Day: December 20, 2021

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on December 20 applauded the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defence and all-level Party Committees for their leadership in national defence and security despite a range of difficulties and challenges this year.

Addressing the national military-political conference, held virtually in Hanoi, President Phuc, who is the Commander in-Chief of the People’s Armed Forces and Chairman of the National Defence and Security Council, said the commission and the ministry have well performed their role as advisors of the Party and the State in national defence and security matters.

They have fulfilled their duty of firmly defending national independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, always staying ready to fight, and maintaining tight management of the country’s air space, waters, borders, inland and cyber space.

In particular, the State leader hailed the ministry for mobilising the largest ever forces over the past five decades to work on the frontline of the combat against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Regarding targets and tasks for 2022, Phuc urged the commission and the ministry to improve the forecast and consultancy work, closely combine national defence and security with external affairs, and enhance international cooperation in this regard.

For the pandemic combat and natural disaster response, the leader said greater efforts are needed in mass mobilisation and coordination between ministries, agencies and localities.

He said the army should be the pioneer in fighting wrong and hostile viewpoints in cultural ideology and maintaining the Party’s ideology within the army.

The President also required the army to intensify the fight against corruption, tighten Party and military disciplines and strengthening internal solidarity.

Phuc noted his firm belief that with the spirit of solidarity and democracy, and the high sense of responsibility, the commission, the ministry and the entire army will outstanding fulfill their tasks.

The immediate task is to ensure safety for the country’s major events and the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday and recruit more soldiers for the military, he said.

On this occasion of the 77th anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) (December 22), the President extended greetings to all officers and soldiers in the army.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue’s visits to the Republic of Korea (RoK) and India from December 12-19 were a success, contributing to the implementation of the country’s external relations policies and creating a new stature for Vietnam to boost post-pandemic socio-economic recovery and development, stated Chairman of the NA Committee for External Relations Vu Hai Ha.

Speaking to Vietnam News Agency on the outcomes of the visits, Ha said that the RoK and India are important strategic partners of Vietnam. Both those countries boast strengths that Vietnam needs for cooperation in the time to come to speed up economic recovery, digital transformation, and green and circular economic development, he said.

Ha said that during the visits, the NA leader held talks and meetings with top leaders of the two countries to discuss measures to promote collaboration in all fields. During the Vietnam-RoK and Vietnam-India business forums, a number of cooperation agreements were signed among businesses and localities of Vietnam and their Korean and Indian peers, he noted.

During their talks, NA Chairman Hue and Speaker of the Korean National Assembly Park Byeong-seug agreed to the target of raising two-way trade to 100 billion USD in 2023 and 150 billion USD in 2030 towards trade balance, and facilitate Vietnamese agro-fishery export to the RoK.

NA leader’s visits to RoK, India help create new momentum for national development: Official hinh anh 2

Exchange of investment licenses at Vietnam – RoK Business Forum (Photo: VNA)

They concurred to continue to exchange experience in the COVID-19 fight, and enhance cooperation in the research and transfer of vaccine and drug production technologies, and other medial supplies. The RoK will help Vietnam build a national centre for disease control, with capital from the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF). The leaders also agreed to increase activities promoting Vietnamese and Korean culture and arts in the respective countries.

The RoK parliamentary leader pledged to assist Vietnam in implementing the national digital transformation programme until 2025 as well as major transport infrastructure projects, and collaborate to early resume direct air services between the two countries after COVID-19 is put under control.

Many cooperation agreements were signed during the visit, including a deal between the two governments in social insurance, creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese and Korean labourers working in each other’s country to enjoy highest benefits from the insurance.

Alongside, 27 agreements and memoranda of understanding were also signed between enterprises of both sides and leading businesses of the RoK and Vietnamese localities with total value of nearly 10 billion USD, Ha noted, adding that RoK firms also committed to support Vietnam in COVID-19 prevention and control and overcoming consequences of natural disasters.

The NA official also highlighted the success of the India visit, saying that it marked an important milestone in the bilateral relations and gave a chance for both sides to seek ways to lift their parliamentary ties to a new height.

During the visit, the two sides agreed to expand cooperation to areas of energy, science-technology, sustainable development, green economy, and climate change response. They will soon reopen direct air routes between the two countries and recognise each other’s “vaccine passport,” while continuing to foster partnership in culture, tourism, people-to-people exchange, natural resources management, justice and finance, Ha said.

At his meeting with Indian President Ram Nath Kovind, NA Chairman Hue affirmed the importance that Vietnam attaches to developing the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership with India. The two leaders shared satisfaction at the growing bilateral ties across all fields of politics, diplomacy, economy, culture, people-to-people exchange, and COVID-19 prevention and control.

Vietnam and India agreed to maintain high-level meetings among State, Government, and NA agencies through all channels, and coordinate closely together in organising activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations in 2022.

India gives Vietnam a high position in its Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific Strategy, and considers Vietnam a key partner in its strategy to enter Southeast Asian region.

Vietnam and India also concurred to raise their two-way trade to 15 billion USD in the time to come, Ha said.

He noted that during the Vietnam-India business forum, which is the largest of its kind ever, 12 contracts and memoranda of understanding valued at billions of USD were signed between enterprises of both sides.

India’s pharmaceutical firm Bharat Biotech presented 200,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Vietnamese children, while Optimus Pharma also transferred all production technology and 1 tonne of active ingredients to Vietnam’s Mekongphar to produce Movinavir COVID-19 treatment drug, he said.

Mentioning the outcomes of parliamentarian cooperation between the NA and the parliaments of the RoK and India, Ha said that both countries wanted to make parliamentarian partnership a model relationship contributing to the growth of the Vietnam-India comprehensive strategic partnership and the Vietnam-RoK strategic partnership.

The RoK side asked Vietnam to continue promoting exchanges not only among senior leaders but also among NA committees and friendship parliamentarians’ groups to implement the cooperation agreements between the two parliaments in 2013.

Meanwhile, India suggested that Vietnam continue to strengthen cooperation in line with the spirit of the bilateral deal signed in 2016. During the visit, the two parliaments signed

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong hailed the Central Public Security Party Committee and the Ministry of Public Security for fulfilling assigned tasks this year during a conference held by the committee in Hanoi on December 20.

Directing future tasks, Trong said the committee and public security forces must build on the past achievements, keep a close watch of the situation at home and abroad so as not to be taken by surprise by any incident, while preparing plans to ensure absolute safety and security amid the COVID-19 pandemic and during the country’s important political events, as well as prevent sabotage activities by hostile and reactionary forces.

The Party leader required the public security forces to take more drastic and effective actions in the fight against corruption and negative behaviours, especially degradation in political thought, moral virtue and lifestyle.

He stressed that the Central Public Security Party Committee and the Ministry of Public Security must continue following the absolute, direct and comprehensive leadership of the Party, coordinating closely with the people’s army, ministries, agencies and the public to create a solid people’s security posture. They must play a crucial role in the cause of protecting social security and order.

The Party General Secretary noted that special attention must be paid to Party building and rectification, and the draft project on building revolutionary, regular, elite and modern people’s public security must be completed early to submit to the Politburo for consideration.

Minister of Public Security Gen. To Lam said the Party chief’s directions offer important orientations to the task of protecting national security, ensuring social safety and order and building public security forces next year and the entire tenure

Source: Vietnam News Agency

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s upcoming visit to Cambodia from December 21-22 affords both sides a chance to discuss major orientations and measures to further boost bilateral ties in the new period.

The Vietnam Trade Office in Cambodia said despite the COVID-19 pandemic, trade between Vietnam and Cambodia still surged 84 percent year on year to top 8.6 billion USD in the first 11 months of this year. Of the figure, more than 4.35 billion USD was from Vietnam’s exports to Cambodia, up 17 percent and the remaining was Cambodia’s exports, up 337 percent year-on-year. The figure is estimated at 9.3 billion USD for the entire year, marking a rise of nearly 75 percent annually.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Department of Asian-African Markets, Vietnam was one of the leading trade partners of Cambodia. During the 2016-2020 period, two-way trade expanded by 17 percent annually on average, from 2.92 billion USD in 2015 to 5.32 billion USD in 2020. Apart from boosting exports to Cambodia, Vietnam continued offering preferential tariff on Cambodia’s exports to Vietnam.

At present, Vietnam has 188 valid investment projects with a total registered capital of nearly 2.85 billion USD in Cambodia.

Vietnam and Cambodia have supported each other in the fight against COVID-19. Vietnam presented PCR test kits worth around 300,000 USD together with 500,000 USD in cash and medical supplies to Cambodia. Meanwhile, Cambodia also gave Vietnam 200,000 Sinopharm vaccine doses, 1 million medical and 100,000 N95 masks, 100 oxygen generators and 350,000 USD in cash to Vietnam.

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien affirmed that the ministry is ready to partner with Cambodian agencies and the Cambodian Embassy in Vietnam to further boost bilateral ties in the near future.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc sent a message of sympathy to President of the Philippines Rodrigo Roa Duterte on December 20 over severe human and material loss caused by super typhoon Rai.

The same day, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son also conveyed sympathy to Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines Teodoro Lopez Locsin.

Super typhoon Rai smashed into the Philippines on December 16 packing wind speeds of 195 kilometres per hour. The death toll from the typhoon in the Philippines has climbed to 208, making it one of the most destructive storms hitting the country in recent years. Local police said that at least 239 others are injured, while 52 remain missing after the storm ravaged the southern and central regions of the country.

The Philippine Government reported that the storm has affected about 780,000 people, including more than 300,000 people and tourists having to flee from their homes and beachfront resorts.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on December 20 met with ambassadors and heads of Vietnamese representative agencies abroad who returned to attend the 31st Diplomatic Conference in Hanoi.

At the event, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son reported the outcomes of the 31st Diplomatic Conference and the National Conference on Foreign Affairs 2021 to the NA Chairman.

Participants at the event expressed their impression on the outcomes of Chairman Hue’s recent visits to the Republic of Korea and India, saying that parliamentary diplomacy is a significant pillar in Vietnam’s external affairs, making important contributions to the success of the country’s diplomatic sector.

Hue asked ambassadors and heads of overseas representative agencies to closely follow the Party and State leaders’ guiding viewpoints presented at the National Conference on Foreign Affairs.

The NA and NA Standing Committee will continue giving the top priority to the diplomatic sector when considering and deciding issues within its competence, he said, adding that the NA’s external activities will continue to be strengthened in combination with the Party, State and people-to-people diplomacy, contributing to stepping up global integration and improving the NA and country’s position on international arena.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) and the Foreign Ministry held a ceremony in Hanoi on December 20 marking the 50th anniversary of Vietnam – Chile diplomatic ties (March 25).

Speaking at the event, Assistant to Foreign Minister and Director General of the Foreign Ministry’s Department for International Organisations Do Hung Viet said amid the COVID-19 pandemic, bilateral ties have been growing thanks to high-level talks and cooperation mechanisms such as Vietnam – Chile Free Trade Council and political consultation. Two-way trade topped 1.46 billion USD in the first nine months of this year, up 59 percent annually.

Chilean Ambassador to Vietnam Patricio Becker, for his part, affirmed that bilateral solidarity will continue to be fostered by the two peoples. He stressed that the two countries share common visions on issues such as market opening, multilateralism, sustainable growth and climate change response, and the close traditional friendship will be a firm foundation for the two countries to further develop their bilateral ties.

Chile was the first South American country to establish diplomatic ties with Vietnam on March 25, 1971. Later in 2007, the two countries officially became comprehensive partners.

Since the Vietnam – Chile Free Trade Agreement took effect in 2014, bilateral economic-trade ties have expanded remarkably.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnam should strive to tap the potential Halal market considering its location in Southeast Asia – South Asia – South Pacific region, which is home to 860 million Muslims, accounting for 66 percent of the total Muslim population in the world, Nguyen Quoc Dung, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs said.

Dung made the call at a workshop held on December 20 by the Ministry of Foreign Affair in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on exports to the Halal market.

“Even in the domestic market, the demand for Halal products is also growing as the number of Muslims coming to Vietnam to travel, work and study is on the rise. The Muslim community in Vietnam is also increasing day by day,” hesaid.

The deputy minister noted that however, only about 50 Vietnamese companies are granted Halal certificates each year. Currently, Vietnam has about 20 items exported to the Halal market, a very small number compared to the potential, Dung said, adding that up to 40 percent of Vietnamese localities do not have Halal-certified products.

Phung Duc Tien, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development said 50 percent of Vietnamese agricultural products such as rice, vegetables, tea, coffee, cashew and pepper are considered very suitable for the Halal market.

But participants at the event said enterprises are facing many difficulties in exploiting this market due to differences in business culture, consumer tastes and especially Halal certification. The existence of many Halal systems and different standards for each product is also a problem, they said.

Samina Naz, the Bangladeshi Ambassador to Vietnam, said Bangladesh is a large market with high potential. The ambassador wanted the Bangladeshi business community in Vietnam to participate in the production and supply of food to Bangladesh. She also said Vietnamese investors can go to Bangladesh to invest in cattle breeding because this is an area of great demand in the country and can grow very quickly.

Meanwhile, Tran Viet Thai, Vietnamese Ambassador to Malaysia said the number of Vietnamese agricultural products exported to Malaysia is still limited, most of them haven’t been processed and the export is made via Thai traders, so the value is not high. According to him, long-term strategies are needed to penetrate the Halal market.

Source: Vietnam News Agency