Political Headlines January 20 Vietnam to attend WEF annual meeting in Davos Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh will represent The meeting, due to take place in Davos from January 22-25, is themed “The Reshaping of the World: Consequences for Society, Politics and Business”. The event aims to develop the insights, initiatives and actions necessary to respond to current and emerging challenges arising from political, economic, social and technological transformation around the globe. New temple honors late Party General Secretary Le Duan President Truong Tan Sang was in attendance on Saturday when a temple was dedicated to the late Party General Secretary Le Duan in Cam Xuyen District of central Ha Tinh Province.
Le Duan was a founding member of the Indochinese Communist Party in 1930 and later became Party General Secretary in 1976, a position he retained until his death 10 years later. Le Duan was born into a patriotic family on April 7, 1908 in Bich La Village, Trieu Dong Commune, Trieu Phong District of central During his revolutionary career, the former leader displayed a special sentiment towards the people of Ha Tinh Province. Local leaders and people built the temple, whose construction started in 2011, to honor the great leader. While in the province, President Truong Tan Sang also met with key provincial leaders, where he expressed pleasure over Ha Tinh's development, its high growth rate and successful implementation of a program to build new rural areas. The President said he believed that the province would achieve greater success in the reduction of poverty and in its ongoing socio-economic development. ASEAN ministers talk disaster relief The third meeting of the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM Plus) working group on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief was held on January 17, in Viet Nam's coastal central province of Khanh Hoa. The event, co-chaired by Addressing the meeting, Lieutenant General Vo Van Tuan, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Viet Nam People's Army, stressed that cooperation, sharing information and mobilising resources between member countries might contribute to preventing severe consequences of natural disasters and climate change. Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief will continue to be a priority for member countries, particularly as the region braces for increasingly frequent and dangerous natural disasters, he said. A representative from During the three-day event, delegates are also reviewing the group's operations from the 2011-13 period and proposing an action plan for the 2014-16 period. The first ADMM+ meeting took place in October 2010 in Ha Noi. At that time, it was agreed to promote cooperation in five sectors: humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, marine security, military medicine, anti-terrorism and peacekeeping. Japan’s Saitama commits to closer ties with Hanoi Addressing the signing ceremony, Deputy Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Van Suu said The capital city has established various large and modern industrial clusters to attract foreign direct investment with priority given to high and clean technology projects, added Suu. Despite advantages in farming, Deputy Governor of Saitama Yasuo Iwasaki said his prefecture, one of He expressed his hope that the two sides will put forth specific action plans following the signed document, adding that Saitama will encourage its enterprises to learn about potential of business in Role of Buddhism in The contribution of primeval Buddhism in Primeval Buddhism is a branch of the religion based on the Pali canon, an older version of Buddhist scriptures handed down by the Theravada in Pali, known as “the school of the elders”, which is the most ancient of all Buddhism schools. Its followers worship Sakyamuni and avoid superstitious practices. The primeval Buddhism community played their part in the establishment of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) in 1981, said Venerable Thich Tri Quang, Vice President of the VBS Executive Council and head of the Vietnam Buddhist Research Institute. Rector of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities (USSH) Vo Van Sen emphasised that Buddhism in general, and primeval Buddhism in particular, have long played an important role in the spiritual lives of the Vietnamese. The event focused its discussion on philosophy, Buddhology and primeval Buddhism in Deputy Head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs Bui Thanh Ha commented that the Party and State pay special attention to religious activities, adding that moral and cultural values of all religions are made clear in guidelines and policies. The symposium was co-hosted by the USSH and the VBS’s Vietnam Buddhist Research Institute. VUFO leader upbeat about foreign assistance in 2014 President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) Vu Xuan Hong has said he believes international friends will continue to give assistance and close collaboration to Meeting with representatives from diplomatic corps, international and non-Governmental organisations (NGO) in He noted with pleasure Friendship and cooperation between On behalf of the diplomatic corps in Director of the NGO Resource Centre Marko Lovrekovic, for his part, committed to funding and getting involved in The meeting was co-hosted by VUFO and the People’s Aid Coordinating Committee. Embassy marks 64th anniversary of Vietnam-China ties The diplomat made the remarks during a January 17 banquet hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy in He said the establishment of ties was a milestone leading to the current comprehensive cooperation between the two countries. Despite complexities in the regional and international situation, as well as many ups and downs in bilateral ties, the friendship between Vietnam and China - initiated by President Ho Chi Minh and President Mao Zedong and nurtured by generations of leaders ever since – has remained steadfast. Bilateral ties have helped achieve common aspirations and benefitted both peoples, in line with the current trend of mutual development and prosperity, he said. Tho reiterated that the Party, Government and people of He noted that Agreements and common understanding reached during meetings between leaders of both countries has shaped the future direction of the ties and strengthened the trust shared by both nations, the ambassador said. He also expressed belief that the Vietnam-China partnership will further flourish in line with the wishes of both countries. In his speech, Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin stated that the bilateral relationship has recorded positive progress last year. Leaders of both countries have achieved common perception on consolidating the shared friendship and settling existing issues appropriately. The Chinese side considers He added that Earlier the same day, Ambassador Tho held a New Year meeting with local press in The Vietnamese Consulate General in Speaking at the January 17 event, Consul General Nguyen Thi Nha recalled the two countries’ traditional friendship over the past 64 years, affirming that since the normalisation of the bilateral diplomatic relations in 1991, their ties have enjoyed incessant development in all fields. President Truong Tan Sang’s visit to China, Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang’s trip to Vietnam, and his meeting with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung in China’s Guangxi province last year, have helped deepen the two countries’ strategic comprehensive cooperative partnership, helping both sides solve existing problems between them, Nha said. She also expressed her delight at the fine development in relations between Vietnamese localities and In the first 11 months of 2013, two-way trade between By the end of 2013, Hong Kong had poured investment into 760 projects in Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Commissioner Song Zhe stressed that developing the friendship between He also spoke highly of the consulate general’s efforts to intensify the Hong Kong-Vietnam partnership, affirming that he will continue supporting the agency. Deputy PM Phuc to visit RoK Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will pay an official visit to the The strategic partnership between The RoK is It is also The RoK is Phuc’s visit is expected to start a busy diplomatic year between Deputy PM attends ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh on January 17 attended the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM Retreat), the first regional meeting of its kind hosted by Themed "Moving Forward in Unity to a Peaceful and Prosperous Community”, the event focused on efforts to speed up ASEAN Community building, develop a regional vision beyond 2015, strengthen external relations and talk on issues of global and regional concern. On the realisation of the ASEAN Community – a bloc comprising of ASEAN members that will strengthen the connectivity of the region - by 2015, ministers shared the view that 2014 is a key year that requires the strongest will to fulfill the remaining tasks in an active and responsible manner. At the same time, the bloc should work well on key cooperation programmes like the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC), the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) to narrow the development gap, further improve working efficiency and collaborate within ASEAN agencies and organisations. Participants said that this will enhance the bloc’s capacity for dealing with key regional issues and improve the ability of the ASEAN Secretariat. On the political-security front, ASEAN needs to ensure an environment of peace and security while strengthening trust building, sharing a code of conduct, respecting regulations and agreements, and utilising existing cooperation tools and mechanisms, the talks heard. On the other hand, it is necessary to strengthen ASEAN’s efforts in coping with non-traditional security challenges like natural disasters, climate change, humanitarian assistance, search and rescue and trans-national crime combat. Foreign ministers decided to ask ASEAN leaders a launch review of the ASEAN Charter and working regulations of the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights five years after its operations. About economic affairs, they consented to acting quickly on the 2013-2015 priority tasks as scheduled, and implementing agreements signed among member countries and those with their partners, including the free trade agreements. Referring to socio-culture, more attention will be paid to emerging challenges like natural disasters, climate change, environmental pollution, improvement of people’s well-being and social welfares. Simultaneously, images and awareness of the ASEAN Community will be spread further. Participants worked out a concrete plan to put the ASEAN Coordinating Council Working Group into operation soon to formulate of the Vision for post-2015 ASEAN Community. When it came to regional and global issues, the They called on all parties concerned to exercise restraint and settle disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC). Ministers also stressed the need to step up negotiations towards the early formulation of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC). As for external affairs, they called for deeper and wider external relations, and further bringing into play the ASEAN’s nucleus role. Such must go hand in hand with closer collaboration between the grouping and partners to deal with key regional issues while ensuring that ASEAN plays a central role in an evolving regional structure. They paid special attention to response to natural disasters, especially following the severe damages caused by Haiyan typhoon. They suggested improving capacity of ASEAN functional bodies like the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management, the Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance and so that they can offer faster and more effective support in case that a similar disaster occurs. VUFO meeting with foreign representatives The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) and the People’s Aid Coordinating Committee co-hosted a January 17 meeting with representatives from diplomatic corps, international and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Speaking at the event in the lead up to the upcoming Lunar New Year Festival (Tet), VUFO President Vu Xuan Hong thanked international friends for their effective assistance to He noted with satisfaction over cooperation between The foreign non-governmental aid worth US$250 million was focused on poverty reduction, socio-economic development, health care, education, social affairs, environmental protection, emergency assistance, climate change adaptation and post-war recovery, Hong said. On behalf of the diplomatic corps in NGO Resource Centre Director Marko Lovrekovic pledged to provide funding and engage in 40 years of Vietnam-France in review The relations between Vietnam and France as well as Europe since the signing of the 1954 Geneva Agreement on the restoration of peace in Vietnam is the focus of an ongoing international workshop in Paris. The three-day event, which began in January 16, is jointly held by Paris I Pantheon-Sorbone University of France, Vietnam’s As part of activities within the framework of the “2013-2014 Vietnam-France, France-Vietnam Year”, the workshop also aims to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Following the Over the past four decades, both sides have made every effort to cultivate the relationship, notably the signing of many cooperation agreements and mechanisms in various areas. Besides, bilateral dialogue has been expanded to a multilateral one, especially through the Asia-Europe Summit (ASEM). On the first working day, delegates looked back at milestones in the defence ties, which started with Major General Daniel Schaeffer, first French military attache to He suggested the two sides broaden the bilateral relations into those between European and Southeast Asian countries in order to ensure free navigation at international seas. Historians, experts and historic witnesses highlighted potential for comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and France with the elevation of the bilateral relations into a strategic partnership during Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit to France in September last year. They also talked about the upcoming visits to Cooperation in politics, economics, trade, culture, science and education will also be tabled at the workshop. VNN/VOV/VNS/VNA |
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