Category: Politics

Hanoi: The 11th Vietnam-Republic of Korea (RoK) defence policy dialogue took place in Hanoi on April 23, reviewing results of the countries’ cooperation in the field, discussing matters of shared concerns, and agreeing on orientations for joint work in the time to come.

Deputy Minister of National Defence Hoang Xuan Chien and his RoK counterpart Kim Seon Ho co-chaired the event.

Chien said that the bilateral ties have been enhanced across areas, including defence, following the upgrade of the Vietnam-RoK relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership in December 2022.

He noted that with support from their leaders, the countries’ defence cooperation has reaped practical outcomes regarding delegation exchanges, education-training, dialogue and consultation mechanisms, defence industry, military trade, war aftermath alleviation, cybersecurity, military medicine, and UN peacekeeping. The sides have also consulted and backed each other at related multilateral forums and mechanisms, particularly ASEAN-led me
chanisms.

He recommended they continue to foster joint work in these spheres, and affirmed that the Vietnamese defence ministry is willing to host senior officers from the RoK attending training courses at the National Defence Academy and Vietnamese language courses at the Military Science Academy in Vietnam.

He took the occasion to thank the RoK Government for granting a total of 34 million USD for two projects on tackling wartime bombs in Vietnam.

For his part, Kim stated the RoK wants to expand its defence collaboration with Vietnam and proposed the sides maintain current joint activities and explore new cooperation areas based on their friendship.

At the dialogue, the officials exchanged views on the global and regional situations of mutual concerns.

Regarding the East Sea issue, Chien emphasised that Vietnam remains steadfast in resolving all disputes through peaceful means, based on international law and commitments in the region, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (
UNCLOS), the ASEAN six-point principles on the East Sea, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the waters (DOC), and the promotion of substantive and effective negotiations on a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC). On the situation on the Korean Peninsula, he said Vietnam maintains its stance against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and supports the denuclearisation of the area and the resolution of issues through peaceful dialogue.

The deputy ministers also signed the dialogue’s minutes./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son met with Second Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Dato Pehin Erywan Yusof in Hanoi on April 23, as the latter has been in Vietnam to attend the ASEAN Future Forum 2024.

Both officials expressed their delight at the positive development of the Vietnam-Brunei Comprehensive Partnership over the past time and agreed to facilitate all-level visits in the coming time, with a particular focus on preparations for the Vietnam visit by the Sultan of Brunei.

They also concurred on the importance of soon convening the third session of the Vietnam-Brunei Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation to review the overall bilateral relationship, and ensure the effective implementation of the agreements reached during Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visit to Brunei in February 2023, particularly the Action Plan on the implementation of the Vietnam-Brunei Comprehensive Partnership in the 2023-2027 period.

In addition to accelerating the effective implementation o
f four key areas, including oil and gas, chemicals, Halal products, tourism and people-to-people exchange, Son proposed Brunei work closely on implementing bilateral agreements on food security and promptly finalise new deals in agriculture, fisheries, finance, trade, economy, investment and education.

Agreeing with Son’s proposals, Yusof suggested enhancing cooperation in potential areas such as oil and gas, agriculture, and tourism, including the “6 countries, 1 destination” initiative. Both sides also vowed to strengthen cooperation in other important areas such as national defence, education, increasing the number of scholarships, and short-term student exchanges.

On global and regional issues of shared concern, they affirmed support for Laos as it assumes the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2024. They also vowed to hasten the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, fostering ASEAN’s solidarity and central role in addressing regional issues, including maintaining its common stance on the East Sea issue and promoting the imp
lementation of ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus on the Myanmar issue.

At a working session with ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn on the same day, Son suggested the ASEAN Secretariat further enhance its effectiveness in supporting member countries, increase research and forecasting efforts, improve inter-sectoral and inter-pillar coordination, and pool resources for the Secretariat’s activities.

Kao expressed support for Vietnam’s stance on strengthening broader and more substantive dialogue relations between ASEAN and its partners.

He also pledged to collaborate with Vietnam to successfully conclude its term as coordinator for ASEAN-Republic of Korea relations and assume its new roles as coordinator for ASEAN-UK and ASEAN-New Zealand relations./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh spoke highly of cooperation between the Russian Federal Bar Association (RFBA) and the Vietnam Lawyers’ Association (VLA) while receiving RFBA Chairman Sergey Stepashin, who is also former Prime Minister of Russia, in Hanoi on April 23.

PM Chinh affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to and wants to continue deepening and developing its traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia, contributing to peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

He proposed the two countries continue strengthening political trust, facilitating high-level visits, removing difficulties and obstacles in economic and investment projects in the spirit of harmonising interests and sharing risks.

The PM also suggested advancing cooperation and sharing experiences among ministries and localities of Vietnam and Russia, especially in education-training, exchange of students in basic science fields, culture-arts, tourism, people-to-people exc
hanges and aviation connectivity.

To concretise agreements reached by high-ranking leaders, PM Chinh suggested RFBA and VLA, as well as relevant agencies, review and efficiently carry out cooperation deals, build a legal framework for bilateral cooperation and actively step up economic, trade and investment collaboration.

On global and regional issues, he called for continued coordination at multilateral forums for the sake of peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Stepashin, for his part, affirmed that Russia treasures and wants to fortify relations with Vietnam across various fields. He vowed to report the contents of his discussion with the PM to Russian leaders and relevant agencies.

He also personally committed to further promoting the bilateral relationship, especially in the areas and topics recommended by the PM./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: The 32nd session of the National Assembly Standing Committee concluded in Hanoi on April 23 after four and a half days of work.

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue said that the session has completed its agenda, with opinions exchanged on 19 items and written opinions provided on three reports from the Government.

Specifically, the Standing Committee opined on the proposed law-making programme for 2025 and adjustments to the 2024 one. These matters will be presented to the NA at its upcoming 7th session.

Six draft laws were also thoroughly discussed by the committee before they are submitted to the 7th session for debate for the first time. They were the draft laws on cultural heritage (revised), geology and minerals, urban and rural planning, judicial procedures for juveniles, value added tax (revised), and amendments and supplements to certain provisions of the Pharmacy Law.

Thus far, the Standing Committee has provided opinions on 21 out of 24 draft laws to be submitted to the NA’s 7th session.

Three it
ems related to legislative work were set to be transferred to the next session of the committee, including the draft law on fire prevention and fighting, rescue, as well as two draft resolutions on mechanisms and policies for Nghe An and Da Nang provinces.

Regarding inspection work, participating legislators heard and opined on four reports of the NA and NA agencies.

They also provided opinions on the Government’s proposal and agreed to join the Government to decide investment policy adjustments for the socio-economic development programme in ethnic minority and mountainous areas for 2021-2023, as well as the investment policy for a project on building the Gia Nghia-Chon Thanh section of the north-south expressway-west.

The lawmakers discussed the organisation of the 7th session and the results of the 6th extraordinary session, among other matters./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on April 22 debated the draft Law on Urban and Rural Planning as part of its 32nd session.

Presenting the proposal on the bill, Minister of Construction Nguyen Thanh Nghi said that the draft law aims to create a legal foundation and a synchronous, comprehensive, unified management tool to adjust urban and rural planning activities, fix relevant problems in reality, meet requirements for the country’s new development stage, enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of state management, and ensure the harmony of interests among the State, people and society.

The bill includes adjustments and amendments to a number of existing legal regulations that are no longer suitable to reality, he said.

Particularly, the draft law also consists regulations to increase the decentralisation to People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities during the process of development, verification and approval of general urban planning schemes, said Nghi.

In his verific
ation report, Chairman of the NA’s Committee for Economic Affairs Vu Hong Thanh said that the committee agreed on the necessity to promulgae the law, underlining that the consolidation of regulations on urban and rural planning into one law is appropriate, aiming to ensure uniformity in general direction in urban and rural control, management and development as well as the harmony and cohesion between urban and rural spaces, supporting the overall development of localities, regions and the whole country.

Thanh stressed the need for the bill to have suitable and strategic visions in urban planning with respect to market rules and principles of sustainable development, taking people and quality of life as the centre and urban culture and civilisation as the foundation for development, while harmoniously combining the process of urbanisation and urban development with industrialisation, modernisation, new-style rural area building, economic restructuring, social development management, and ensuring national def
ence and security.

He also reminded the drafting agency to add the assessments of specific impacts of new regulations of the bill, along with the summary on regulations related to decentralisation on local planning adjustments.

Addressing the session, NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue said that the draft Law on Urban and Rural Planning was built on the basis of inheriting, developing and unifying the urban planning regulations in the Urban Planning Law 2009 and regulations on construction planning and rural planning in the Construction Law 2014. In addition, the draft law contributes to concretising the Planning Law and specifying a new issue as well as removing difficulties in implementing related laws.

He said that the bill should review and clarify the issue of climate change adaptation planning, criteria and standards for urban planning associated with population density and infrastructure, as well as planning adjustments to suit the reality.

The NA leader also asked for coherence among the bill and other re
lated laws.

At the session, the Minister of Construction acknowledged all ideas from members of the NA Standing Committee for completing the bill, pledging that the ministry will review and specify all contents and submit a report to the committee soon./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a working session with his Lao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone, who is in Hanoi to attend the ASEAN Future Forum, on April 22.

PM Chinh congratulated his guest on the Bunpimay traditional New Year Festival of Laos and thanked the latter for accepting the invitation to participate in and address the forum.

Appreciating the host leader’s invitation to attend the ASEAN Future Forum, the Lao PM highly valued PM Chinh’s initiative to organise the event, which attracts representatives of regional and global governments, scholars, and researchers, reflects Vietnam’s active and practical contributions to the ASEAN Community, and also helps promote the country’s role and stature in the region and the world at large.

Discussing the two countries’ relations, the PMs shared the view that the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos have continued developing soundly, firmly, and fruitfully in multiple areas over the recent past
.

Political ties have been unceasingly reinforced through frequent mutual visits and meetings at all levels. Defence and security cooperation remains an important pillar and becomes increasingly strong and effective, contributing to defence, security, and social order and safety in each country, they noted.

Bilateral economic, trade, and investment partnerships have been further promoted. Trade between the countries reached 476.8 million USD in the first quarter of 2024, up 12% year on year. With 245 investment projects worth 5.5 billion USD, Vietnam still ranks third among the countries and territories investing in Laos.

Meanwhile, connections in other fields like education – training, culture, science – technique, tourism, and people-to-people exchange have also been strengthened towards better effectiveness and quality, according to the leaders.

At the meeting, the two PMs looked into measures for effectively implementing high-level agreements and the outcomes of the 46th meeting of the Inter-governmen
tal Committee.

They agreed to continue increasing high-level visits and meetings; properly carry out the agreements between the two governments, including the Vietnam – Laos agreement on the cooperation strategy for 2021 – 2030, the deal on bilateral cooperation for 2021 – 2025, and the one on the cooperation plan 2024; and boost defence and security cooperation to effectively cope with non-traditional challenges, including border management and protection and the trans-national crime fight.

Vietnam and Laos will enhance the connectivity of their economies, especially in terms of regulations, finance, transport infrastructure, energy, telecommunications, and tourism. The countries will assist each other to build independent and self-reliant economies that actively, extensively, substantively, and effectively integrate into the world. They will work together to thoroughly deal with bottlenecks and create a favourable environment for Vietnamese businesses to operate in Laos. Besides, the protocols and coopera
tion projects in the field of education and human resources training will also be implemented fruitfully, the leaders added.

Both host and guest concurred that their countries will continue coordinating closely and supporting each other at regional and international forums like ASEAN, the United Nations, and the Mekong sub-regional mechanisms.

PM Chinh affirmed that Vietnam keeps supporting and assisting Laos to successfully fulfil international roles in 2024, including the ASEAN Chairmanship./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: Algerian Ambassador to Vietnam Abdelhamid Boubazine was honoured with the ‘For peace and friendship among nations’ insignia on April 22 for his contributions to cooperation and friendship between the two peoples.

Addressing a Hanoi ceremony, President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) Phan Anh Son said the relationship between the two countries has flourished during Boubazine’s two-year term, notably the effective implementation of bilateral cooperation mechanisms, as well as significant progress in trade and investment ties.

Son spoke highly of the diplomat’s contributions to strengthening solidarity and people-to-people exchange between the two countries, and his close coordination with the VUFO, the Vietnam-Algeria Friendship Association and other agencies in organising activities to enhance mutual understanding, and contribute to fostering the bilateral relations in economy, culture and education, among other fields.

Regarding cooperation between localities, Son highlighted
the ambassador’s role in the establishment of the twining relationship between Vietnam’s Dien Bien province and Algeria’s Batna province, marking a new development in the people-to-people diplomacy between the provinces in particular, and the connection between the two countries in general.

For his part, Boubazine pledged that in any future position, he will continue to contribute to the friendship and cooperation between the two countries./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency