Vietnam, China cooperate in personnel management; ASEAN promotes cooperation in agriculture and forestry; PM approves agreements on international cooperation; Vietnamese, Belgian ministerial talks focus on economy

Mr Dung assigned the task to the force at a working session on August 12 in the lead up to the 64th anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Police (August 19).

He praised the force for its outstanding achievements in the recent past and confirmed that the Party and State acknowledge its significant contributions to national construction and development.

Briefing generals and officers on the country’s current situation, the PM said that the entire Party and people are speeding up the process of national industrialisation and modernisation to build a strong and prosperous nation.

To fulfil the target, it is essential to maintain political security and social order and safety, said Mr Dung, emphasising that political stability will facilitate socio-economic development.

He asked the force to play its leading role in smashing the hostile forces’ attempts to undermine national unity and distort Party guidelines and State policies.

He expressed his belief that the force will uphold the glorious tradition of the Vietnam People’s Police and fulfil its duty well.

Vietnam, China cooperate in personnel management

A delegation from the Vietnamese Ministry of the Interior is visiting China from August 8-16 to work with some Chinese research agencies and exchange experience in the management of civil servants as well as in the structuring of state apparatus at both central and local levels.

They are also learning about Chinese experiences in administrative reform and some related issues.

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang received the delegation on August 11 and discussed with them matters of mutual concern in a friendly and open manner.

The two sides agreed to further strengthen the cooperation between the Vietnamese Ministry of the Interior and the Chinese Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.

Vice Premier Zhang said the growing ties between the two ministries will help to consolidate the friendship between the two Parties and two States.

ASEAN promotes cooperation in agriculture and forestry

The Special Senior Officials Meeting of the 30th ASEAN Ministers Meeting on Agriculture and Forestry (Special SOM-AMAF 30) was held by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) in HCM City on August 11.

In his speech, MARD Deputy Minister Bui Ba Bong said that Vietnam has actively participated in promoting agricultural cooperation in the region and the globe as well.

Delegates will finalise reports for discussion at the 31st ASEAN Ministers Meeting on Agriculture and Forestry, which cover cooperation programmes and financial plans for the coming years, said Bong.

The Special SOM-AMAF 30 focused on developing models of cooperation to increase approachability, providing cooking for the poor, expanding the agro-forestry market by establishment of a free trade agreement among ASEAN member countries as well as promoting cooperation in human resources training and transfer of technology to increase the quality of agro-forestry products and the competitive edge on the international market.

Senior officials underlined the need to boost technical cooperation between ASEAN member countries, between ASEAN and its partners with a focus on vegetable production and research, bio-technology, animal and plant quarantine and forest management.

On the occasion, a fact-finding tour of the Mekong River Delta will be conducted as part of the three-day meeting.

PM approves agreements on international cooperation

The Prime Minister on August 11 ratified the framework agreement on cooperation between the Governments of Vietnam and Central African Republic signed on May 19, 2009 and the agreement on air transportation with the Canadian Government signed in Montreal on September 28, 2004.

The PM also approved the inter-governmental agreement on a trans-Asian railway network, signed in Busan, the Republic of Korea on November 10, 2006.

In addition, he also ratified a draft agreement on supplement to Article 10 of the framework cooperation agreement signed on April 3, 1993 between the Governments of Vietnam and the Federal Republic of Germany to appoint German experts for development assistance to Vietnam.

On the basic of Vietnam Steel Corporation’s proposal, Deputy PM Hoang Trung Hai agreed to adjust expenditure for second-phase expansion of the Thai Nguyen Cast Iron and Steel Company under the EPC contract.

Vietnamese, Belgian ministerial talks focus on economy

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem has called for concerted efforts to maintain Belgium’s status as Vietnam’s fourth largest European importer.
He said during talks with Belgian Foreign Minister Yves Leterme in Hanoi on August 11 that concrete measures should be taken to boost investment amid the global economic recession.

Khiem also pushed for the deployment of a cooperation programme for the 2007-10 period, for which Belgium has committed to an aid package worth 37.5 million Euros to Vietnam through projects in health care, tourism, education and training, natural resources and environment and poverty reduction.

In return, Leterme assured his host of Belgium’s continued assistance to Vietnam in carrying out its renewal process and boosting relations with other European Union members.

The Belgian Government will strengthen economic ties with Vietnam by encouraging Belgian businesses to promote trade and investment in the Southeast Asian market, emphasised the Belgian minister.

Host and guest reached consensus on mutual assistance at regional and international forums, with a focus on preparations for the eighth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit. The event is scheduled to take place in Belgium in 2010 when Vietnam will assume the presidency of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Belgium the presidency of the EU simultaneously during the last six months of the year.

Vietnam and Belgium have constantly developed bilateral relations in the recent past, which was marked with regular exchanges of senior delegations. They included Belgium visits by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in September 2006 and his deputy cum Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem in September 2008. In June 2008 the then Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht visited Vietnam.

Vietnam- Sri Lanka joint committee holds 2nd meeting

The 2nd meeting of the Vietnam-Sri Lanka Joint Committee on Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation took place in the Sri Lankan city of Colombo from August 10-11.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Dao Viet Trung and Sri Lankan Minister for Foreign Affairs Rohitha Bogollagama co-chaired the session.

The officials reviewed the recent results of cooperation and put forth key directions for the future, especially once Sri Lanka has successfully tackled issues related to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to facilitate the country’s national construction and expansion of international relations.

They agreed to increase the exchange of high-level visits and prepare for Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s state visit to Vietnam later this year.

The Vietnamese side also agreed to consider the possibility of re-opening its permanent representative agency in Sri Lanka.

The two sides agreed to speed up the signing of a number of important documents in order to create a legal basis for expanded bilateral cooperation, including an agreement on investment promotion and protection, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on crime prevention, plans of action for agriculture in the 2010-2012 period and for implementation of a MoU on fisheries, and several other deals on cooperation in marine shipping, education and national defence.

They also agreed to exploit other fields potential for cooperation such as health care, aviation, tourism, culture, sports and Buddhist study.

For trade and investment, the two sides consented to a target of US$100 million in two-way trade in 2012, and a plan to expand cooperation on investment in both countries.

The two sides shared the common view of furthering their joint efforts in regional and international forums, particularly regarding the Colombo Plan for socio-economic development in Asia and the Pacific, the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), the South-South Cooperation forum, the Non-Alignment Movement, and the United Nations.

The Sri Lankan side affirmed their support for Vietnam as a candidate in the election of UNESCO’s executive board.

The Vietnamese side said that Vietnam, in its position as ASEAN Chairman in 2010, will strengthen cooperation between Sri Lanka and ASEAN.

Finally, Vietnamese Deputy FM Trung and Sri Lankan FM R. Bogollagama signed the session’s minutes, agreeing to convene the third session in Vietnam in 2011.

While in Sri Lanka, Trung paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayka and met with leaders of a number of ministries and agencies in Sri Lanka, who spoke highly of the achievements Vietnam has recorded in its national renewal, construction and development process.

Trung congratulated the Sri Lankan government and people on their victory in the fight against terrorism as well as in restoring security and promoting national development.
Both sides applauded progress in their traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation, citing last year’s two-way trade value of US$61 million, a three-fold increase over that of 2003 when the two countries held their first meeting of the joint committee.

Despite facing a lot of difficulties, Sri Lanka has invested US$13.2 million in five projects in Vietnam. The two nations have worked closely at regional and international forums.

PV