Day: March 27, 2024

Hanoi: Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang received Executive Senior Vice President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Yamada Junichi in Hanoi on March 26. Welcoming the JICA official to Vietnam to attend the launch of the first phase of the Vietnam-Japan joint initiative in the new era, Deputy PM Quang briefed the guest on Vietnam's national budget management mechanisms as well as the country's recent efforts to remove difficulties and obstacles to speed up the progress of projects using Japanese ODA. For his part, Yamada said that recently, Japan's ODA disbursement rate has increased significantly, with the amount of slow disbursement at about 1.8 billion JPY (11.86 million USD), much lower than that in previous years thanks to the drastic direction of the Vietnamese Government. The JICA Executive Senior Vice President affirmed that the agency is ready to discuss with Vietnam about the implementation of 11 infrastructure development projects in localities, including the consideration o f the possibility for these projects to be bid domestically instead of internationally to shorten investment preparation time. He suggested that Vietnam build a separate legal framework for additional loans outside the medium-term budget plan from JICA as well as other donors such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. Lauding JICA's recommendations, Deputy PM Quang proposed that the two sides work together on the suitable interest rates and each specific project. The two sides concurred to coordinate closely to remove difficulties and obstacles facing each project, including those related to tax rates for Japanese contractors implementing ODA projects, thus speeding up the progress of delayed projects, especially the Cho Ray Hospital No.2 and the Vietnam-Japan University. Japan is currently Vietnam's largest ODA provider. Since 1992, Japan has provided Vietnam with over 2,700 billion JPY in ODA loans, along with nearly 100 billion JPY in non-refundable aid and nearly 180 billion JPY in technic al assistance. Japan's ODA accounts for over 30% of bilateral development aid that Vietnam has received. In 2023, Japan's total ODA capital for Vietnam reached more than 100 billion JPY, the highest level since 2017./ Source: Vietnam News Agency

Berlin: A delegation from the northern province of Thai Binh, led by Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Nguyen Khac Than, visited several localities and business organisations in Germany from March 25 to 27, in a bid to enhance trade cooperation with and attract direct investment from the European nation. While in Germany, the delegation held a working session with the authorities of Hanover, the capital and largest city of Lower Saxony state. Speaking at the event, Than, who is also Chairman of the Thai Binh People's Committee, expressed his wish to promote cooperation between the province and Hanover in the coming time. Thai Binh also seeks to attract German investment in such fields as healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and labour cooperation, he noted, adding that the province plans to establish the first biopharmaceutical industrial park in Vietnam. Than and Mayor of Hanover Thomas Hermann also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the provincial Depa rtment of Planning and Investment and Hannoverimpuls GmbH - the economic development agency of the city and Hanover region. Accordingly, both sides agreed to collaborate in supporting companies from the Hanover region to expand business activities in Thai Binh, and vice versa. They also concurred to cooperate in exchanging information and business delegations, organising and participating in conferences and seminars, providing consulting services on the current situation and prospects of industries, and supporting the search for partners in marketing, science, and technology. The delegation then worked with the Chamber of Commerce Hannover to introduce the province and its investment opportunities. They also organised a forum for investment and business connection between Thai Binh and Lower Saxony, attended by about 30 German companies./. Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son attended and delivered a speech at a seminar on Vietnam-US relations at Brookings Institute in Washington D.C. on March 26, within the framework of his official visit to the US to co-chair the first foreign ministerial-level dialogue between the two countries. In his speech, Son said that amidst latent traditional and non-traditional security challenges in the region, Vietnam consistently implements its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, multilateralisation and diversification of foreign relations, comprehensive and extensive international integration, and being a friend, a trusted partner and an active and responsible member of the international community. In particular, the minister emphasised that Vietnam continues its bamboo diplomacy school of "solid roots, strong trunks, flexible branches" to respond to challenges and maintain a favourable diplomatic environment for national development, which is clearly reflected in the fact that to date, Vietnam has established a strategic partnership and comprehensive strategic partnership with all five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. He said to achieve its set development targets, in addition to its efforts, activeness and self-reliance, Vietnam needs a peaceful, stable external environment and active cooperation and support from important partners, including the US. In that spirit, the minister affirmed that Vietnam always considers the US as one of its most important partners. To further deepen the Vietnam - US comprehensive strategic partnership, Son said that the two countries need to increase the exchange of high-level and all-level delegations; promote political trust; continue focusing on economic - trade - investment cooperation; boost collaboration in science, technology and innovation, including the semiconductor ecosystem; consolidate people-to-people exchanges, educational and cultural cooperation; and coordinate more clo sely at multilateral forums and cooperation mechanisms such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, and the Mekong - US partnership. Vietnam will also continue to improve the business environment, and create favourable conditions for foreign enterprises to invest and do business in the country, he emphasised. Receiving several advisors and assistants of the US Congress, Minister Son expressed his thanks to parliamentarians of both parties, notably Senators John McCain, John Kerry and Patrick Leahy, who always support Vietnam and Vietnam - US relations. He proposed the US Congress to maintain support for bilateral cooperation in various fields, including overcoming the consequences of war, economics, trade, education and training, science, technology, security, defence, and people-to-people exchanges. The advisors and assistants appreciated Vietnam's efforts to create a favourable environment for US businesses to invest i n the country, implement international commitments to respond to climate change, especially in the Mekong Delta region, and ensure human rights. They affirmed the support of the two political parties in the US Congress for bilateral relations as well as continued cooperation with Vietnam to contribute to further develop the bilateral ties in various fields in the spirit of the new relationship framework as well as in regional and international issues. On this occasion, the Vietnamese foreign minister also received Jeffrey Goss, Associate Vice Provost/SE Asia at the Arizona State University, and had an online meeting with NVIDIA Vice President Keith Strier./. Source: Vietnam News Agency

Havana: The close-knit relationship between Cuba and Vietnam, founded by President Ho Chi Minh and Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro and nurtured by the two countries' generations of leaders and people, is a symbol of the era and of solidarity, said President of the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernández. During a reception in Havana on March 26 for the new Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba, Le Quang Long, Hernández committed all possible support for the diplomat to fulfill tasks assigned by the Vietnamese Party and State. He recounted significant milestones in the exceptionally rare relationship between the two countries, notably the Cuba visit by National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue in April 2023 that coincided with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Committee for Solidarity with South Vietnam of Cuba, now the Cuba-Vietnam Friendship Association; the 50th anniversary of leader Fidel Castro's first visit to Vietnam and the southern liberated zone, and the 63rd anniv ersary of bilateral diplomatic relations (December 2). According to him, Hue was the first foreign leader to visit Cuba after the country's general election, and to address the Cuban legislature following the election of important State positions in line with the Constitution. This unprecedented event demonstrates the importance that the Cuban NA attaches to the Vietnam-Cuba relationship, he said. Long, for his part, affirmed that Vietnam will never forget the invaluable support provided by the fraternal Cuban people during difficult times. He highlighted Vietnam's unwavering support for Cuba in its fight against the US blockade, its pursuit of socio-economic development and efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation across various sectors. Earlier, he submitted a copy of his credentials to Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Anayansi Rodríguez Camejo./. Source: Vietnam News Agency

New York: Auditor General of the State Audit Office of Vietnam (SAV) Ngo Van Tuan has met with United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua at the UN headquarters in New York. The meeting took place on the sidelines of a global meeting on the engagement of supreme audit institutions (SAIs) in assessing national climate action on March 25 - 26. Tuan said climate change is now one of the most discussed topics around the world. As an active and responsible member of the International Organisation of SAIs (INTOSAI) and the Governing Board of the Asian Organisation of SAIs (ASOSAI) in the 2015 - 2024 period and to implement the commitments under the Hanoi Declaration on environmental auditing for sustainable development, the SAV identified environmental auditing as one of its focuses to enhance both the quality and quantity of audits. Giving a brief introduction of the SAV's activities and its engagement in international cooperation in environmental, climate change, and Susta inable Development Goals (SDGs) auditing, he noted that the SAV initiated and chaired an audit on the management of water resources in the Mekong River Basin in 2021 which also involved the SAIs of Thailand and Myanmar. The SAV has also actively taken part in training courses, meetings, and webinars on environmental and SDGs auditing held by other countries' SAIs, partners, and organisations in the region and the world, he added. The Auditor General proposed the UN Under-Secretary-General promote the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA)'s assistance and sharing of auditing information, research, and publications on environmental and social affairs so that the SAV can use them as sources of reference. UNDESA and the SAV can also develop cooperative ties through multilateral cooperation forums on environmental, climate change, and SDGs auditing, Tuan suggested. Under-Secretary-General Li highly valued the SAV's participation in the global meeting, during which it shared its experience in th is field, thus reflecting the voice of developing countries and boosting the exchange of environmental auditing experience. The UN official noted that he is impressed with the SAV's unceasing efforts to help with environmental protection and climate change adaptation. He also voiced the readiness to assist the SAV in capacity building, information technology application, and big data use. On the sidelines of the global meeting, Tuan also met with and invited Bruno Dantas, President of the Brazilian Federal Court of Accounts and Chair of INTOSAI, to attend a ceremony marking the 30th founding anniversary of Vietnam's audit sector. The Brazilian side said it will send senior officials to the event. The Auditor General of Vietnam also had separate meetings with the auditors general of India and Turkey to promote bilateral cooperation and seek support from the two countries' SAIs for the SAV's candidacy for membership of the ASOSAI Audit Committee for the 2024 - 2027 tenure. The SAIs of India and Turkey showe d their support for the SAV's candidacy. The Auditor General of Turkey also voiced the hope to visit the SAV in 2025./. Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen Hoang Xuan Chien received newly-appointed Cambodian Military Attaché in Vietnam Maj. Gen. Leang Sovannara in Hanoi on March 27. Chien expressed his delight at the results of bilateral defence cooperation over the past time, particularly in delegation exchanges, human resources training, border management and protection, and seeking and repatriation of remains of Vietnamese volunteers and experts who sacrificed in Cambodia during the war. He spoke highly of the collaboration among the Ministries of National Defence of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos in successfully organising the first border defence friendship exchange programme in January 2023. Chien expected that Leang Sovannara will closely coordinate with relevant units of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence to continue effectively implementing cooperation contents between the two sides, especially on the exchange of delegations, training of human resources, and overcoming mine consequences after the war, participation in UN peacekeeping operations, and support each other at multilateral forums. He also expressed his belief that Leang Sovannara will promote achieved results of his predecessor and make new contributions to further develop defence cooperation between the two nations. For his part, Leang Sovannara expressed his pleasure at the good results of Vietnam-Cambodia relations in general and bilateral defence cooperation in particular. He also affirmed that in his tenure, he will make efforts to contribute to the effective implementation of Vietnam-Cambodia defence cooperation contents./. Source: Vietnam News Agency

Bangkok: Thai scholar Songrit Pongern has attributed Vietnam's achievements, including the historic Dien Bien Phu victory, to the enduring qualities embodied in Ho Chi Minh's ideology and the sound leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam. During a recent conversation with a Vietnam News Agency reporter in Bangkok, Songrit said the Dien Bien Phu victory had inspired and encouraged the fight for independence in colonised nations worldwide, with the model of solidarity displayed by Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia which ultimately led to their triumph over superpowers like France and the US. He said the shared ideology and destiny provide a powerful force for solidarity among the three neighbouring countries, helping them overcome the hardships of the prolonged war for national independence. The solidarity among the three countries has continued to today, evident in their shared stance on the international political stage and within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including initiatives like the shared border economic zone. Visiting Dien Bien Phu in 1989 when Vietnam marked the 35th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu victory and again in 1995 when Vietnam joined ASEAN, Songrit expressed admiration for Vietnam's sustained economic growth, noting that since economic reform began in 1986, Vietnam's gross domestic product (GDP) has climbed to the third place in ASEAN. He saw Vietnam's skilled workforce as a major asset to attract foreign investment and believed that the country holds significant potential in both export production and meeting domestic demand. Ultimately, he said Vietnam's goal of becoming a developed, high-income nation by 2050 is achievable, stressing that Vietnam's progress will be even more robust if it develops in tandem with all the countries in ASEAN, thus fostering a community of shared prosperity in the region./. Source: Vietnam News Agency