Overseas Vietnamese community urged to unite with the homeland

Overseas Vietnamese community urged to unite with the homeland

QĐND – Monday, November 23, 2009, 16:51 (GMT+7)

State President Nguyen Minh Triet has called on the Vietnamese community at home and abroad to uphold the spirit of patriotism and national unity and combine efforts to build Vietnam into a prosperous country.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee opened the first conference for overseas Vietnamese in Hanoi on November 21, drawing the participation of 1,500 delegates including nearly 900 overseas Vietnamese.

The conference was attended by State President Nguyen Minh Triet, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem, former senior Party and State leaders and representatives from central ministries, sectors and 51 provinces and cities throughout the country.

In his opening speech, Mr Khiem said that this conference is of great significance because it is being held for the first time, gathering overseas Vietnamese of different ages and social levels.

The conference is a major forum for Vietnamese residents abroad and State agencies to exchange their opinions on policies for overseas Vietnamese to instigate appropriate polices in the future.

The event also aims to praise collectives and individuals for their outstanding achievements in overseas Vietnamese affairs, said Mr Khiem.

The deputy PM also expressed his hope that the conference will bring democracy into full play to help ministries and sectors devise more effective measures towards a firm foundation for Resolution 36 on overseas Vietnamese affairs adopted by the Communist Party of Vietnam’s (CPV) Political Bureau.

State President Triet said he is very happy to meet and share his sentiments with overseas Vietnamese who always turn their hearts to the homeland.

“We are delighted to see the significant achievements the country has recorded after more than 20 years of the Doi Moi (Renovation) process. Vietnam has posted a year-on-year economic growth rate and maintained political stability- its strong point compared to other countries in the world. Progress has been made in cultural and social, people’s living standards have been improved remarkably, and Vietnam’s prestige and status have been raised in the international arena.

Despite the global economic downturn, Vietnam still maintains its GDP growth rate and has received great acclaim from the international community. Today, we are proud of being able to walk abreast with other powers in the world and have a strong voice in international forums,” Mr Triet said.

He also pointed out weaknesses in socio-economic development that Vietnam needs to resolve in the future.

The Vietnamese Party and State will try their best to implement overseas Vietnamese affairs effectively by providing them with necessary information, protecting their legitimate rights and helping them to preserve national customs and traditions, particularly the use of the Vietnamese language abroad. The Party and State of Vietnam always attach great importance to overseas Vietnamese affairs, which contributes to reinforcing national unity, Mr Triet emphasised.

The State leader also asked overseas Vietnamese to contribute their opinions on Party and State policies and guidelines to improve them.

Mobilising the brainpower of overseas Vietnamese

At the conference, delegates had an opportunity to share opinions with the government’s senior leaders through seminars on building a strong, and prosperous Vietnamese community, which will contribute to the cause of national construction, and promote cultural identity and traditions throughout the community.

Nguyen Duc Thanh, President of the Vietnamese People’s Association in the UK expressed his wish that the Vietnamese State will pay more attention to preserving the Vietnamese language and assist teaching programmes.

Tran Duc Mau, deputy head of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese affirmed that the conference is a forum to enable Vietnamese nationals abroad to join efforts to build a stable and strong Vietnamese community and open a new chapter for the overseas Vietnamese.

Solidarity of Vietnamese people around the world

Hoang Van Vinh, Chairman of the Vietnamese People’s Association in Svetlov, Russia said that the conference has helped Vietnamese nationals living around the world raise the voice of their homeland.

To Quy Phu, an overseas Vietnamese in France, was very proud to attend the conference, adding that the event proves that the Vietnamese government has always paid special attention to overseas Vietnamese. He expressed his wish to see a dynamic Vietnam on the right track for development.

Nguyen Manh Phat, a 30-year-old master of information technology, the youngest overseas Vietnamese from France, said that he refused a lot of career opportunities in Paris after graduating and returned to HCM City to become a programme director for IBM and supervise French projects abroad.

Currently, around 4 million of Vietnamese nationals are living and studying in 102 nations and territories around the world. About 500,000 overseas Vietnamese return to the homeland each year to conduct research or invest in Vietnam. Overseas Vietnamese have invested in 3,000 projects capitalized at US$2 billion in Vietnam.

Source: VOV

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Official reiterates Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa

Official reiterates Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa

QĐND – Saturday, November 21, 2009, 22:22 (GMT+7)

“We strongly object to actions that violate Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago,” the chairman of the Hoang Sa District People’s Committee, Dang Cong Ngu, said.
 
The Hoang Sa naval monument on Ly Son Island in Quang Ngai Province, installed in July 2009. Hoang Sa District Chairman Dang Cong Ngu has objected to Chinese authorities establishing two hamlet committees on the Hoang Sa archipelago.

He was speaking to the media on November 19 in response to a decision by Chinese authorities of Hainan province to establish two hamlet committees on the archipelago.

Mr. Ngu said that “the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has assigned the authorities of Da Nang City to manage the Hoang Sa archipelago as an administrative unit of the city.”

Vietnam’s maps and historical documents, dating back centuries, indicate that Hoang Sa belongs to Vietnam, said Mr. Ngu. He added that the archipelago’s name was then Bai Cat Vang or Hoang Sa (Golden Sandbanks).

The Cay and Phu Lam Islands belong to the Hoang Sa archipelago which is administered by the People’s Committee of Da Nang City.

The People’s Committee of Hoang Sa District has collected hundreds of historical documents that confirm Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa archipelago, Mr. Ngu said.

In particular, the Hoang Sa Yearbook, which will be completed by the end of this year, will serve as a valid historical and juridical document that proves Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa archipelago, he said.

Source: VietNamNet/SGGP/VNA

 

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President Triet welcomes Piaggio Group’s leader

President Triet welcomes Piaggio Group’s leader

QĐND – Saturday, November 21, 2009, 22:22 (GMT+7)

The Vietnamese State encourages Italian and other foreign businesses to invest and conduct business in Vietnam, and stands ready to supply all needed assistance, said State President Nguyen Minh Triet.

Mr Triet made the statement at a reception given to visiting President Roberto Colannino of Italy’s Piaggio Group in Hanoi on November 20.

The Vietnamese State leader highlighted Piaggio’s investment project in Vietnam, emphasising that Vietnam firmly backs foreign investors in their pursuit of success, as they will contribute to Vietnam’s development process.

He proposed that Roberto Colannino continue to publicise the opportunities available in Vietnam and attract Italian businesses to seek investment in the country.

Roberto Colannino informed his host of the status of the Piaggio Group’s operations in Vietnam as well as its plan to expand its activities and its strategy to diversify products in the country in the coming time.

He said that his group is happy with the performance of its business in Vietnam and plans to increase its investment to make Piaggio Vietnam become the group’s central hub in Asia.

Both the host and guest engaged in an exchange on the two countries’ relations and prospects for future cooperation.

In his capacity as President of the Italian flag-ship airline Alitalia, Roberto Colannino affirmed his wish to cooperate with Vietnam Airlines in opening a direct air route between the two countries.

President Triet said that bilateral relations have been developing soundly, suggesting that Vietnam and Italy should promote cooperation in economics, trade, investment and cultural exchange.

He reiterated his hope that Alitalia and Vietnam Airlines will soon study the opening of a direct air route between the two countries.

Source: VNA/VOVNews

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Big pharma offer H1N1 vaccines at US$6.5-10 a dose

Big pharma offer H1N1 vaccines at US$6.5-10 a dose

QĐND – Saturday, November 21, 2009, 22:22 (GMT+7)

Four pharmaceutical multinationals have offered to sell swine flu vaccines to Vietnam at US$6.5-10 per dose. 

Truong Quoc Cuong, Vietnam Drug Administration Director General, said on Wednesday that his office is assessing the applications submitted by Baxter, Sanofi Pasteur, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), and Novatis.

The National Institute for Control of Vaccines and Biological Agents, will test the vaccines’ safety.

Vietnam wanted to import 500,000 doses of vaccines in addition to 1.2 million sponsored by the World Health Organization, which is expected to arrive next month, Cuong said.

Also on Wednesday Nguyen Van Kinh, director general of the Hanoi based National Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases, told a meeting that the number of swine flu patients in critical condition was increasing.

It is estimated that 10 percent of the 100-150 H1N1 positive patients admitted to hospitals every day are in critical condition, he said.

Since it was first detected here in May, swine flu has claimed 42 lives nationwide with a 23-year-old woman from the southern province of Binh Phuoc the latest victim, the Department of Preventive Health and Environment reported at the meeting.

Source: VietNamNet/Thanh Nien

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Vietnam-China border regions strengthen cooperative ties

Vietnam-China border regions strengthen cooperative ties

QĐND – Saturday, November 21, 2009, 22:22 (GMT+7)

Cooperation between border regions of Vietnam and China has helped improve living conditions for inhabitants and boost the socio-economic development of both sides, said Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem.

Mr Khiem made the remarks at a conference held in Hanoi on Nov. 20 to review the economic corridor cooperation between Hanoi, Lao Cai, Hai Phong and Quang Ninh of Vietnam and Yunnan of China.

Participants said that cooperation among these localities brought about positive and comprehensive results in various fields, particularly in trade, investment and services despite adverse impact of the global financial crisis and economic downturn.

At present, Yunnan province has 57 businesses operating in Vietnam with a total investment capital of US$115 million. Two-way trade turnover via Lao Cai-Hekou border gate was estimated at US430 million in 2009. The Chairman of Yunnan province said that Vietnamese localities have become Yunnan’s second largest trade partner.

Recently, Hanoi granted 7 Yunnan businesses licenses to set up representative offices in the city. Also, four commercial banks in Lao Cai province were allowed to provide international payment services to commercial banks in Yunnan province.

In addition, Vietnam-China border regions have effectively cooperated in other fields, such as transport, tourism, culture and education. Some key traffic routes are being developed, including the Hanoi-Lao Cai, Noi Bai-Ha Long, and Mong Duong-Mong Cai highways. A Vietnam-China bridge crossing the Red River is being built, while maritime transport of goods on the Kunming-Quang Ninh-Hai Phong route has been strengthened.

Nguyen Huu Van, Chairman of the Lao Cai provincial People’s Committee, said that once the traffic network on the economic corridor route is completed, trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and China will be further accelerated.

In the future, border regions between the two countries will focus on trade and investment promotion, tourism development, transport investment, cultural exchange, healthcare services, epidemic prevention, agricultural development and cooperation in social issues.

Source: VietNamNet/VOV

 

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Minister says Japanese documents need verifying in graft case

Minister says Japanese documents need verifying in graft case

QĐND – Saturday, November 21, 2009, 22:25 (GMT+7)

Vietnam needs to verify the legality of documents submitted as evidence in an international corruption case before investigations continue, said Minister of Justice Ha Hung Cuong.  

The documents related to a Japanese-funded construction project were provided by Japan and would be considered “indirect evidence”, as they are the result of a foreign investigation that did not include statements from the Vietnamese suspects, Minister Cuong told the press on the sidelines of a National Assembly session.

“I don’t doubt their investigation, but legally we can’t use the documents to press charges,” Cuong said.

“We need to study the papers to see which evidence is useful and then conduct another investigation under Vietnamese law.”

Early this month, Tran Van Truyen, Chief Inspector at the Government Inspectorate, announced that his division had completed the translation of 4,000 pages of documents, mainly in English, related to allegations that Huynh Ngoc Si, former head of the East-West Highway and Water Environment project, took bribes from three executives at the Tokyo-based Pacific Consultants International (PCI).

“It’ difficult to recognize documents, evidence and verdicts presented by foreign justice agencies,” said Cuong, noting that Vietnam and Japan had yet to sign agreements on mutual judicial support.

At a press conference prior to the 6th conference of ASEAN-China Prosecutors General on November 24-25 in Hanoi, Khuat Van Nga, deputy head of the Supreme People’s Procuracy – Vietnam’s top prosecution office – said essentially the same thing.

But Nga also stressed that “it’s still possible to conduct an investigation into the case,” even though the documents were “indirect” evidence.

Si and his ex-deputy Le Qua were arrested in February after a Japanese court convicted the three Japanese executives of violating the Unfair Competition Prevention Law, which bans the bribing of foreign government officials

The executives, who were given suspended sentences of 18 to 24 months, admitted to bribing Si with US$2.6 million between 2002 and 2006 in exchange for helping the company win a consulting contract on the Ease West project, funded with Japanese official development assistance (ODA), the Japanese daily newspaper Yomiuri reported last November.

The scandal led Tokyo to temporarily suspend aid loans to Vietnam last December. But the Japanese government announced in late February that it would resume ODA loans to Vietnam.

Si and Qua, were sentenced to jail-terms of three and two years respectively last month for abuse of power for pocketing $67,300 in rent while illegally leasing an office to PCI from August 2001 to November 2002.

Prosecutors later demanded longer jail terms of between 10 to 15 years each, saying the consequences caused by the violations were far more serious than the court recognized.

Source: VietNamNet/Thanh Nien/VNE

 

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Work begins on Children’s Village in Binh Dinh

Work begins on Children’s Village in Binh Dinh

QĐND – Thursday, November 19, 2009, 20:21 (GMT+7)

Construction of the Quy Nhon SOS Children’s Village started on Nov. 18 in Quy Nhon city of the central province of Binh Dinh.

Covering almost 4 hectares in Nhon Binh ward, the village will be capable of accommodating up to 140 children.

Built at an investment of more than 54.14 billion VND donated by the Vorwerk Group, the village, the 14th of its kind in Vietnam, is expected to be operational after one year of construction.

Source: VNA

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ASEAN, China to strengthen co-operation in combating transnational crime

ASEAN, China to strengthen co-operation in combating transnational crime

QĐND – Thursday, November 19, 2009, 20:21 (GMT+7)

Around 190 delegates, including 100 from 14 international delegations will attend the 6th ASEAN-China Prosecutors General Conference in Hanoi on November 24-25.

The information was released by the Deputy Head of the Supreme People’s Procuracy, Khuat Van Nga, at a press briefing in Hanoi on November 19.

On the theme of “Strengthening cooperation in mutual legal assistance in criminal matters to effectively combat transnational organised crime”, the conference will discuss mutual legal assistance between people’s procuracies of ASEAN and China in combating transnational crimes, such as money laundering, human trafficking, corruption and hi-tech crime which is increasing in the region.

As scheduled, the conference will issue a 9point joint declaration, demonstrating prosecutors’ determination to enhance effectiveness of the fight against transnational organised crime.

Mr Nga said that since Vietnam and China signed an agreement on mutual legal assistance, they have cooperated effectively in combating criminals at both national and local levels.

The conference is held annually in every of ASEAN member countries and China and this is the first time Vietnam will host such the event. The first conference was held in China in 2004.

Source: VOV

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Gov’t to prioritise economic recovery, prevent high inflation

Gov’t to prioritise economic recovery, prevent high inflation

QĐND – Thursday, November 19, 2009, 20:21 (GMT+7)

The government will introduce more policies to stimulate the economy, support recovery efforts and boost economic restructuring, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at the National Assembly question time in Hanoi on November 19.

Going on with stimulus policies

Mr Dung assured NA deputies that Vietnam will fulfil the target of achieving a 5.2 percent GDP growth rate this year thanks to the past 10-month achievements and positive signs of the national and global economies during the last two months of the year.

Though Vietnam’s GDP rate is rather high compared to other countries in the context of the global economic recession, the recovery remains slow going and the 5.2 percent rate is the lowest compared to the past few years, said Mr Dung.

To meet the targets of obtaining the GDP rate of 6.5 percent in 2010 and 7-8 percent in the following years, Mr Dung said the government will continue with appropriate economic stimulus policies with a focus on restructuring the national economy, increasing the quality, efficiency and competitiveness of the economy, stabilising the macro economy, preventing a possible return of high inflation and ensuring social welfare. These policies will be introduced in December 2009.

In addition, the government will issue a decree on credit policy to support agriculture and rural development in line with the Party Central Committee’s resolution.

Tightening expenses

Mr Dung affirmed that after the current NA session, the government will work with provinces and cities to implement a NA resolution on State budget allocations for 2010 as soon as possible. According to the PM, ministries, centrally-run sectors, provinces and cities must tighten their budget management, and prevent tax fraud and evasion, especially taxes on natural resources, real estate, import-export activities and services.

He affirmed that monetary policies will be regulated under the market mechanism through open market instruments. The government will stabilise and gradually lower interest rates to support economic recovery, especially after the economic stimulus package comes to an end.

The government will keep a close watch on total means of payment and maintain the credit balance growth at a reasonable rate to meet the requirements of the national economy. It will tighten the foreign currency market, employ flexible exchange rates, cope with any fluctuations in capital sources, encourage exports, reduce imports and safeguard the overall balance of payment and necessary foreign currency reserves.

Mr Dung noted that the National Assembly has just adopted a resolution, under which total social investment capital in 2010 will make up 41 percent of GDP and budget deficit will be slashed to 6.2 percent of GDP. To meet the target, the government will continue to instruct ministries, sectors and localities to iron out snags in administrative procedures and land clearance, and simplify capital construction procedures, bidding regulations and capital allocations to speed up project implementation.

Mr Dung attributed Vietnam’s high Incremental Capital Output Ratio (ICOR) to low public investment efficiency, big waste as well as cumbersome and costly investment procedures. He affirmed that the government will increase public investment management, accelerate administrative reform and encourage non-State economic sectors to invest in infrastructure construction and production.

Once these solutions are put in place, our ICOR will gradually decrease, said Mr Dung.

Solving social issues

The government leader admitted that it is not easy to solve pressing social problems as this task requires more efforts, resources and time from the government, ministries, sectors, localities and people.

“The government will make every effort to instruct localities to effectively implement poverty reduction projects in a rapid and sustainable manner,” said Mr Dung.

He highlighted the political and social significance of the poverty reduction programme in 62 poor districts across the country, which began recently and is scheduled to last for 12 years. The programme aims to benefit 2.5 million people, of whom more than 90 percent are from ethnic minority groups. It will help the proposed districts develop production, create jobs, increase local people’s incomes, train staff and build basic infrastructure facilities.

Apart from these 62 districts, provinces and cities will mobilise all resources available to assist other poor districts in their localities, especially those which are inhabited by ethnic people, to lower the poverty rate. The government will also amend and issue new policies on sustainable poverty reduction.

In the following years, Mr Dung affirmed that the government will focus on boosting vocational training, creating jobs and increasing labourers’ incomes. To this end, it will develop the vocational training system, increase its quality and offer incentives to attract foreign investment in vocational training.

The government will effectively implement a vocational training project for rural people closely linked to the labour market to serve economic restructuring and agricultural production in particular, said Mr Dung.  

The PM also said that in 2010, the government will review the 2001-2010 national education development strategy and draw up a new one for the next 10 years, with a focus on increasing educational quality to meet national requirements for high quality human resources.

Source: VOV

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Press develops both in terms of quantity and quality

Press develops both in terms of quantity and quality

QĐND – Thursday, November 19, 2009, 20:22 (GMT+7)

Minister of Information and Communications Le Doan Hop praised the rapid development of the press both in terms of quantity and quality and its important role in ideology and in orienting the society in recent years.

However, on his answering National Assembly deputies’ questions on November 17, Minister Hop also reviewed weaknesses in the press in terms of information.

In 2008 and 2009, the Ministry investigated 96 such violations, leading to the revocation of 19 press cards. 

The minister answered questions relating to the management of content and the provision of services on the internet, as well as the planning of the telecommunications infrastructure. 

Regarding the ministry’s duty in internet management, particularly online games and websites with harmful content, the Minister said his ministry issued a system of legal documents on management of the internet and continues to flesh out mechanisms and policies on the issue.

The ministry is also building draft regulations on the management of online games to replace existing Circular 60, which is expected to be submitted to the Prime Minister in the next quarter.

To prevent the adverse impacts from the internet, the ministry should comprehensively take three measures in the areas of administration, technology, and education, focusing on education in families, schools and social organisations to raise awareness of the use of information from the internet among the public, particularly the younger generation.

Source: VOV

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