introduced the article “Some theoretical and practical issues about socialism and the path towards socialism in Vietnam” by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and the leader’s speech at a national teleconference reviewing five-year implementation of the Politburo’s Decree No.05-CT/TW on a campaign on studying and following the thought, morality and lifestyle of President Ho Chi Minh on the occasion of his 131st birth anniversary.

The Vietnamese official affirmed that Vietnam treasures relationship with Germany – one of the leading partners of Vietnam in Europe, and wished that ties between the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and The Left will contribute to developing Vietnam – Germany strategic partnership in an active, practical and effective manner.

He suggested The Left supports economic ties between Vietnam and the EU, including the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement and the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement.

Wissler and Hennig-Wellsow congratulated the CPV on the success of its Congress and expressed their belief that under the leadership of the CPV, Vietnam will achieve goals and national development vision set by the Congress.

Speaking highly of the substantial ties between the CPV and The Left, they affirmed that the CPV is an important part in The Left’s external relations.

They also briefly informed the Vietnamese side on the outcomes of the seventh Congress of The Left, the political situation in Germany before the federal parliament election in September and the political landscape in Europe.

The two sides also discussed measures to promote ties between the two Parties and nations./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnam treasures the comprehensive cooperative partnership with the European Union (EU) and stays ready to discuss and cooperate with the EU on human rights issue in a straightforward, open and respectful manner to increase mutual understanding via the annual human right dialogue mechanism and other bilateral exchange frameworks, said Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang.

She made the statement during the ministry’s regular press conference which was held online on June 24.

Asked to comment about the EU Annual Report on Human Rights 2020, Hang took note of the report’s assessment about Vietnam’s achievements in protecting labour right, preventing child labour and promoting gender equality.

She, however, expressed regret that there remains several biased contents based on information that failed to reflect realities in Vietnam.

The spokesperson stressed that the Vietnamese State always pays attention to protecting and promoting basic human rights, which have been stipulated in the Constitution 2013 and relevant legal documents and been respected and enforced in reality, as demonstrated in the country’s socio-economic and health care achievements, especially in the fight against COVID-19.

Such efforts and successes have been acknowledged by the international community via many bilateral and multilateral frameworks, including the third cycle of the Universal Periodic Review by the United Nations Human Rights Council, she said.

“Freedom of speech, press and information in Vietnam has been clearly reflected in the development of the press in both types and contents. In fact, over 70 percent of the Vietnamese population are using the internet, domestic and foreign social networks. In Vietnam, no one has been arrested or brought to court merely for expressing opinions or protecting human rights,” the spokesperson affirmed.

Hang added that like other countries worldwide, Vietnam resolutely fights acts that take advantage of the rights to freedom and democracy to violate the law, the State interests and the legitimate rights and interests of individuals and organisations. She affirmed that the process of investigation, trial and detention is conducted in line with the law while rights of the arrestees are ensured./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency