Vietnam, Laos cooperate in healthcare sector
The Vietnam and Laos Ministries of Health co-organised a seminar on July 3-4 to discuss measures to boost cooperation in the healthcare sector.
Participants at the seminar touched upon issues such as heart-related diseases, emergencies, surgery, infectious diseases, autism and newborn screening.
Speaking at the event, Lao Minister of Health, Ponmek Dalaloy, praised presentations by medical experts, saying this is a good opportunity for Lao doctors and nurses to improve their professional skills and provide better healthcare services for children in Laos which has a high rate of infant mortality.
He thanked the Vietnamese Government and people for their assistance to the Lao Ministry of Health over the past years.
On behalf of the Vietnamese delegation, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien emphasised that the seminar created a venue for Vietnamese medical workers and their Lao colleagues to share experiences and improve skills. Ms Tien also pledged to do her best to provide more assistance to the Lao healthcare sector.
The Vietnamese Ministry of Health and the Central Pediatrics Hospital donated medical equipment and facilities to the Lao Hospital for Mothers and Children.
US Ambassador receives guests on National Day
US Ambassador to Vietnam Michael W. Michalak on July 2 hosted a reception to mark his country’s 234th National Day (July 4).
Vietnamese Minister of Science and Technology Hoang Van Phong was among the guests at the event.
During the reception, Minister Phong and US Ambassador Michalak highlighted the positive developments in Vietnam-US relations over the past time.
They expressed their hope that the two countries’ ties would further develop in the framework of friendly partnership and multi-faceted cooperation in the interests of both peoples and for the sake of peace, stability and development in the region and the world at large.
On behalf of the Vietnamese government and people, Minister Phong extended congratulations to the US government, congress and people on their national day.
He also took this occasion to thank Ambassador Michalak for his active contributions to strengthening the two country’s relations.
NA delegation visits New Zealand
A delegation from the Vietnamese National Assembly led by Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu paid a working visit to New Zealand from June 29 to July 2.
The delegation met with NZ Parliament Speaker Lockwook Smith, Deputy Speaker Lindsay Tisch and leaders of several agencies in the country. It also attended a Q&A session for cabinet members.
While working with the Vietnamese guests, Speaker Lockwook Smith spoke highly of the developing relationship between the two countries in general and between the two parliaments in particular over the past time, especially after Vietnam and NZ signed a joint statement on their comprehensive partnership in September 2009.
The Speaker showed his interest in Vietnam’s socio-economic strategy and foreign policy in the coming time and its 13th NA elections scheduled for 2011.
He said he also paid attention to targets that Vietnam wants to reach as it is the ASEAN Chair and its NA assumes a role as the Chair of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) this year.
For his part, NA Vice Chairman Luu said he was pleased to visit NZ on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the two countries’ diplomatic ties.
He invited the NZ Parliament to send a delegation to Vietnam to attend the 31st AIPA General Assembly slated for September 19-25 in Hanoi.
During the working sessions, the two sides exchanged notes on several issues relating to the parliament’s legislative and supervision activities, the process of building and adopting bills, institutions involving in legislative activities and modes of receiving and addressing voters’ petitions.
Green ties with Laos lifted
Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh wants the Vietnamese National Assembly’s Committee for Sciences, Technology and Environment (CSTE) and the Lao Authority for Sciences and Technology (LAST) to share environmental experiences.
While receiving the visiting CSTE chairman, Dang Vu Minh, in Vientiane yesterday, Bouphavanh proposed the two nations monitor buffer zones, protect rare animal species along the Truong Son mountain range, and seek solar, wind and other clean energy sources.
He said the Lao Government was striving to raise the country’s forest coverage to 70 per cent by 2020.
Minh said his committee was ready to cooperate with Laos.
Senior defence officers meet
Senior defence officers from ASEAN countries yesterday gathered to discuss preparations for the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADDM Plus) in December.
Vice minister of National Defence Nguyen Chi Vinh, who is also head of Viet Nam’s working group, said opinions were collected about the meeting.
Eight nations - the United States, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand - will attend. The meeting aims to share experiences and responsibilities on regional and international defences.
Nation marks 95th birthday of celebrated pioneer of renewal
Politburo member Truong Tan Sang described Nguyen Van Linh as a model Communist and an excellent disciple of President Ho Chi Minh at a gathering in northern Hung Yen Province yesterday to honour the former Viet Nam Communist Party General Secretary’s birth 95 years ago.
“He is the pride of the Party and Vietnamese people,” said Sang, who is also a Permanent Member of the Central Committee Secretariat.
The former general secretary’s birthday was also celebrated at two gatherings held in HCM City.
The veteran revolutionary, who died in April, 1998, was general secretary when doi moi, or renewal, was introduced in 1986 and a purpose of the seminars was to discuss his contribution to the process.
“His contributions will ever be engraved in the nation’s history,” HCM City Party Committee deputy secretary Nguyen Van Dua told the gathering organised by the HCM City Party Committee and the people of Sai Gon, Cho Lon and Gia Dinh.
“So too will be the lessons and experience drawn from his revolutionary work. He is truly a shining example of the virtue and great prestige of a Communist who devoted all his life to the nation and its people, particularly to Sai Gon-HCM City.”
“He will live forever in the hearts of all cadres, party members and the people of HCM City.”
Nguyen Van Linh was among the pioneers of doi moi, which began after the sixth National Party Congress. He helped ensure that it remained consistent with maintaining a Party-led Socialist orientation while respecting and promoting the people’s mastery and practised the principle: “People know, people discuss, people act and people supervise.”
The achievements of the 25 years of renewal have now provided a firm basis for the further development of theory and practice on the path to socialism in Viet Nam.
Nguyen Van Linh, together with other Party and Government leaders, was pro-active and creative in steering the Vietnamese revolutionary boat through critical situations in the world.
They did so by accelerating the renewal process and executing the strategic tasks of national construction and defence; socio-economic development; improving the people’s livelihoods; expanding the country’s diplomatic relations and raising Viet Nam’s international profile.
As HCM City Party Committee Secretary following re-unification, Nguyen Van Linh proposed policies to the Central Committee which matched the city’s reality.
The proposals actively and effectively contributed to the design of the renewal guidelines and policy of the Party and Government.
For him, revolution meant creativity and the revolutionary cause required leaders who could draw lessons learned from reality and detect new and good things and replicate them.
Nguyen Van Linh said: “Renewal is a deep and comprehensive revolution. We have to renew our thinking, our policies, our organisations and our staff.
“A leader who is conservative, makes many mistakes and refuses to renew themselves should resign from their jobs.”
With the lessons learned from the new models developed in HCM City and elsewhere across the nation, the Central Committee and the Political Bureau decided to eliminate the command economy, including the traditionally subsidised system, and replace it with a new economic model. The decision ushered in a new era for Viet Nam – the era of renewal.
The process focused on economic reform while gradually renewing the organisations and activities of the political system.
The Communist Party of Viet Nam said clearly that it resolutely rejected the idea of pluralism or a multi-party system and continued to prioritise socialism.
The Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and Public Administration also organised a workshop to discuss Nguyen Van Linh yesterday as both a true Communist and role model.
The Viet Nam Association of Photographic Artists has organised an exhibition depicting his life and work in his native northern Hung Yen Province.
Tuyen Quang urged to plant more trees
President Nguyen Minh Triet urged Tuyen Quang Province to use its own potentials to continuously promote its achievements in socio-economic development in recent years.
Speaking with provincial leaders during his two day working visit to the province which wrapped up yesterday, Triet said Tuyen Quang was abundant in land so as it should focus on afforestation projects.
Along with forest plantations, the President also asked the province to expand dairy raising, step up key industrial production and services.
As the northern mountainous Tuyen Quang province remains poor, its average income per capita is still lower than the national average, Triet admitted the situation had existed partially because the State was short of funds so as it had only been able to pour money into key areas in the province.
Triet also spoke highly of the province’s efforts in socio-economic development. Its economic growth showed a year on year increase. The province’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased to over 14 per cent in the first six months of this year. Average GDP per capita was estimated to reach US$702 this year.
Policies on attracting investment have made positive changes to industrial production in the province, with its value estimated to reach over VND2,200 billion ($122 million) this year. Education and training quality and people’s health have improved in recent years.
On the position as the head of National Steering Committee on Judicial Reform, Triet asked the province to disseminate information, effectively implement judicial reform and improve the operational efficiency of local judicial offices.
Also during his stay in Tuyen Quang, Triet met people in Son Duong District’s Tan Trao Commune.
He said the Party, Government and people were grateful for contributions and great sacrifices of different ethnic groups in Tuyen Quang Province during the national resistance war.
Triet called upon ethnic people in the province to better implement poverty alleviation programmes and care more about their children’s education.
He said the Party and Government were determined to develop Viet Nam into a wealthy and strong country as well as improving people’s living standards.
Canadian National Day marked in Hanoi
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat attended a reception hosted by the Canadian Embassy on July 1 to mark Canada’s 143rd National Day.
Canadian Ambassador Deanna L. Horton and minister Phat highlighted the positive developments of Vietnam-Canada relations over the past time.
They said they hope that the two countries’ ties will further develop within the framework of a comprehensive, stable and long-term partnership in the interest of both people and for peace, stability and development in each region and the world at large.
Minister Phat extended congratulations to the Canadian government, parliament and people on their national day.
He thanked Ambassador Horton for her contributions to boosting the two country’s relations during her 2008-2010 working tenure in Vietnam, wishing further success in her career and asking for her continued support to Vietnam-Canada relationship.
PV
