Trade deficit slashed to yearly low

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam ’s trade deficit is estimated to drop to 500 million USD in September, the lowest level so far this year, reported the General Statistics Office (GSO).

For the first nine months of this year, the trade deficit is expected to stand at 15.82 billion USD, with import turnover valued at 64.4 billion USD compared with export revenue of 48.57 billion USD, according to the GSO.

Vo Chi Thanh, an economics expert at the Central Institute for Economic Management, said that with a decrease in imports, along with measures to boost exports and stricter monetary policy, this year’s trade deficit is forecast to stand at between 19-20 billion USD, as set by the government.

Key import staples during the reviewed period include automobiles and automobile components, steel, paper, computers, electronic components, machines and equipment, fertilisers, plastic materials, milk and milk products.

According to the GSO, the country’s exports over the nine-month period posted a year-on-year increase of 39 percent. The domestic sector recorded a 44.1 percent rise, while the foreign-invested sector enjoyed a 35.1 percent increase against the same period last year.

Most of the export staples saw growths much higher than in the same period a year ago, with crude oil topping the list at 52 percent, followed by garments and textiles, wooden furniture, plastics, electric wires and cables, rubber, cashew nuts, seafood and pepper.-

Vietnam, RoK trade unions looking after workers’ interests

The Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) conducted a working session in Hanoi on Sept. 23 with a delegation of the Federation of Korea Trade Unions (FKTU) from the Republic of Korea .

At the meeting, VGCL President Dang Ngoc Tung expressed his wish that the two countries’ trade unions become more active in exchanging experiences, particularly in conducting negotiations, thus helping to improve Vietnamese trade unions’ competence in protecting labourers’ interests.

Tung said that Vietnam has a substantial number of guest workers in the RoK but has not yet a trade union to protect their legitimate interests.

He stated that he hoped the FKTU would implement effective solutions to protect Vietnamese labourers in the RoK, as well as those working in RoK joint-ventures in Vietnam .

FKTU President Jang Seok-chun said at the meeting that his organisation intends to be active in a variety of ways to protect the interests of Vietnamese workers in the RoK.

He also suggested that the Vietnamese trade unions provide information related to RoK investors in Vietnam that have not paid due attention to Vietnamese employees’ interests, helping RoK-authorised agencies to take action to limit such instances and helping to enhance the fine relations between the two nations.-

Vietnam receives back fishermen from Indonesia

The border guard force of southern coastal Ba Ria – Vung Tau province received back 53 Vietnamese fishermen from Indonesia on September 23, according to the Nhan Dan (People) daily.

The fishermen, who are from Tien Giang, Kien Giang and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces, arrested by Indonesia in early September.

They were turned over to Vietnam on two fishing vessels of Tan Vinh company in Kien Giang, which were seized by Indonesia in April. The company had to pay a great sum of money for the ships’ return.-

PM selects consultants for Hanoi construction plan

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on Sept. 23 selected Perkins Easman, Posco E&C and Jina joint ventures as consultants for the drafting of master construction planning project for Hanoi capital city.

The Construction Ministry was required to coordinate with the municipal People’s Committee to guide relevant agencies to invite talented and experienced domestic and international planning experts to take part in the process and offer their own opinions and contributing into the project’s process. The plan must anticipate the development needs of the capital city by 2020 and in the vision to 2050.

The ministry was also assigned to guide partners to carry out negotation, signing of contracts and implementation, ensuring the project’s quality and process.-

Promotion of gender equality, family violence laws

Bac Giang (VNA) – Representatives from 26 northern cities and provinces have attended a training workshop on the Laws on Gender Equality and Family Violence Prevention in northern Bac Giang province on Sept. 23 and 24.

Experts from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also popularised legal documents relating to the implementation of the two laws and the national action plan on prevention of family violence in the 2010-2020 period.

Participants to the workshop also discussed the current situation of family violence and gender selection at their localities, as well as outstanding issues in implementing the laws in the community.

The workshop was jointly organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Danish Embassy in Vietnam.-

Sun Wah grants scholarships to disabled students

Hanoi (VNA) – The Hong Kong-based Sun Wah Group will donate 42,000 USD to grant scholarships to disabled students in Hanoi and upgrade a school in the neighbouring Hung Yen province.

An agreement on the donation was signed in Hanoi on Sept. 24 by both the Sun Wah group and the National Fund for Vietnamese Children (NFVC).

The NFVC said the project is part of a scholarship programme targeting needy children, launched by the fund in 1994. The programme has to date granted scholarships to 21,000 poor and disabled children with total funding of 12 billion VND.

The Sun Wah Group began its operations in Vietnam in 1970, first focusing on seafood trading and more recently expanding its operations into real estate and financial services.

Last May, the group signed a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of the Sun Wah Foundation with the Ministry of Education and Training.

Sun Wah pledged to contribute up to 1 million USD to the foundation to improve learning conditions at schools in extremely disadvantaged areas across the country.-

PM asks Ukrainian ambassador to help boost ties

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has asked the new Ukrainian Ambassador in Vietnam, Ivan Dovganych, to work closely with Vietnamese agencies as soon as possible to give material substance to agreements reached between the two Governments last May.

The Government leader made the request at his reception of the incoming Ambassador in Hanoi on September 23. He pledged to strengthen ties with the European country in all fields, particularly in economics, trade, investment, tourism and science and technology, and called for further cooperation in multi-lateral forums.

Dung also expressed thanks to the Ukrainian Government and its people for standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Vietnamese people during their struggle for national salvation in the past, as well as providing good conditions for the Vietnamese community to live in stability at present.

In response, the Ukrainian Ambassador expressed his happiness in undertaking a job in Vietnam, a country where relations with his country are faring well and where several businesses from his country are enjoying success.

He also promised to fulfill his role so as to translate accords of cooperation between the two countries into reality, especially in the areas of economics, trade, investment, education, training and science-technology.

The Ukrainian diplomat said that the two countries should work to maximise their huge potential as members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to increase bilateral trade turnover to 1 billion USD over the next few years.

Dovganych also sought further cooperation in the fields of energy and mining.-

Vietnam backs peaceful settlement of disputes

Vietnamese representative to the UN Security Council Ambassador Le Luong Minh has affirmed Vietnam’s commitment to the principle of peaceful settlement of international disputes.

“We support every effort to settle disputes, by peaceful means, including mediation, in accordance with international law and the UN Charter,” the Vietnamese ambassador said at the UNSC high-level meeting on mediation and settlement of disputes, held in New York on Sept. 23.

He noted that to produce lasting solutions, mediation must be conducted with full respect for national independence, sovereignty and territorial of States, impartial, non-coercive and with the consent and full participation of all parties concerned.

Minh highlighted many successful mediation efforts in dealing with disputes in many places in the world, and cited as an example the success story of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) which owes much to its adherence to the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes.

“Vietnam is and will do its utmost to contribute to ASEAN’s mediation efforts to find peaceful solutions of dispute amongst its Member States in accordance with the Association’s Treaty of Amity and Cooperation,” Minh said.-

Deputy PM arrives in New York for UN session

New York (VNA) - Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem arrived in New York on Sept. 23 for his attendance at the 63rd session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Khiem, who doubles as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, held talks with the Cuban Vice President, Jose Ramon Machado, upon his arrival in the US .

The deputy PM emphasised the friendship and solidarity between the States and people of the two countries and expressed his sympathy over the Cuban people’s great losses caused by recent hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

He affirmed that Vietnam will continue to work closely with Cuba in coordinating activities of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), particularly in preparing for the upcoming 15th NAM high-level meeting.

Khiem and Ramon Machado discussed measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation and coordination at future international forums.

Later that day, Deputy PM Khiem met with Algerian Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci to examine the possibility of economic cooperation as well as working together on a range of regional and international issues of mutual concern.

The deputy PM witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding to formalise the relationship between the NASDAQ Stock Market and the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange. He also rang the closing bell, marking the end of the day’s trading session.-

Vietnam and China strengthen relationship

HCM City (VNA) – Vietnam and China will increase their efforts to strengthen their friendship and aim for more comprehensive cooperation, stated President of the Vietnam-China Friendship Association, Duong Quang Ha and the Chinese Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City , Xu Mingliang.

At a ceremony held in Ho Chi Minh City on September 24 to mark the 59 th anniversary of China ’s National Day, which falls on October 1, the Chinese Consul General affirmed that the Party, State and people of China attach great importance to developing their traditional friendship with Vietnam .

He expressed his thanks and appreciation for Vietnam ’s support for Chinese victims of natural disasters, adding that this helps further the relationship between the two countries.

For his part, the Vietnamese representative congratulated the Chinese people’s achievements during their national construction and stressed the importance and value of the mutual support and trust that exists between Vietnam and China , as well as their effective cooperation in the past.-