Party leader begins visit to New Zealand; Vietnam, Israel promote sci-tech cooperation; PM to visit Kazakhstan, Denmark, Hungary; Congratulations on DPRK’s National Day; Vice President meets Australian Chief Justice

He was welcomed at the airport by the NZ Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, the NZ ambassador to Vietnam, ASEAN ambassadors to NZ, and representatives of Vietnamese nationals in the country.

PM Key is scheduled to hold a welcoming ceremony for Mr Manh at the headquarters of the NZ parliament in the morning of September 10. They will later hold talks on measures to boost bilateral cooperation

Vietnam, Israel promote sci-tech cooperation

Vietnam and Israel should increase cooperation in science-technology, energy, transportation and hi-tech for mutual benefit, said Nguyen Duc Kien, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam National Assembly.

While receiving Eli Aflalo, Chairman of the Israel-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group, in Hanoi on September 9, Mr Kien suggested that the two countries speed up the implementation of their economic and trade agreements which have been already signed.

Chairman Eli Aflalo said he will do his best to foster the Vietnam-Israel friendship. He said that the Israeli Minister of Labour, Industry and Trade will lead a delegation of investors to visit Vietnam in the near future to seek investment opportunities.

PM to visit Kazakhstan, Denmark, Hungary

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung will pay official visits to Kazakhstan, Denmark and Hungary from September 14 to 19, the Foreign Ministry said on September 9.

The visits will be made at the invitations of Kazakhstani Prime Minister Carim Masimov, Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Hungarian Prime Minister Bajnai Gordon.

Congratulations on DPRK’s National Day

State President Nguyen Minh Triet on September 9 sent a message of greetings to Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Kim Yong Nam, on the occasion of the DPRK’s 61st National Day (September 9).

The same day, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung also cabled a message of greetings to his DPRK counterpart Kim Young Il for the event.

Earlier on September 8, Deputy Foreign Minister Ho Xuan Son attended a reception hosted by the DPRK Embassy in Hanoi to mark his country’s National Day.

Vice President meets Australian Chief Justice

Vietnam’s State Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan on September 9 received Michael Black, Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia, who is on an official working visit to Vietnam.

In the meeting, Ms Doan stressed that Vietnam is currently in the process of developing its legal system and quality of judges and is eager to learn more from Australia in the coming period. Bilateral exchanges would help accelerate Vietnam’s judicial reform.

Meanwhile, Mr Black said that Vietnam has done a great job as it completed the production of a judicial handbook also available online, a feat few countries have achieved.

He pledged that Australia will help Vietnam develop its capacity to deal with cases relating to intellectual property rights.

Party leader visits New South Wales

After his talks with the Governor-General of Australia, Party leader Nong Duc Manh left Canberra on September 8 for New South Wales (NSW), which is Australia’s most populous state with seven million people and the country’s biggest economic hub.

Immediately after arriving in Sydney, Party leader Nong Duc Mang met with the Premier of New South Wales, Nathan Rees. The Party leader expressed his delight at visiting NSW and Sydney and thanked the NSW Premier and Sydney’s administration for their warm welcome.

Mr Manh praised the significant achievements that NSW people has made in recent times which has turned it into the world’s leading potential state in terms of industry, agriculture, finance and services. He also acknowledged the NSW administration’s positive contributions to developing bilateral relations between Vietnam and Australia and its assistance and support for the Vietnamese community living in the state.

For his part, the NSW Premier said that he believed the Party leader’s visit would be a success, ushering in a new period of cooperative relations between Vietnam and Australia.

Both host and guest agreed that after establishing a bilateral comprehensive partnership, NSW and Vietnam need to enhance cooperation in culture, education, trade and new technologies.

The Party Chief invited Mr Rees to visit Vietnam to learn more about the country’s potential for further cooperation between NSW and Vietnam’s major cities and large economic centres.

During his visit to Sydney, Mr Manh also held talks with State Governor, Marie Bashir

Mr Manh thanked NSW for assisting Vietnam in the fields of health care, education and industry over the past few years.

He appreciated the NSW Governor for sponsoring a study fund, which has financed a number of projects on healthcare and education in Vietnam and for creating ideal conditions for Vietnamese specialists to consult with their colleagues in Australia- a country with advanced scientific technologies in the world.

Mr Manh said that human resources training is one of Vietnam’s top priorities, and he went on to encourage more Vietnamese students to study in NSW.

The State Governor praised the fine development of relations between Vietnam and Australia as well and the Vietnamese community’s significant contributions to Australia’s cultural and economic development.

Miss Bashir said she would continue to create the best possible conditions for NSW and Vietnamese provinces to boost further multi-faceted cooperation.

After the meeting, the State Governor hosted a banquet in honour of Party leader Nong Duc Manh and his delegation.

Vietnam-Laos special relations highlighted

Party officials from the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) on Sept. 8 gathered for a seminar in the central province of Quang Tri to talk about historical events in the special relations between the two countries.

Also taking part in the seminar were scientists, historical witnesses, as well as representatives of Vietnam’s Military Zone 4 and many ministries and localities.

On behalf of the Vietnamese Party and State, Truong Tan Sang, politburo member and standing member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat, delivered a keynote speech, stressing the importance of maintaining and developing the glorious traditions in the two countries’ relations, which were fostered by the late President Ho Chi Minh, the late Lao President Kaysone Phomvihane, as well as the two peoples.

He expressed his wish that the two countries would enhance political ties at all levels and boost exchanges of experience in national renewal to build their common border into one of peace, friendship, cooperation and comprehensive and sustainable development, especially in terms of building the border along the east-west Truong Son mountain range into a prosperous economic corridor for the two countries.

Phanhdouangchit Vongsa, Chairman of the LPRP Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Training, stated that central Vietnam and central Laos share similar traditions and potential. In the past war and during the current period of national construction, the two sides gave each other assistance in the spirit of their special friendship. He expressed the wish that Vietnam would create more conditions to facilitate development in central Laos.

On Sept. 9, historical witnesses and representatives of Vietnamese officials and experts, who used to work in Laos, will meet at the seminar.

A similar seminar will be held in Savannakhet province in Laos, from Sept. 11-13.

Vietnam, UNIDO strengthen cooperation

General Director of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) Kandeh Yumkella visited Vietnam from September 5-8 to boost bilateral cooperation.

During his stay in Vietnam, the UNIDO leader paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and worked with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Planning and Investment, and Industry and Trade.

At the reception, PM Dung highly praised the UNIDO’s cooperation and assistance in recent years and expressed his wish to receive the body’s continued cooperation during the national industrialisation and modernisation process with the goal of becoming an industrial country by 2020.

He affirmed that Vietnam is eager to cooperate with other countries and international organisations, including the UNIDO, in implementing these objectives, especially the sharing of experiences in developing green technologies and overcoming the effects of the climate change.

General Director Kandeh Yumkella said he was impressed with Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements and was pleased with the effective cooperation between Vietnam and the UNIDO during the 2006-2010 period, which he saw as attributable to the Vietnamese government’s careful attention, prudence and strong commitment.

He said that the two sides may consider selecting the theme of “Developing the green industry for a low-carbon economy” as one of their 2011-2016 cooperation orientations.

During his visit, the UNIDO General Director attended and delivered a speech at a seminar on green industry at the Hanoi University of Technology. He also visited several shrimp and tilapia farms in Hai Phong city and Hai Duong province in the northern part of the country.

PV