Day: February 14, 2023

The Ministry of Transport has set a target of completing and putting into operation the eastern North-South expressway by 2025, bringing the total length of highways in the north central-central coastal region from 193km to 1,390 km, said Transport Minister Nguyen Van Thang.

The ministry will also complete coastal roads.

According to Thang, in the period of 2005-20, capital from the central and local budgets, and other sources to invest in transport infrastructure in the region reached about 246 trillion VND (10.5 billion USD).

As a result, the region’s transport infrastructure system has changed markedly with many important works being built and put into operation.

In terms of roads, the Ho Chi Minh Highway was put into operation while National Highway 1 was expanded and two projects of upgrading sections of La Son-Hoa Lien and Da Nang-Quang Ngai on the North-South Expressway with a total length of 193km were carried out.

Regarding railways, 1,462 km of existing railways were upgraded to ensure connection of all localities in the region.

Meanwhile, in terms of maritime, the ministry invested into building nine first class seaports, four second class seaports and one third class seaport. Inland waterways are exploiting 11 routes with a total length of 670km, including the coastal waterway.

Regarding aviation, this is the region with the largest density of airports in the country, with five international airports and four domestic ones.

Along with the achieved results, the region’s transport infrastructure system still has some shortcomings and inadequacies which have not met development needs.

The intra- and inter-regional transport infrastructure connecting the horizontal axis in the East-West direction is still limited. Railway connection with seaports has not been effective and some seaports and airports have not been exploited effectively, making it unable to promote its role as a hub for trans-shipment and transit of goods for the Central Highlands region and the Associate of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The main reason is the lack of linkages and synchronous planning, and investment plans for infrastructure development among localities in the region still lack in synchronisation do not pay attention to intra- and inter-regional connectivity.

In addition, investment resources have not met requirements, there are not yet strong enough mechanisms and policies to mobilise transport infrastructure investment, and the system of institutions and policies is still inadequate.

Thoroughly grasping the viewpoints and goals of the 13th Party Congress and Resolution No.26-NQ/TW with the goal that by 2030, the north central – central coastal region will reach a synchronous and modern socio-economic infrastructure, the Ministry of Transport will continue to closely coordinate with ministries, branches and localities to focus all resources on developing the region’s transport infrastructure, Thang said.

The ministry determines to complete and put into operation the eastern North-South expressway by 2025, increasing the total length of highways in the region from 193km to 1,390 km as well as complete coastal roads and renovate and upgrade existing national highways in the medium-term public investment portfolio.

By 2030, the sector will complete the horizontal axis expressways with large traffic such as Vinh – Thanh Thuy, Khanh Hoa – Buon Ma Thuot, call for investment in expressways of Cam Lo – Lao Bao, Da Nang – Thach My – Ngoc Hoi – Bo Y and Quy Nhon – Pleiku, and upgrade key national highways connecting East and West, especially those connecting with major seaports.

The current North-South railway will be further upgraded, along with preparations for investment to start the priority sections of the North-South high-speed railway, a railway connecting the region with the Central Highlands region and international border gates of Vung Ang – Mu Gia and My Thuy – Lao Bao, and the restoration of the tourism railway line of Thap Cham – Da Lat.

The ministry will focus on improving the efficiency of coastal waterway transport corridors and waterways connecting to seaports as well as building new airports at Phan Thiet and Quang Tri and develop national, regional and international-standard logistics systems connecting with seaports, airports, international border gates and key economic corridors./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Minister Counsellor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen, deputy head of the Permanent Delegation of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), on February 13 emphasised the importance of putting the people at the centre of development policies, supporting vulnerable groups, promoting innovation in education and training, enhancing labourers’ capacity to self-learn and adapt to meet the requirements of the new context.

Addressing the 61st session of the UN Commission for Social Development (CSocD61), held in New York from February 6-15, Nguyen affirmed that Vietnam supports the policy of promoting decent work as well as socio-economic development and solidarity, considering it an important factor contributing to accelerating the completion of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development.

The Vietnamese representative also highlighted the need to adjust national law following international labour standards for faster integration and accelerate the transformation of a green economy and a circular economy.

Vietnam puts people at centre of socio-economic development policies: diplomat hinh anh 2

Minister Counsellor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam will continue to work closely with international partners to promote workers’ rights to decent work, considering this as one of Vietnam’s priorities as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2023-2026 tenure.

At the session, many delegates assessed that the world economy and the global labour market are facing great challenges, including increasing inequality in access to public services and the labour market.

They said that promoting decent work is necessary to reduce inequality and poverty, and contribute to promoting recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son hosted a reception in Hanoi on February 14 for former Prime Minister of France Edouard Philippe, who is now Mayor of Le Havre city.

Son expressed his pleasure to welcome Philippe on the occasion of the 50th founding anniversary of Vietnam-France diplomatic ties, and the 10th anniversary of strategic partnership.

He thanked the former French PM for his sentiments and support to Vietnam as well as the relations between the two countries in any position, and affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to and advocates enhancing the comprehensive cooperation with the EU, including France.

For his part, Philippe, who is on a visit to Vietnam from February 13-16, expressed his impression on achievements Vietnam recorded across spheres as well as the country’s strong development since his first visit to Vietnam as the PM of France five years ago.

The former PM said he hopes to return Vietnam to promote relations between localities of the two countries, and the France-Vietnam strategic partnership.

The host and guest shared the view that the strategic partnership is developing fruitfully and practically in all areas, with high political trust.

Son stressed that France is a leading European trade partner, investor and development assistance supplier of Vietnam, with two-way trade recovering quickly after the COVID-19 pandemic, hitting 5.3 billion EUR (5.7 billion USD) in 2022, up 10% year-on-year.

He suggested the two countries optimise opportunities generated by the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), and called on France to soon ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) to give encouragement to Vietnamese and French investors.

Son also noted his hope that France will urge the European Commission (EC) to soon lift its “yellow card” imposed on Vietnam’s seafood in order to maintain the livelihood of hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese fishermen and meet the interests of millions of European consumers.

Philippe expressed his hope to expand cooperation with Vietnamese ministries, agencies and localities in the areas of Le Havre’s strengths like seaport, shipbuilding, logistics, higher education and training for officials and public servants.

Le Havre will attend the 12th conference on cooperation between Vietnamese and French localities in the coming time, he said.

The two sides also compared notes on regional and international issues of shared concern. Regarding the East Sea issue, they emphasised the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation, and peacefully settling disputes on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), towards reaching a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC)./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Quang Hieu, who is also Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs (COVA), has extended sympathy to and shared earthquake-induced difficulties of the Vietnamese community in Turkey.

In a letter sent to the community on February 14, the official said no casualties among Vietnamese in Turkey have been reported so far, but the life of some of them has been seriously affected.

Following the natural disaster, the Vietnamese Embassy in Turkey and the Vietnamese Embassy in Iran and Syria have updated the situation and coordinated with the provisional executive board of the Vietnamese Association in Turkey to prepare measures in support of overseas Vietnamese in the country.

Given the lingering impacts of the earthquake, the committees hopes that the community will continue staying united to overcome the difficulties, and support local residents in recovery efforts as possible, according to the letter.

The committee, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Vietnamese Embassy in Turkey always accompany the community, Hieu affirmed.

In case of emergency, citizens may contact the embassy by phone: 90 (312) 446 80491 or email: vnemb.tr@mofa.gov.vn; the citizen protection hotline of the Consular Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: 84 981 84 84 84, email: baohocongdan@gmail.com; and the committee: 84 24 38240 401, email: vu1.ubnv@gmail.com./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on February 14 said that Vietnam always attaches importance to the friendship and multifaceted cooperative relations with El Salvador when receiving the Central America country’s Foreign Minister Alexandra Hill Tinoco, who is paying an official visit to Vietnam from February 14-16.

The PM praised the socio-economic development achievements of the Government of El Salvador led by President Nayib Bukele, particularly its efforts in COVID-19 control.

Welcoming Tinoco’s first visit to Vietnam as El Salvador’s Foreign Minister, PM Chinh said that her visit and the opening of the Embassy of El Salvador in Vietnam will contribute to taking the two countries’ relations into a new period.

The PM suggested the two countries continue to effectively implement the political consultation mechanism between the two foreign ministries, maintain coordination and mutual support at international organisations and multilateral forums, and actively contribute to solving regional and global problems.

Chinh expressed his satisfaction at the positive growth of bilateral trade relations between the two countries, asking El Salvador to facilitate market access for Vietnam’s key goods, especially agricultural and aquatic products.

He also proposed that the two sides will work together to identify products and areas where the two economies can complement each other, build a favourable legal framework for trade and investment, and strengthen the exchange of business delegations, thereby turning Vietnam and El Salvador into connecting points between the Central American and Southeast Asian markets.

For her part, Minister Tinoco congratulated Vietnam for its economic achievements and social security, saying that she believes in the success of the Vietnamese Government’s socio-economic development and recovery programme, maintaining macroeconomic stability, and ensuring social security and sustainable development of the country.

She said that El Salvador has studied Vietnam’s development model very carefully and learned experiences from it.

She affirmed that the Government of El Salvador attaches great importance to the role and growing position of Vietnam in the region and the world, and wishes to elevate relations with Vietnam to a new height, which is reflected in the appointment of an Ambassador-in-residence and the inauguration of the Embassy headquarters in Hanoi, one of the first El Salvador embassies in Southeast Asia.

The minister pledged to push for the implementation of measures to concretise PM Chinh’s proposals, thus promoting the cooperation between the two countries./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has suggested Vietnamese and US agencies work harder to promote economic, trade and investment ties between the two countries.

At a reception for US Trade Representative Katherine Tai in Hanoi on February 14, PM Chinh affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to its comprehensive partnership with the US, and expressed his delight at the strong, all-round development of the bilateral relations over the past time.

For her part, Tai spoke highly of her working sessions with Vietnamese ministries and agencies which took place in the active and constructive spirit, contributing to enhancing mutual understanding.

The guest noted her impression on the self-reliance of Vietnam and its people, as well as economic achievements the Southeast Asian nation has recorded, and expressed her belief in cooperation prospects between the two countries.

The US always considers Vietnam an important partner in the region, and wishes to strengthen cooperation with the country in economy, trade, labour, environment, digital commerce, agriculture and intellectual property, she said.

Tai briefed the PM on priorities and organisation plan for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Year 2023 to be hosted by the US, and potential and prospects of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), particularly in promoting high-quality investment, building self-reliant supply chains in the region, fostering sustainable, inclusive economic growth, addressing common challenges to the region, and utilising new development opportunities.

PM Chinh stressed that Vietnam wants to deepen the comprehensive partnership between the two countries in a more practical and stable manner, and on the basis of respecting independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political institutions of each other, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

The two nations should expand cooperation in such areas as digital transformation, green transition, sustainable agriculture, energy transition and environmental protection, he said.

The leader also suggested the two sides work together to handle obstacles to their economic and trade ties, satisfactorily consider issues regarding trade remedy and anti-dumping investigation for mutual benefit, and facilitate Vietnam’s exports to the US.

For multilateral cooperation, the PM spoke highly of the US’s hosting APEC Year 2023, pledging that Vietnam will closely coordinate with the US and other APEC members to ensure the success of the event.

He stressed that economic initiatives, including IPEF, have ensured fair interests of countries, brought practical benefits to people and businesses, and contributed to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia on February 14 organised a meeting with Vietnamese businesses operating in Cambodia to discuss measures to help the businesses tackle obstacles to their investment and business.

Speaking at the meeting, Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Huy Tang said that although the year 2022 saw challenges, Vietnamese businesses continued to “stand firm” and overcame challenges, making an important contribution to promoting economic relations between Vietnam and Cambodia.

The Ambassador expressed his belief that in 2023, with the COVID-19 pandemic under control, Cambodia will continue to reopen strongly and focus on restoring and developing the country, which pave the way for Vietnamese investors in the country to gain successes in their business and investment.

At the conference, units under the Embassy and the Vietnam Business Club in Cambodia (VBCC) provided the latest information on Cambodia’s economic development, its investment attraction policies, Vietnam-Cambodia cooperation as well as Cambodia’s latest policies in taxes, labour code, investment policies for Vietnamese businesses.

Representatives of Vietnamese businesses raised problems they face when investing and doing business in Cambodia, calling on competent authorities of the two countries to help them to solve the problems.

Ambassador Tang affirmed that the embassy will collect the recommendations and proposals of businesses and submit them to the 20th Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Committee Meeting and the 12th Conference on Cooperation and Development of Border Provinces between the two countries in 2023 for consideration and settlement.

In 2022, Vietnam-Cambodia bilateral trade turnover increased by nearly 11% to 10.58 billion USD.

Regarding investment, in 2022, Vietnam had 12 new investment projects in Cambodia with a total registered capital of 7 million USD, while 23 million USD was added to existing projects.

As of the end of 2022, Vietnam had 205 valid investment projects in Cambodia with a total registered capital of 2.94 billion USD, making the country the fifth largest foreign investor and the largest ASEAN investor in Cambodia./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency