Category: Politics

Hanoi: The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.

-A delegation of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) led by NA Vice Chairman Tran Quang Phuong attended the opening ceremony of the 148th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-148) and a plenary session in Geneva, Switzerland, on March 24.

During the IPU-148, themed ‘Parliamentary diplomacy: Building bridges for peace and understanding’, the delegates are scheduled to take part in plenary sessions of the assembly and the Governing Council, along with meetings of the Standing Committee on Peace and International Security, the Committee on Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade, the Committee on Democracy and Human Rights, and the Committee on United Nations Affairs.

-Vietnam condemns all acts of terrorism in any form targeting civilians, including the terrorist attack that caused great loss in Russia on March 22 evening, said Vietnamese Ambassador Dang Minh Khoi.

According to latest statistics
released by Russian authorities, at least 137 people were killed and 182 others injured, many in severe conditions, after armed attackers stormed Crocus City Hall in Moscow and opened fire.

– Experience in social supervision and criticism was shared between the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Shanghai Committee at their talks in Ho Chi Minh City on March 25.

Briefing the Chinese side of the city’s economic-cultural-social situation in 2023, Vice Chairman of the VFF Committee of Ho Chi Minh City Nguyen Thanh Trung said that the city faced formidable challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts as well as complicated and unprecedented global and regional political-economic developments.

-Secretary of the Party Committee of Ninh Binh province Doan Minh Huan expressed his hope for stronger multi-faceted cooperation between the northern locality and the Republic of Korea (RoK) at his reception for Korean Ambas
sador to Vietnam Choi Young-sam on March 25.

Briefing the ambassador on Ninh Binh’s socio-economic situation, potential, strengths and development orientations, with its economy growing 7.27% last year, Huan lauded contributions by Korean partners to the province’s achievements.

-A Vietnam – Canada business forum was held in Hanoi on March 25, aiming to enhance the bilateral economic relations via the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

In his opening remarks, Vice Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (OV) Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Dong highlighted that OVs and OV businesses have unceasingly developed and affirmed their positions in foreign countries over the past time.

– Visa, a global leader in digital payments, has provided its insights into Vietnam’s payment landscape with its latest Consumer Payment Attitudes study that highlights the surge in cashless transactions among Vietnamese consumers.

According to t
he study, 56% of Vietnamese respondents surveyed are now carrying less physical cash than they did a year ago, signaling a progressive mindset towards embracing new financial technologies. Particularly, young consumers are playing a pioneering role in the shift towards cashless payment, with 89% of the surveyed having successfully adopted cashless methods.

– The southern province of Tra Vinh has approved an investment worth 576 billion VND (23.26 million USD) to develop a petroleum storage terminal project by the Tra Vinh Petrochemical and Energy Joint Stock Company.

The project is developed on an area of more than 46ha in Kim Son commune, Tra Cu district. It will build a petroleum storage with a capacity 50,000cu.m and a terminal which is capable of receiving 20,000 tonne vessels.

-The Agency of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the ASEAN Secretariat on March 25 opened a joint session of ASEAN and Korean experts on the transposition of ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreement (AKFTA) pro
duct specific rules from harmonised system codes HS 2017 into HS 2022.

Attending the three-day event in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh are representatives from the Republic of Korea (RoK) and 10 ASEAN member states./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

HCM City: Experience in social supervision and criticism was shared between the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Shanghai Committee at their talks in Ho Chi Minh City on March 25.

Briefing the Chinese side of the city’s economic-cultural-social situation in 2023, Vice Chairman of the VFF Committee of Ho Chi Minh City Nguyen Thanh Trung said that the city faced formidable challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts as well as complicated and unprecedented global and regional political-economic developments.

However, it carved out impressive achievements thanks to the concerted efforts and resolve of the whole political system, support from local people and business community, and contributions from VFF chapters at all levels.

The city’s VFF committee has worked to renew its social supervision and criticism activities to better ensure the legitimate rights of local people, strengthen democracy and social co
nsensus, and consolidate trust in the Party and State, he said, adding over the past 10 years, it has organised 703 social criticism conference on important projects, including one related to piloting special mechanisms to develop Ho Chi Minh City.

In the time ahead, it will continue promoting its leading role in the supervision work and social criticism activities, he stressed.

Vice Chairman of the CPPCC Shanghai Committee Wu Xinbao, for his part, introduced the committee’s roles, functions and missions, which are to conduct policy consultations and democratic consultations, engage in political discussions, and build common awareness in the community.

While carrying out the constitution and legal regulations as well as making big decision, the CPPCC always organises referenda before sending reports to relevant leaders to provide recommendations, he said, adding the Shanghai Committee assigns its members to join meetings with local people and hold conferences to discuss issues of locals’ concerns, among ot
hers.

Both sides agreed that they can learn from each other’s experience and concurred to continue implementing the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation for the 2023-2026 period signed in November 2023./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Moscow: Vietnam condemns all acts of terrorism in any form targeting civilians, including the terrorist attack that caused great loss in Russia on March 22 evening, said Vietnamese Ambassador Dang Minh Khoi.

According to latest statistics released by Russian authorities, at least 137 people were killed and 182 others injured, many in severe conditions, after armed attackers stormed Crocus City Hall in Moscow and opened fire.

Russia observed a national day of mourning on March 24, with flags lowered to half-mast and entertainment activities suspended.

On March 23 alone, more than 4,000 people, including Vietnamese, went to donate blood in Moscow to support the victims.

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), Khoi expressed his belief that the Russian Government and people will further stay united and soon overcome this ordeal.

After learning about deadly shooting, Acting State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan on March 23 cabled a message of condolences to Russian President Vladimir Putin over t
he incident.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sent a message of condolences to his Russian counterpart Mikhail Mishustin, while National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue cabled similar messages to Chairwoman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina Matviyenko and Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Volodin.

The same day, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son also extended his condolences to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Geneva: A delegation of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) led by NA Vice Chairman Tran Quang Phuong attended the opening ceremony of the 148th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-148) and a plenary session in Geneva, Switzerland, on March 24.

During the IPU-148, themed ‘Parliamentary diplomacy: Building bridges for peace and understanding’, the delegates are scheduled to take part in plenary sessions of the assembly and the Governing Council, along with meetings of the Standing Committee on Peace and International Security, the Committee on Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade, the Committee on Democracy and Human Rights, and the Committee on United Nations Affairs.

Other activities include meetings of the Forum of Women Parliamentarians, the Forum of Young Parliamentarians, the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians, the Asia-Pacific Geopolitical (APG) Group, the ASEAN Plus Three group, and the Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments (ASGP).

The Vietnamese delegat
ion is set to engage in about 30 official activities at the IPU-148.

NA Vice Chairman Phuong will deliver a speech at a plenary session. He will also meet with the new IPU President, the IPU Secretary-General, the Secretary-General of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), and some parliamentary leaders on the sidelines of the IPU-148.

Representatives of the NA Secretariat led by NA Secretary General and Chairman of the NA Office Bui Van Cuong are expected to participate in all activities of the ASGP meeting, held in parallel with the IPU-148.

The NA delegation’s attendance in the IPU-148 and related meetings aims to affirm Vietnam’s commitment to actively and responsibly engaging in multilateral parliamentary activities, and continue promoting Vietnam and the NA’s role and stature at regional and international parliamentary cooperation mechanisms, helping to promote the State’s diplomatic activities for the sake of the nation and people./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and Chairman of its Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung held talks with visiting Director of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) Kim Song Nam in Hanoi on March 25.

At the event, Trung stated that the Vietnamese Party, State, and people always treasure the traditional friendship and cooperation with the WPK, Government, and people of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

He proposed both sides enhance exchanges and contacts at all levels to strengthen mutual understanding and develop the ties between their parties and countries across various fields.

Trung went on to recommend the two countries effectively implement existing cooperation mechanisms, expand their cultural, art, sports, people-to-people, locality-to-locality exchanges, and strengthen their coordination at multilateral forums.

For his part, Kim, who is leading a delegation to visit Vietnam fr
om March 25 to 28, stressed his trip is to step up the development of the Vietnam-DPRK friendship and collaboration and to discuss measures to strengthen the sides’ party building work.

He affirmed that the Party, Government, and people of the DPRK value the traditional friendship with Vietnam and are pleased with the development of the relationship shared between the two parties and countries. The DPRK is ready to work with Vietnam to promote ties, he affirmed.

During the talks, the officials discussed and evaluated the results of cooperation between the commission and the department so far. They concurred on cooperation measures, including further promotion of the role of the two bodies, and effective implementation of cooperation directions that were agreed upon by Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Chairman of the DPRK’s State Affairs Commission Kim Jong-un during the latter’s visit to Vietnam in 2019./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Canberra: New Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Pham Hung Tam paid a courtesy call to President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines in Canberra on March 25.

Tam expressed his delight at witnessing the development of cooperative ties between the Vietnamese and Australian legislatures, especially in the exchange of high-level visits.

He vowed to effectively realise the outcomes achieved during the Australia visit by National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue from November 30-December 3, 2022 and actively contribute to the development of the recently-established comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, thus deepening cooperation in areas of shared concern such as politics, economy, national defence-security, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchange.

Lines, for her part, believed that bilateral ties will develop comprehensively and deeply, including through parliamentary diplomacy and people-to-people exchange. She also expected breakthroughs in collaboration in economy, trade, sc
i-tech, climate change response and energy transition.

Expressing delight at the official launch of a direct flight service between Hanoi and Perth – the capital city of Western Australia, her hometown, she wished to pay an official visit to Vietnam via this route soon, with an aim to further bolster the friendship and cooperation between the two countries, as well as between Perth and Vietnamese localities.

She also pledged her support to the diplomat in expanding bilateral ties throughout his tenure./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: A national conference reviewing the performance of the People’s Councils of provinces and centrally-run cities nationwide in 2023 and launching 2024 tasks wrapped up in Hanoi on March 25.

In his closing speech, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue said after one day of sitting, the event fulfilled all its set agenda. He requested collecting all feedback at the event to submit to the NA Standing Committee for consideration.

The top legislator asked the People’s Councils to continue to closely follow the leadership of the Party Committees and their standing boards and strengthen the implementation of functions of local people-elected bodies according to the provisions of law to best fulfil their tasks in 2024.

According to Permanent Vice Chairman of the NA Tran Thanh Man, over more than half of the 2021-2026 tenure, the NA and its Standing Committee have carried out a number of reforms and devised measures for better supervising and directing activities of the People’s Councils from perfecting th
e legal foundation to increasing activities that connect the NA, its Standing Committee, and their agencies with the provincial-level People’s Councils.

The People’s Councils have also exerted efforts to boost reforms and creativity during the performance of tasks. Closely following the Party’s guidelines and the State’s policies and laws, they have issued resolutions, mechanisms, and policies meeting demand in their localities, thereby substantially contributing to the realisation of local and national socio-economic development, defence, security, and external affairs targets, he continued.

The organisation of the annual conference was an occasion for the NA and its Standing Committee to enhance the momentum for reform at local people-elected bodies, Man added.

However, the official also pointed out several shortcomings, elaborating that the quality of meetings of some People’s Councils remains limited. Some have yet to take strong or effective enough measures for fully handling post-supervision opinions
.

The settlement and reply to voters’ opinions and petitions are still slow in some provinces and cities. Besides, some people’s councils haven’t released digital transformation and IT application directions on schedule while agencies’ coordination is still lax./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency