Day: March 19, 2024

Hanoi: Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai welcomed the continued long-term US investment in Fulbright University Vietnam (FUV) during a reception in Hanoi on March 19 for Director of the Vietnam Programme at Harvard University Prof. Thomas Vallely and FUV's experts. Deputy PM Khai assured them of the Vietnamese Government's commitment to continued support to the FUV, aiming to establish it as a premier centre for quality human resources development in Vietnam. He accorded his praise to Vallely for his significant contributions to advancing the Vietnam - US relations, particularly in the realms of education and policy dialogue, stressing that he is truly a close friend of Vietnam. He believed that a ministry-level cooperation agreement on education and training signed in November 2023 will provide a solid foundation for deeper collaboration between US and Vietnamese universities. On the occasion, the Deputy PM thanked Vallely, Harvard Kennedy School, and Fulbright University for their close collaboration w ith the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoF) to prepare for the 2024 Vietnam Executive Leadership Programme (VELP). Vallely, for his part, stressed that he is looking forward to the discussions at 2024 VELP with more dynamic and updated content, in line with the current global developments and the evolving landscape of Vietnam's economy, especially solutions to both ensure macroeconomic stability, fiscal and monetary policy, and sustainable economic development amid global fluctuations. According to him, experts will share insights and ideas on topics regarding renewable energy development, cybersecurity, cloud computing, semiconductor industry, chip manufacturing, global AI, and the prospects for Vietnam's involvement in these value chains at 2024 VELP. In response, Khai hoped that the 2024 VELP will not only spark new ideas for Vietnamese agencies to formulate and perform development policies tailored to Vietnam's conditions but also identify priority areas and outline a roadmap to connect with i nternational resources. Expressing hope for further substantial development in cooperation between Vietnam and its US partners, particularly in policy dialogue, human resources development, and education-training, he voiced his desire for the continued success of high-level policy exchange programmes like VELP in the coming years./. Source: Vietnam News Agency

HCM City: Ho Chi Minh City wishes to promote comprehensive cooperation in politics, economy and culture with partners of the Czech Republic, Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Phan Van Mai said on March 19. The focus of the collaboration will be agriculture and the food industry, the official told visiting Czech Minister of Agriculture Marek Vyborny in a reception in the city, noting HCM City, as an economic and cultural centre of Vietnam, is aware of its pioneer role in materialising cooperation projects between Vietnam and other countries, including the Czech Republic. Highly valuing the Czech Republic's strengths in agriculture, and food and agricultural processing, Mai held that its traditional products like milk, meat and materials for the food industry would easily enter the HCM City market, and from there accessing Vietnam's southern region. Mai also suggested HCM City and the Czech Republic enhance cooperation in tourism and catering and lodging services, contributing to raising trade rev enue between the two countries and the efficiency of their economic collaboration. Sharing Mai's views, Vyborny said the Czech Republic and Vietnam, including its HCM City, should take more measures to boost the two-way trade, which was valued at over 2.5 billion USD last year. The minister spoke highly of HCM City's economic potential, and noted his belief that Vietnam's biggest economic hub will be a destination for Czech businesses. The Czech Republic welcomes Vietnamese businesses, including those from HCM City, to visit the country and scope out cooperation opportunities in agriculture and food processing, he said, adding that the country stands ready to work together with Vietnam to carry out exchanges and meetings for their enterprises./. Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang highly valued the valuable support for Vietnam provided by Nippon Foundation, Sasakawa Peace Foundation and their Chairman Yohei Sasakawa since 1980, during a reception in Hanoi on March 19 for the Japanese guest. Deputy PM Quang highlighted the effectiveness of the foundations' assistance delivered through specific programmes, including the Vietnam-Japan defence exchange and initiatives aimed at poverty reduction and socio-development development in Vietnam's disadvantaged areas. He hailed Japan as Vietnam's leading important partner which is the top provider of official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam, the second biggest partner in in labour cooperation, and third in investment and tourism. The Deputy PM wished that Sasakawa would continue to contribute to strengthening political trust between the two countries and carry more support projects in Vietnam. Sasakawa, in turn, expressed delight at the elevation of Vietnam-Japan ties to a Comprehensive Str ategic Partnership last year, affirming his commitment to expanding the scope of this new partnership. The Nippon Foundation, he noted, has provided scholarships for Vietnamese students for 40 years, with 80 beneficiaries to date. It has also rolled out socio-economic development projects and assisted people with disabilities in Vietnam, with a total aid of 30 million USD. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to fostering closer ties and trust, not only at the Government level but also among all sectors and people of both countries, through various cooperation activities and mutual exchange./. Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: The National Assembly Standing Committee completed the entire working programme of its 31st session in Hanoi on March 19 after three and a half days of sitting. In his closing remarks, NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue said the lawmakers had given opinions on amendments to the Capital Law, the Law on the Organisation of People's Courts and the Law on Social Insurance. They also debated the draft Law on Road Traffic, the draft Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety, the draft Law on Defence Industry, Security and Industrial Mobilisation and the draft Law on amendments and supplements to several articles of the Law on Asset Auction. Besides, the committee also passed two resolutions on the establishment of Ben Cat city in Binh Duong province and Go Cong city in Tien Giang province, which also included the establishment and rearrangement of relevant wards within the newly designated cities. The lawmakers additionally reviewed the February report ombudsman work and adopted a resolution approving the appointment of new standing members of the NA's National Defence and Security Committee and the Committee for Judicial Affairs. Chairman Hue also noted the success of the Q and A session held the prior day, which dealt with matters of public concerns related to the ministries of finance and foreign affairs./. Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on March 19 received the new ambassador of the Republic of Korea (RoK) and Laos who have just commenced their tenures in Vietnam, affirming the Vietnamese Government's commitment to supporting them in fulfilling duties. At the reception for RoK Ambassador Choi Young Sam, PM Chinh said both sides need to strengthen political ties and cooperation across various development sectors to match the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership. He called for promoting sustainable and balanced growth in trade and encouraged Korean firms to expand their operations in Vietnam, with a focus on areas where the RoK excels such as cultural industry, electronics, shipbuilding, and emerging fields like semiconductors and artificial intelligence. The PM also proposed that the RoK continue expanding people-to-people exchanges and tourism cooperation, and receive more Vietnamese skilled workers. He suggested that both sides enhance coordination at global and regional forums, with a spec ific request for the RoK's assistance for Vietnam in hosting the Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 summit in 2025. Choi, for his part, affirmed that the RoK Government considers Vietnam a priority in its current foreign policy and wishes to foster bilateral relations with Vietnam. He agreed with the cooperation directions outlined by PM Chinh, particularly in maintaining the exchange of all-level delegations and increasing all-around collaboration. The diplomat also committed his utmost efforts to contribute to Vietnam-RoK comprehensive strategic partnership throughout his tenure in Vietnam. Hosting the new Lao Ambassador to Vietnam, Khamphao Ernthavanh the same day, PM Chinh highlighted the need for both nations to effectively carry out high-level agreements and existing cooperation mechanisms, especially the outcomes of the recent meeting between the two Parties and the 46th session of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee. He wished that relevant agencies of both countries would better coordinate to tackle obstacles to develop economic, trade and investment ties to a level that matches the close political relations between Vietnam and Laos, with a focus on strategic and locality-to-locality cooperation; infrastructure connectivity, energy and workforce training projects; and mutual support at global and regional forums. The Vietnamese Government will continue assisting Laos in performing its role as ASEAN Chair 2024 and Chair of the 45th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), he said, adding that together, they will strive to maintain ASEAN's unity and centrality, step up the building of the ASEAN Community while effectively addressing common challenges./. Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang gave a reception in Hanoi on March 19 for President of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Chang Won-sam, during which the guest said official development assistance (ODA) from the Republic of Korea (RoK) for Vietnam will increase to more than 52 million USD, nearly doubling the figure of 2023. The Deputy PM highly appreciated the RoK's ODA for Vietnam, saying that it has contributed to Vietnam's socio-economic development. He hoped that the RoK will become Vietnam's largest ODA provider in the near future. He highlighted that development cooperation is a focus of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and the RoK. By the end of 2023, the Korean Government's non-refundable aid through KOICA to Vietnam had reached about 600 million USD. Quang proposed KOICA in general and the KOICA President personally continue their support, contributing to the development of the ties between the two countries in general and between Vietnam and KOI CA in particular. The Deputy PM wished that the RoK will continue to increase the scale of non-refundable aid to Vietnam, especially in innovation, digital transformation, and high-tech development. He also proposed KOICA consider urging the Korean Government to have official commitment to a rural power supply project in Vietnam's northern province of Dien Bien. For his part, KOICA President Chang Won-sam said that his current visit to Vietnam is to assess the implementation of KOICA's projects in Vietnam and discuss cooperation orientations to concretise ODA commitment for the 2024-2027 period by Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol during his visit to Vietnam last June. The Korean government and KOICA attach great importance to relations with Vietnam, he added. Established in 1991, KOICA is in charge of non-refundable aid projects of the Korean Government, with the increasing capital scale. In recent times, KOICA's ODA projects in Vietnam have focused on public administration, health care, and education. The two sides are considering the expansion to such new areas as climate change adaptation and digital transformation./. Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son on March 19 held talks with Argentina's Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship Diana Elena Mondino who is paying an official visit to Vietnam from March 19-20. During the talks, the two sides informed each other about each country's situation, agreed on directions and measures to strengthen the comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and Argentina, and discussed the possibility of establishing a strategic partnership in the field of industry and agriculture between the two countries. The two sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern. Minister Son affirmed that Vietnam values the traditional friendship and comprehensive partnership of Vietnam and Argentina, and wishes to promote bilateral cooperation in accordance with the strengths and needs of both sides, especially in economics, trade, and investment, and explore new areas of cooperation such as science, technology, green growth, energy transition, and di gital transformation. To make the relationship between the two countries more effective and substantive, Son proposed that Argentina, as a member of The Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), actively promote the bloc's internal consultation process for the early start of negotiations on a free trade agreement between Vietnam and MERCOSUR, and continue to coordinate with Vietnam to promote cooperation between Argentina and ASEAN, and between MERCOSUR and ASEAN. For her part, Minister Mondino affirmed that the Argentine Government always values and wishes to strengthen relations with Vietnam in its overall policy towards the Asia-Pacific region. She expressed her admiration for Vietnam's achievements during its national construction and development, particularly its Doi Moi (renewal) process, which she said are experiences that the two countries can share to serve each other's socioeconomic development. She also agreed with Son over strengthening and expanding the two countries' cooperation bilaterally and mul tilaterally, for the benefit of the two peoples and the two countries as well as for peace, cooperation, and development in the two regions and the world. The two ministers spoke highly of the positive developments in bilateral ties over the past years, especially joint activities marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2023. They described trade-economy ties as a highlight in bilateral cooperation, saying that two-way trade hit 3.45 billion USD last year. Vietnam is currently Argentina's sixth largest trading partner and fifth biggest export market in the world. Argentina, in turn, is Vietnam's third biggest trading partner in Latin America. Recognising untapped potential, particularly in investment, they agreed on a series of measures to deepen comprehensive collaboration across various sectors, including politics, diplomacy, economy, trade, agriculture, science, technology, culture, sports, tourism, national defense, and security. Both sides also agreed to boost exchanges and consider explor ing cooperation in areas of mutual demand, such as energy. To achieve these goals, they pledged to continue utilising existing mechanisms like the deputy foreign ministerial-level political consultation and the Inter-Governmental Committee on Economic, Trade, and Investment Cooperation. The officials also commended their ongoing collaboration and support for each other at international organisations and multilateral forums, agreeing to strengthen cooperation at the United Nations, World Trade Organisation, Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), and within the South-South cooperation framework./. Source: Vietnam News Agency

Ninh Binh: Secretary of the Party Committee of Ninh Binh province Doan Minh Huan had a working session with a visiting delegation from the Lao province of Oudomxay led by Bounkhong Lachiemphone, Secretary of the Party Committee and governor of Oudomxay on March 19. Huan highlighted the sound development of friendship and cooperation between the two provinces, hoping to receive support from the Party organisation, authorities, people and businesses of Oudomxay province to contribute to Ninh Binh's socio-economic development. He also hoped that the two sides will exchange and clarify solutions to continue expanding comprehensive cooperation and coordinate information exchange in socio-economic development, and implementing their Memorandum of Understanding, contributing to strengthening and developing friendship and bilateral cooperation as well as the two countries' special ties. For his part, the Lao official informed the host about Oudomxay province's socio-economic development, its Party building work, a nd its potential, advantages, and development orientations to attract investors in the coming time. He spoke highly of effective cooperation between the two provinces, particularly in education and training. Many Lao students have returned home and contributed to the local development, after being trained in Ninh Binh-based Hoa Lu University He hoped to continue receiving support from Ninh Binh province, and welcome businesses from Ninh Binh to visit and seek cooperation opportunities in his province./. Source: Vietnam News Agency