Party leader applauds Thai Nguyen’s progress; Vietnam succeeds in preventing economic slowdown; UK’s Prince to visit Vietnam; Vietnam, India foster multilateral co-operation

The Party leader and other National Assembly (NA) deputies of Thai Nguyen province were making a fact-finding tour of the province in preparation for the sixth session of the 12th NA, scheduled for sometime late this year.

The year-end session will be an important event in the run-up to the Party’s 11th National Congress planned to be held in early 2011, he stressed.

It will focus on assessing the nation’s socio-economic development in 2009 and discuss solutions and orientations for next year, he told the voters, who are lecturers and students of the Political School and members of the Pensioners’ Club of Thai Nguyen Province.

The voters said they were pleased at the country’s progress in 2009, as seen in its the socio-economic development, strengthened security, defence and social order as well as its increased prestige in the international arena.

They said they were confident in the Party and the Government’s leadership, especially under the difficult circumstances caused by the global economic downturn.

During the meeting, such issues as employment for teachers, support for low-income areas, vocational training schemes, on-going administrative reform, forest protection, and the fight against corruption, were underscored. The Party leaders Manh welcomed all candid and constructive comments and ordered relevant agencies to take into consideration their opinions.

He particularly praised the province’s development in industrial production and economic growth, saying these had made a positive contribution to the country’s predicted 5 percent GDP growth for this year in spite of the impact of the global financial crisis.

“In the near future, Thai Nguyen should make further headway towards adjusting its investment plan in order to lay a solid foundation for development in the coming years,” he said.

Vietnam succeeds in preventing economic slowdown

Vietnam has recorded an economic growth rate of 5.2 percent and kept the inflation rate under control at around 7 percent.

At the 24th session of the National Assembly (NA) on October 2, the NA Standing Committee heard a Government report on the implementation of socio-economic development tasks and State budget estimates for 2009, a plan for socio-economic development and State budget for 2010 and budget allocations for localities next year.

According to the report, Vietnam has this year reached the target of stemming the economic downturn and maintaining a reasonable and sustainable economic growth rate.

The national economy has shown signs of stabilizing, posting a growth rate of 5.2 percent while the inflation rate has been kept under control at 7 percent, in line with levels recorded in previous years.

In 2010, Vietnam is aiming for a GDP growth rate of 6.5 percent and a per capita income of US$1,200.

In order to reach this goal, it will be necessary to stimulate investment, boost production and business, increase the quality of exports, control the trade deficit and accelerate international economic integration.

UK’s Prince to visit Vietnam

During his two-day visit, the Prince will meet with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and attend a banquet given by Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Hong Phuc.

As British Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, the Prince will open the third meeting of the Vietnam-UK Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO). He will also work with UK businesses operating in Vietnam such as Rolls Royce and the Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC).

The visit aims to reinforce UK’s position in Vietnam as a great commercial partner and investor and create new opportunities for UK businesses to invest in Vietnam.

The UK is now the third largest European investor in Vietnam with 115 projects worth US$2.1 billion. Bilateral trade between Vietnam and the UK reached US$1.9 billion in 2008.

Vietnam, India foster multilateral co-operation

Vietnamese State Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan held talks with Indian Vice President Mohamed Hamid Ansari in New Dehli on October 1.

The two vice presidents reviewed recent political and economic developments and discussed measures to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Vice President Ansari welcomed VP Doan’s first visit, which he said would help to foster closer ties between the two countries. He conveyed his deep sympathy for the victims of tropical storm Ketsana.

Mrs Doan praised India’s great achievements over the past 60 years and the economic reforms that have steadily improved India’s status in the region and the world. She commended the Indian Government’s efforts to prepare for the signing of a memorandum of understanding acknowledging Vietnam as a genuine market economy.

The two vice presidents agreed to continue fostering the relationship at regional and international forums such as ASEAN-India, the East Asia Summit, and the UN non-alignment movement. Mrs Doan affirmed that as ASEAN’s president in 2010, Vietnam will further boost co-operative relations between the two countries.

The visit coincided with the Vietnam-India Business Forum, which was held in New Dehli attracting a large number of Vietnamese and Indian businesses.

Vietnam, Canada boost cooperation

Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem’s visit to Canada from September 28-30 has resulted in mutual agreement on measures to boost the two countries’ bilateral and multilateral relations.

His meetings with Canada’s government and parliament senior officials took place in a friendly and constructive atmosphere, focusing on measures to increase ties and international and regional issues of common concern.

The two sides agreed to increase exchanges of high-level delegations and conduct political consultations between their two foreign ministries.

Canada pledged to increase investment in Vietnam and the two sides will accelerate negotiations for a foreign investment protection and promotion agreement (FIPA), work to increase annual two-way trade from US$1.2 billion to US$2 billion, and strengthen cooperation in the oil and gas fields. It also pledged to continue to prioritize ODA for Vietnam, acknowledging that Vietnam has been actively and effectively carrying out projects using its ODA capital since 1992, which now amounts to 600 million Canadian dollars.

The Deputy PM said the two countries would step up agricultural cooperation to tap existing potential. Canada will provide advanced techniques and machinery and import more agricultural products from Vietnam.

The two sides agreed to boost tourism to increase the number of tourists to each country, and develop tourism infrastructure.

Canada also pledged to give more assistance to Vietnam in training human resources and to facilitate the granting of visas to Vietnamese students.

The Canadian officials highly valued the overseas Vietnamese community’s contributions to Canada’s socio-economic development, particularly in medicine, science and business, and promised to create favourable conditions for them to contribute to their homeland.

PV