Day: August 5, 2021

President of the National Assembly of People’s Power of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernández cabled a message of congratulations to Vuong Dinh Hue on his election as Chairman of the 15th National Assembly.

In the message, Hernández said the Cuban people and country are proud of exemplary friendship and solidarity with the fraternal Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The National Assembly of People’s Power of Cuba has maintained fraternal ties and close cooperation with the Vietnamese legislature for the benefit of the two peoples, he said.

He also wished Hue would successfully fulfil his noble tasks and strengthen ties between the two legislatures.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

German professor Günter Giesenfeld has commented that Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s article clarifies Vietnam’s pathway to building socialism in both theoretical and practical aspects.

Giesenfeld, who is also a communication scientist and film director, said in the article, Trong described socialism as a theory, a movement and a regime.

The article affirmed that socialism and national independence are a basic and consistent way of the Vietnamese revolution and a key part of President Ho Chi Minh’s Thought.

According to him, Vietnam chose to go on the pathway to socialism, skipping capitalism stage in line with the Political Platform since the establishment of the Communist Party of Vietnam in 1930.

He also mentioned Vietnam’s renewal process that started in 1986, considering it an important milestone in Vietnam’s post-war history. He added that Trong stressed that Vietnam is in the period of transition to socialism so that many jobs need to be done ahead.

In a socialist-oriented market economy, every economic policy serves social development goal, the article said.

The scholar said Party chief Trong’s arguments gave convincing answers to important questions and offered valuable information about Vietnam’s current economic situation, which once again, highlighted the importance of renewal policy with clear results that Vietnam could be proud of.

He expressed his belief that the article will help Westerners understand such pride via data mentioned in the article. He added that he wants to translate the article into German so that more people could know it.

He is considering the publication of the full text or excerpts of the article in the next issue of Vietnam Kurier magazine, or on the website of the Friendship Group with Vietnam (FG Vietnam).

Giesenfeld, 83, has been Chairman of the FG Vietnam for tens of years. He is now also editor-in-chief of Vietnam Kurier, a magazine featuring Vietnam with three issues per year.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Members of “Stay Strong Saigon” – a project of young Vietnamese people in the US in coordination with members of the “Vietnam – Unite for Vietnam” project to launch a campaign to donate 20,000 N95 face masks to frontline forces in the COVID-19 fight in Ho Chi Minh City, according to The Gioi va Viet Nam (World and Vietnam) newspaper.

The coordination is hoped to help protect frontline doctors and medical workers from COVID-19.

Within 24 hours since launching, the campaign raised over nearly 12,000 USD from donors.

All members of the “Stay Strong Saigon” and “Vietnam – Unite for Vietnam” are still working hard every day to call for more donations for frontline medical workers and people in HCM City.

Another campaign – VietBay – initiated by Vietnamese people living in Silicon Valley in the US has been carried out with an aim of raising 200,000 USD to support poor people in HCM City affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son proposed Switzerland continue to assist Vietnam in getting access to COVID-19 vaccine supplies, treatment medicines and necessary medical equipment during his talks with Swiss Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ignazio Cassis in Hanoi on August 5.

Welcoming the guest to Vietnam, Son said the visit, which is taking place from August 4-6 in celebration of the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, will contribute to promoting the bilateral relations.

He thanked the Swiss Government for continuing to prioritise the provision of Official Development Assistance (ODA) for Vietnam in the future, focusing mainly on environmental protection and economic reform.

The two sides agreed to increase the exchange of high-level delegations and meetings, and those between ministries, sectors and localities.

They committed to creating a favourable environment for enterprises of the two countries to expand investment and business in each other’s markets, and share efforts to soon conclude the negotiation of a Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) in order to create strong impetus for bilateral trade and investment exchanges.

On behalf of the Vietnamese Government, Son thanked the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs for donating 500,000 quick COVID-19 test kits, 300,000 antibacterial masks and 30 oxygen machines with a total value of about 117 billion VND (5.1 million USD) to Vietnam.

Cassis expressed his belief that Vietnam will soon recover from the pandemic and agreed that the two countries need to continue to share experiences in COVID-19 prevention and control as well as roadmap of opening up and recovering the economy, and strengthen bilateral cooperation in healthcare, especially the technology transfer of COVID-19 vaccines and treatment drugs.

Also at the talks, the two officials agreed to continue cooperation and strengthen mutual support at multilateral forums and international organisations, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United Nations.

The Swiss official affirmed his support for ASEAN’s central role in regional structures. He also congratulated Vietnam on successfully assuming its role as Chair of ASEAN in 2020 and thanked the nation for acting as a bridge to bolster the Switzerland – ASEAN partnership.

The two ministers emphasised the importance of complying with international law, ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight, security and peace in the East Sea, in which the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is the legal framework governing all activities at seas and oceans.

Son thanked and proposed the Swiss Government continue to create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in Switzerland to integrate well, contribute positively to Switzerland’s development and strengthening the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received visiting Swiss Vice President and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis in Hanoi on August 5, during which he thanked the Swiss Government for the timely and valuable help when Vietnam is coping with a resurgence of COVID-19.

The Swiss Government has decided to provide Vietnam with an emergency aid package of 500,000 COVID-19 testing kits, 300,000 face masks, 30 ventilators, and other medical supplies.

PM Chinh also asked Switzerland to help Vietnam access COVID-19 vaccine supply sources as soon as possible. He also recommended the sides boosting cooperation in technological transfer and production of pharmaceuticals, including COVID-19 vaccines and treatment drugs.

The leaders reviewed outcomes of cooperation between the two nations over the past five decades and discussed orientations to lift the relations to new heights in the future. They also talked about the preparation for Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s visit to Switzerland.

Both host and guest agreed to speeding up negotiations for the signing of a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), of which Switzerland is a member.

The Vietnamese PM proposed Switzerland further create favourable conditions for Vietnamese goods and farm produce to enter the Swiss and EU markets; boost cooperation with Vietnam in sectors of Swiss strength; and early research and build bilateral cooperation projects on digital transformation.

Chinh also took the occasion to express his gratitude for Switzerland’s development aid worth 650 million USD granted for Vietnam in the past more than 30 years.

For his part, the Swiss Vice President stressed the Swiss Government and people highly evaluate Vietnam’s effective use of the aid, adding that Switzerland will offer Vietnam more official development assistance (ODA) during 2021 – 2024. The two sides agreed to continue working closely at multilateral regional and international forums, with Ignazio Cassis praising the role and contribution of ASEAN and Vietnam in seeking solutions for the Myanmar issue.

The Vietnamese and Swiss officials highlighted the importance of ensuring free navigation and navigation, security, peace and stability in the East Sea as well as of addressing disputes in the waters via peaceful measures in line with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan hosted a reception on August 5 for Vice President and Foreign Minister of Switzerland Ignazio Cassis, who is on an official visit to Vietnam on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Switzerland diplomatic ties.

Appreciating the outcomes between Ignazio Cassis and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Vice President Xuan thanked Switzerland for its continued provision of ODA for Vietnam.

She affirmed that Vietnam will create favourable conditions for the two countries to expand investment cooperation to fields with good potential.

The Vice President also valued the timely support of the Swiss Government for Vietnam in times of difficulties, and asked Switzerland to help Vietnam access COVID-19 vaccines.

Vice President Ignazio Cassis stressed that Switzerland attaches importance to developing relations with Vietnam in the context of Vietnam’s rising role and prestige in the region and the world.

He spoke highly of Vietnam’s response to the latest resurgence of the COVID-19 and informed that the Swiss Government had decide to provide Vietnam with emergency aid of 500,000 kits of rapid test kits, 300,000 anti-bacterial masks and 30 ventilators.

The Swiss Vice President also thanked Vietnam for supporting stronger cooperation between Switzerland and the ASEAN.

The two Vice Presidents took the occasion to discuss measures to promote bilateral relations, including the resumption of delegation exchanges, especially high-ranking delegations.

The Swiss official said President Guy Parmelin hopes President Nguyen Xuan Phuc will early make an official visit to Switzerland so that the two sides can reach agreement on major orientations for bilateral cooperation.

The two sides also looked into the prospect of an early conclusion of negotiations on a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the EFTA in which Switzerland is a member.

The two sides agreed to cooperate closely and support each other at multilateral forums, and reiterated the importance of maintaining navigation and overflight freedom in the East Sea, while highlighting the need for observance of international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), thus contributing to a peaceful and stable environment for development in the region and the world as a whole.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his spouse will pay an official friendly visit to Laos from August 9-10 at the invitation of General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang announced at an online press conference on August 5.

During the visit, President Phuc is scheduled to hold talks with Party General Secretary and President Thongloun; meet with Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh and National Assembly Chairman Saysomphone Phomvihane; receive several senior leaders; and visit some former senior leaders of Laos.

He will deliver a speech at the first extraordinary session of the 9th NA of Laos, and attend and address the inaugural and handover ceremony of the Lao NA House, and join other activities.

Hang said that during these talks and meetings, the two sides will discuss measures to deepen the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, thus bringing practical benefits to the people of both countries.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnamese diplomatic missions in Japan will continue to coordinate with Japanese agencies for the urgent investigation into the death of a Vietnamese man in Osaka while implementing necessary citizen protection measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Vietnamese citizens, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang informed at a regular press conference of the ministry held online on August 5.

She said immediately after there was information on social networks about a Vietnamese young man who died after being assaulted in Osaka city’s Namba area, the Vietnamese Consulate General in Osaka contacted the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Osaka police, and Vietnamese community in the Kansai region to learn about the case.

On August 3, local police officially informed the Consulate General in Osaka that the victim is a Vietnamese national, born in 1999 from the northern port city of Hai Phong. The Consulate General has contacted and sent condolences to the victim’s family, affirming that it would closely follow the case and assist the family in necessary procedures.

Hang said according to the latest updates from the Consulate General, Osaka police had arrested a suspect in the case – a foreigner – at 4:10 pm local time on August 5.

The Foreign Ministry’s Consular Department is ready to assist the victim’s family, she said.

“This is a heartbreaking incident. We would like to send our deepest condolences to the victim’s family and will coordinate with and request the Japanese side to soon bring the perpetrator to trial,” said the spokesperson.

Source: Vietnam News Agency