Numerous events mark National Day; DPRK’s National Day observed in Hanoi; PM visits legendary general Vo Nguyen Giap; Vietnam’s August Revolution and National Day celebrated all over SEA

On September 1, a delegation from the Party, State, National Assembly and Fatherland Front led by Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, paid tribute at President Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum. 64 years ago, President Ho Chi Minh read out the country’s Declaration of Independence in Ba Dinh Square on September 2, 1945, declaring to the world the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and announcing that Vietnam had the right to enjoy independence and freedom.

The delegation also laid a wreath at the monument to commemorate war martyrs in Bac Son street.

*** On the occasion, Hanoi has instructed various organisations to decorate the streets, parks and city centres areas and to hold a series of concerts.

On the evenings of September 1 and 2, many artists will perform on outdoor stages in districts and precincts.

The Hanoi Film and Video Company will also screen a number of films in remote areas.

*** Participants in a meeting held in Hanoi Phong reviewed the nation’s glorious past and the city’s efforts to overcome its difficulties and challenges and make full use of its potential and strength to restore growth, develop its economy and ensure social welfare. In the near future, the city will speed up the implementation of a number of key projects and try to fulfill its socio-economic targets to obtain a GDP growth rate of 7.5 to 8 percent.

DPRK’s National Day observed in Hanoi

A get-together was held in Hanoi on September 1 to mark the 61st National Day of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Pham Tat Dong, president of the Vietnam-DPRK Friendship Association, noted that the relationship between friendship organisations of Vietnam and the DPRK has been constantly consolidated along with the positive developments of the two countries’ cooperative ties.

He said for the first time a club of Vietnamese alumni has sent a delegation to the DPRK to take part in National Day celebrations and visit their ex-teachers and schools in September. In addition, the two friendship organisations have planned to launch various activities in 2010 to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and the DPRK.

The DPRK ambassador to Vietnam recalled a visit by General Secretary Nong Duc Manh to his country in October 2007 where General Secretary of the Korean Workers’ Party Kim Jong Il and Mr Manh held talks to boost bilateral cooperation.

The DPRK wants to increase cooperation with Vietnam in all areas, from politics to economics and culture, to bring bilateral ties to new heights, said the ambassador.

DPRK people celebrate their National Day on September 9.

PM visits legendary general Vo Nguyen Giap

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, Deputy PM Nguyen Sinh Hung and Minister and Chairman of the Government Office Nguyen Xuan Phuc on September 1 visited and inquired into General Vo Nguyen Giap’s health on the occasion of National Day.

Mr Dung wished the 99-year-old general good health, longevity and cleverness to make further contributions to the country’s Renewal process. He said the general sets a bright example as the commander in chief of the Vietnam People’s Army, significantly contributing to the revolutionary cause of the Party and nation.

Mr Dung assured general Giap that the government is determined to meet targets set by the 10th Party National Congress to move the nation forward and improve people’s well-being.

General Giap expressed his belief that under the leadership of the Party and with the Government’s performance, Vietnam will continue to reap greater socio-economic achievements in international integration.

Vietnam’s August Revolution and National Day celebrated all over SEA

Vietnamese expatriates are busy organising charitable activities.

The Vietnamese Association in Lao’s Vientiane capital met on August 31 to review the results of a campaign that raised VND46.7 million for a programme in support of children with heart problems.

The Vietnamese Association and the Vietnamese embassy in Cambodia inaugurated a Khmer-Vietnam primary school in Mien Chay district in Phnom Penh capital.

Vietnamese Ambassador Ngo Anh Dung was also present at the inauguration ceremony.

At the event, representatives from the Vietnamese embassy and southern Vietnamese provinces presented gifts for the freshly-built school which is described as the biggest in Cambodia.

The Tan Tien school was built from April 2008 at a cost of over US$200,000. Of the funding, the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese contributed US$86,000 and the Ho Chi Minh City Fatherland Front donated US$40,000 while the rest was raised by Vietnamese overseas and provided by individual domestic and foreign donors.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand held a get-together with overseas Vietnamese on August 30 to mark the August Revolution and National Day.

The event was turned into a fund-raiser for Agent Orange/dioxin victims at home.

Friendship organisation calls on US to release five Cuban heroes

The Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Organisation (VCFO) on August 31 made a statement, requiring the US government to promptly release five anti-terrorist Cuban nationals being detained in the US.

In the statement, the VCFO affirmed its strong support and unchanged solidarity with the Cuban people and the five men, who are praised as national heroes for their bravery in the fight against terrorism.

The five nationals - Fernando Gonzalez Llort, Antonio Guerrero Rodriguez, Gerardo Hernandez Nordelo, Ramon Labanino Salazar and Rene Gonzalez Sehwerert - were arrested by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on September 12, 1998 in Miami, Florida, while they were engaged in activities to prevent a terrorist scheme against Cuba.

Over the past ten years, they have been detained in the US due to arbitrary verdicts by the Miami Court and local government. Many organisations and individuals worldwide have called on the US government to reconsider the case and release them promptly.

However, the US Supreme Court recently refused to reconsider the verdict after being requested to do so by the counsels for the defence.

Vietnam, China discuss border management

A delegation from four northwestern Vietnamese provinces on August 31 attended a second meeting to discuss border management with the Chinese province of Yunnan.

The delegation, made up of representatives from Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Lai Chau and Dien Bien provinces, and led by Pham Van Cuong, permanent Deputy Chairman of the Lao Cai provincial People’s Committee Pham Van Cuong, met with the Chinese side to review the implementation of border management cooperation, border gate construction, economic-trade cooperation and other fields which were introduced at their first meeting in Lao Cai province last September.

They also adopted a memorandum on cooperation in numerous fields pertinent to each of the four Vietnamese provinces and Yunnan province in the 2009-2010 period and held further discussions on new issues related to border management.

The delegates agreed to select Dien Bien province as head of the multi-provincial working group for the 2009-2010 period and also as host of the third meeting to be held in the third quarter of 2010.

As scheduled, the delegation will participate in an inauguration ceremony on September 1 for Kim Thanh bridge which links Vietnam ’s Lao Cai city with the Chinese town of Hekou.

PV