POLITICS IN BRIEF 8/4

Published: 07/04/2010 05:00

FM spokeswoman reaffirms Vietnam’s sovereignty over Eat Sea islands; ASEAN commission on women’s rights to debut; ASEAN bankers meet in Nha Trang; President to visit Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Algeria

Party leader to visit Laos

Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh will pay an official friendly visit to Laos on April 13-15, according to the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations.

The visit was made at the invitation of Choummaly Sayasone, General Secretary of the Lao People Revolutionary Party and State President of Laos.

FM spokeswoman reaffirms Vietnam’s sovereignty over Eat Sea islands

China has seriously violated Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos when sending vessels to patrol Truong Sa area.

The statement was made by Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokeswoman Nguyen Phuong Nga on April 5 in response to questions from the media about Vietnam’s reaction toward Chinese dispatch of two fishery administration ships to Truong Sa archipelago on April 1.

Vietnam reaffirms its indisputable sovereignty over the two archipelagos, said Nga.

“Vietnam calls on the Chinese side to immediately end the operation that may cause tension, further complicate the situation in the East Sea and affect the maintenance of peace, stability and cooperation in the region,” Nga said.

ASEAN commission on women’s rights to debut

A committee aimed at protecting women and children will make its official debut in Hanoi within the framework of the third conference of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Council (ASCC) slated for April 7.

At a press briefing in Hanoi on April 5, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Trong Dam, who is also Head of the Vietnamese delegation to the ASCC, said that the establishment of the Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children is one of Vietnam’s initiatives as ASCC chairs in 2010.

At the conference, ASCC member countries will propose priority areas to develop social welfare for women and children who make up more than 50 percent of the ASEAN population. They will discuss ways to cope with global challenges including climate change to enhance cooperation within the bloc, especially in implementing agreements on natural disaster management and emergency response.

The conference will also look at building human resources for economic recovery and development so as to reduce job loss, poverty and inequality due to the impact of economic crisis and enhance the capability and the competitiveness of ASEAN human resources to adapt to labour immigration in the region and technological advances.

It will focus on assessing the implementation of the ASCC master scheme approved at the 14th ASEAN summit in Thailand last year.

The master scheme includes the development of individual human potential, social welfare and protection, social justice, ensuring sustainable protection of the environment and building the ASEAN character.

ASEAN bankers meet in Nha Trang

The sixth ASEAN Central Bank Governors’ Meeting (ACGM 6) opened in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa province on April 7.

Governors and representatives from 10 ASEAN central banks and the deputy general director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Naoyuki Shinohara, were all present at the opening.

Participants discussed the main contents in initiatives for financial and monetary cooperation in ASEAN, including a roadmap for ASEAN financial and monetary integration, banking and financial cooperation among ASEAN and its three partners – China, Japan and the Republic of Korea as well as efforts to improve the capacity of using home currency in trading payment in ASEAN.

Governors approved a proposal to set up a working group on the regional payment system with the main tasks of harmonising regional regulations and payment system and creating favourable conditions for capital inflow and payment among the countries.

Speaking at the meeting, State Bank of Vietnam governor, Nguyen Van Giau emphasized that the ASEAN economies have undergone difficulties due to the impact of the global economic crisis. However, he predicted ASEAN member countries would rebound soon.

The ACGM will continue to overcome the challenges of the global financial crisis and turn co-operative initiatives in ASEAN and ASEAN + 3 into specific actions, he said.

Vietnam to increase cooperation in agriculture with Brunei

Vietnam praises Brunei’s experience in developing fishing and aquaculture and wants to expand cooperation with the latter in these fields, State President Nguyen Minh Triet told Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah in Hanoi on April 7.

Mr Triet affirmed Vietnam’s willingness to share its experience in rice production with Brunei and hoped Brunei businesses will increase their investments in Vietnam.

He welcomed the Sultan to the 16th ASEAN Leaders’ Summit in Hanoi on April 8-9, considering his presence as a contribution to the success of the largest political meeting in Southeast Asia.

He thanked Brunei for supporting Vietnam in regional and international forums, training human resources and receiving Vietnamese workers.

The Sultan lauded Vietnam’s thorough preparations for the summit, which he said would make the event a success. He congratulated Vietnam’s on its Renewal achievements and said Brunei businesses are keen to seek investment opportunities in Vietnam.

Brunei will continue to grant scholarships and help Vietnam train human resources in the areas of its strength, said the Sultan.

President Triet invited the Sultan to pay an official visit to Vietnam soon and the invitation was accepted with pleasure. The Sultan said he is looking forward to receiving Mr Triet in Brunei in the near future.

At a separate meeting the same day, Prime Minister Dung proposed that Vietnam and Brunei sign agreements on cooperation in such areas as trade, investment, education, labour and culture.

He expressed his hope that Brunei and the Sultan himself will support Vietnam in fulfilling its duty as ASEAN Chair, contributing to building a united ASEAN Community by 2015.

The Sultan welcomed Mr Dung’s proposal and confirmed that his country will continue to promote cooperation in various areas with Vietnam.

Vietnam vows to boost ASEAN-China relations

“Vietnam will do its best to strengthen the relationship between ASEAN and China,” said Vietnamese Ambassador to China, Nguyen Van Tho.

Mr Tho made the commitment while attending a ceremony in Beijing on April 5 to mark the 60th anniversary of the broadcasting of four languages (Burmese, Thai, Indonesian and Vietnamese) on China Radio International (CRI).

Addressing the event, Mr Tho said, as an ASEAN Chair, Vietnam will exert constant effort to develop ASEAN-China strategic partnership.

He also emphasised that in 2010, Vietnam and China will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Various activities will take place during this occasion to strengthen bilateral ties, promote mutual understanding and boost comprehensive cooperation.

The same day, CRI also inaugurated a website on ASEAN-China relations at http://asean.cri.cn, published in many foreign languages, including Vietnamese, Laos, Cambodian, Thai, Indonesian, Tagalog, Malaysian and Burmese. The website highlights the cooperation between China and ASEAN member countries, particularly activities in the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (FTA).

Vietnam, Cuba enhance co-operation in building infrastructure

A delegation from the Ministry of Transport, led by Minister Ho Nghia Dung, has arrived in Cuba to boost bilateral cooperation in infrastructure construction.

During talks with Cuban Minister of Construction Fidel Figueroa, who is also Chairman of the Cuba-Vietnam Cooperation Subcommittee, on April 6, Minister Dung informed his host about the development of transport infrastructure networks in Vietnam over time and the country’s demand for expanding and modernising roads, seaports and airports.

He said he was pleased with the continuously strengthened friendship and cooperation between the two countries in general and between the two ministries in particular. He thanked Cuban experts for their assistance in providing consultancy for and superving construction works in Vietnam, including the Ho Chi Minh Expressway.

For his part, Minister Fidel congratulated Vietnam on its satisfactory results in overcoming the global economic crisis.

Since the two countries established their cooperation in the construction sector, more than 1,000 Cuban experts and engineers have worked in Vietnam, he said, adding that around 80 Cuban consultants are currently present in Vietnam to participate in construction works.

On the same day, Minister Dung had a working session with Cuban Minister of Transport Jorge Luis Sierra during which the two sides exchanged experiences in management of road, waterway and seaway traffic activities.

Third session of SOCA Meeting opens

Under the framework of the 16th ASEAN summit, the third session of the Meeting of the Senior Officials Committee for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (SOCA) opened at the National Convention Centre in Hanoi on April 7.

At this meeting, the ministers discussed how to implement the plan to develop SOCA, acknowledged previous outcomes and pointed out challenges to SOCA’s development from now to 2015.

Also taking place in Hanoi the same day are a meeting to establish an ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children and the third session of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Council.

Conference reviews development of private sector

A national conference was held in Hanoi on April 6 to review the implementation of a Party Resolution on encouraging and facilitating the development of the private sector economy.

The conference was hosted by the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC) Secretariat and co-chaired by Politburo member and permanent member of the Secretariat Truong Tan Sang, Politburo member and Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung and CPVCC member and Head of the CPVCC Office Ngo Van Du.

350 delegates from centrally-run ministries, sectors, agencies, cities and provinces, and outstanding private enterprises attended the event.

Opening the conference, Mr Sang said the fifth meeting of the CPVCC, ninth tenure, adopted a resolution on the continued renewal of mechanisms and policies encouraging and creating favourable conditions for the development of the private economic sector in order to implement the Resolution of the ninth National Party Congress. He stressed that this conference is aimed at enhancing leadership, information and awareness and creating a high degree of consensus among the entire Party and people as well as sectors and government at all levels about the Party and State’s consistent policy on developing the private economy.

Mr Sang also urged the participants to make suggestions to help the private economic sector overcome its shortcomings and weaknesses to develop strongly on a par with the nation’s potential.

Deputy PM Hung emphasised the role and directions for the development of the private economy in the years to come. He asked the delegates to discuss and put forward solutions to continue renewing, encouraging and creating favourable conditions for the development of the private economic sector, thus turning it into an impetus for the durable and sustainable growth of the whole country.

Over the past eight years, a wide range of policies and regulations have been issued, creating a legal framework and a good environment for the private economy to develop. However, the reform of mechanisms and policies exclusively designed for the private sector has still seen restrictions as a number of regulations are far removed from the current reality.

Montenegro wants to increase cooperative ties with Vietnam

Montenegro and Vietnam have great potential for boosting cooperation in economics, investment, trade, and particularly tourism, says Montenegrin President Phillip Vujanovich.

At a recent reception for Vietnam’s new ambassador Nguyen Quang Chien, the Montenegrin President said he admired the Vietnamese people for their significant achievements, especially in economics, in the national construction and development.

He said he believes the new ambassador will take an active part in strengthening friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Ambassador Chien expressed Vietnam’s desire to develop its traditional ties with Montenegro in the interest of the two people.

President to visit Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Algeria

State President Nguyen Minh Triet will pay official visits to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Tunisia and the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria from April 10-15, according to a Foreign Ministry communiquÃ© released on April 5.

The visits were made at the invitation of Saudi Arabian King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Tunisian President Zeine Al-Abidine Ben Ali and Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

ASEAN 16-preparatory meetings held in Hanoi

The 16th ASEAN Summit’s preparatory meetings were held in Hanoi on April 6, including the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM), the ASEAN Economics Senior Officials’ Meeting (SEOM) and the Meeting of the Senior Officials Committee for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (SOCA).

These important meetings are to prepare for the ASEAN 16 plenary session scheduled for April 8-9.

In his speech at the opening of the SOM, the Head of Vietnamese diplomatic officials’ delegation, Pham Quang Vinh, said that the meeting is a major step towards putting all the documents from various meetings and the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) meeting of ASEAN Foreign Ministers for submission to ASEAN 16.

The ASEAN community is based on three pillar communities: political-security, economic and socio-cultural.

The political security community aims to build a peaceful and secure environment for developing southeast Asia by raising cooperation within ASEAN on political security to a higher level with the involvement and contribution of outside partners.

ASEAN economic senior officials discussed ways of speeding up the establishment of the ASEAN Community and the implementation of the ASEAN Charter, boosting cooperation and intra bloc links while increasing regional capacity in order to cope with global challenges.

The assistant to the Trade Minister of the Philippines, Ramon Vicente said, “ We built the ASEAN economic community based on four major issues, including sharpening competitiveness, building a unique common market and a united production model with the free circulation of goods, services, capital and labour, bringing prosperity to the region as a whole and attracting outside investment,”

“Narrowing the development gap within ASEAN is also considered important for building an ASEAN economic community. Consequently, we are carrying out support programmes to help countries at a lower development level to keep pace with developed countries in the region,’ Ramon noted.

The socio-cultural community’s target is to serve and increase people’s living standards by dealing with issues related to social equality and justice, culture, the environment and the impact of globalisation and technological revolution.

SOCA officials discussed ways of accelerating the establishment of an ASEAN socio-cultural community later this year with a focus on evaluating an overall plan for building the community, and reviewing the results that have been recorded to fulfill the target of creating an ASEAN community by 2015.

To meet the 2015 target for an ASEAN socio-cultural community, 300 measures have been proposed. Therefore, the preparatory meeting put forward priority areas for this year with Vietnam as the ASEAN Chair.

The meeting focused on four major issues such as global challenges, natural disasters, human resources development and economic recovery. In addition, improving social welfare for ASEAN women and children and building community-based cultural components were also touched upon.

The Head of the Gender Equality Department under the Cambodian Ministry of Women Affairs, Nheun Chosetra said, “We deem the target for an ASEAN socio-cultural community very important. As a member of the ASEAN community, we will make every effort to build a community with distinctive cultural identities. The building of the community will benefit ASEAN people culturally and in other areas. We expect that our target will be reached after these meetings.”

The Head of Thailand’s senior diplomatic delegation, Chitriya Pinthong praised Vietnam’s through preparations and expressed hopes that ASEAN 16 will be a great success.

At the preparatory meetings, other major measures were also discussed to overcome the consequences of the global economic downturn, ensure sustainable development and cope with climate change.

ASEAN leaders also agreed that to complete the process of building the ASEAN community, it is essential to resolve major threats in the region to bring all nations closer together.

More meetings for ASEAN 16 will continue to take place on April 7, including a meeting of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Council, a meeting on the establishment of an ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children and a meeting of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Council.

Ethnic Khmers praised by President

Since 1991, the number of communist party members coming from the local Khmer group has increased by fivefold to nearly 12,000. Many of them have been elected to the National Assembly or People’s Councils at various levels.

During a meeting held on April 6 to celebrate the coming Khmer festival Chol Chnam Thmey, State President Nguyen Minh Triet praised Khmer cadres and compatriots for their contributions to the previous struggle for national independence and the current process of national construction and socio-economic development.

The meeting was attended by leaders from several ministries and more than 350 Khmer people, heroic Vietnamese mothers, and monks in southern Vietnam.

Currently there are about 1.3 million Khmers in the south. In recent years, their lives have improved considerably thanks to the Party and State’s support policies. The poverty rate among the group has dropped from 40 percent in 2006 to 28 percent in 2009.

ASEAN countries strengthen financial co-operation

The ASEAN+3 Finance and Central Bank Deputies’ Meeting (AFDM+3) opened at the VinPearl Land resort in Nha Trang City on April 6.

Presided over by Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Finance, Tran Xuan Ha and China’s Deputy Minster of Finance, Li Yong, the meeting attracted financial and central bank deputies from 10 ASEAN countries as well as three partners of China, the Republic of Korea (RoK) and Japan.

The participants reviewed financial co-operation among ASEAN + 3, including an initiative to develop an Asian bond market, and the Chiang Mai initiative to establish a foreign currency fund to support the balance of payments and maintain adequate reserves of foreign currency in each country. They also discussed the outcome of the ASEAN + 3 meeting in Pusan in the RoK.

China’s Ministry of Finance gave a briefing on the working process and proposed several activities for financial and economic technical supervisors. The ASEAN secretariat presented an annual report on funding and other current issues.

The meeting also prepared the agenda for the informal East Asian Financial Ministers Meeting in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in May 2010.

Cambodia, Vietnam boost legislative bonds

The traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia is a valuable asset for both countries’ future generations.

The statement was made by National Assembly Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu during a reception for a delegation from the Cambodian Senate led by Chea Cheth, Chairman of the Financing, Banking and Auditing Commission, in Hanoi on April 5.

Mr Luu said that bilateral cooperation in many fields including economics, trade, culture, science and education, has seen significant development over the past years.

He thanked the Cambodian government’s for facilitating Vietnamese investment in such areas as mining, energy, telecommunications and rubber planting, stressing the two parliaments’ important role in creating legal frameworks, mechanisms and policies for investment cooperation.

Mr Chea Cheth said the Cambodian Senate wants to learn from Vietnam’s experiences in law-making and supervision, allocation and management of State budgets, implementation of gender equality, as well as in narrowing the development gap between urban and rural areas.

Legislative leader pushes for stronger ties with Cuba

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong has called for a greater effort to strengthen the traditional friendship, solidarity and cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba.

Mr. Trong made the call while receiving Ramon Pez Ferro, President of the Cuban National Assembly’s Commission for Foreign Relations in Hanoi on April 5.

The chairman proposed that the two legislatures and their commissions for external relations promote the exchange information and experience in law-making and supervision, as well as coordination and mutual support at regional and international inter-parliamentary forums.

The same day, Pez Ferro held talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Van Son, during which they informed each other about the situation in their respective countries and the activities of the two legislative agencies.

The legislators discussed the joint organisation of celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Cuba diplomatic ties, especially in educating the two countries’ younger generations about their time-honoured relations.

They also agreed to boost the exchange of visits by parliamentary bodies and encourage ministries, sectors and businesses to further step up cooperation to develop the Vietnam-Cuba relationship.

Malaysia, Vietnam join hands to combat corruption

The Vietnamese Inspectorate General and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) have signed a cooperative agreement against corruption as a result of long-term cooperation between the two agencies.

The deal was reached during the Malaysia visit from April 2-6 by Vietnamese Government Inspector General Tran Van Truyen at the invitation of the MACC President Haji Ahmad Said.

Accordingly, the two sides will share information on corruption, money laundering, trade fraud, and other economic crimes. They will also exchange visits to learn from each other and coordinate efforts to settle related problems.

Malaysia pledged to help Vietnam train inspectors. This September, it will send a delegation to Vietnam to discuss issues of mutual concern with Vietnamese officials.

During the meetings with the Vietnamese delegation headed by Mr Truyen, MACC officials praised Vietnam’s efforts to take advantage of all conditions at ASEAN and other international forums to combat corruption. The two sides committed themselves to bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the region to uproot corruption.

Vietnam trains Lao cultural officials

A professional training course opened in Laos’ province of Luang Prabang on April 5 for information and cultural managers in eight northern Lao provinces.

The course was run as a joint effort between the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) and the Laotian Ministry of Information and Culture. Vietnamese lecturers will share their experiences in state management of cultural and artistic activities at district level, as well as cultural heritage, performing arts and cultural life at grassroots level.

“The 5-day course, funded by the MCST will be a good chance for Lao information and cultural officials to learn from Vietnam’s experiences and apply them to the Laotian situation,” said Mr. Vilaython Xithanon, director of Laos Institute of Information and Culture.

Mr. Xithanon added that it will also help strengthen the relationship between the two countries.

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