VN asserts sovereignty over Truong Sa, Hoang Sa

Vietnam has once again affirmed that it has sufficient historical and legal evidence to prove its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos.

The Permanent Delegation of Vietnam to the United Nations made the statement in Diplomatic Note No. 77/HC-2011 it sent to the UN Secretary General on May 3, saying that the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos are an integral part of Vietnamese territory.

The move came after the Philippine Permanent Delegation to the UN on April 5 addressed a diplomatic note to the UN chief to reject the “U-shaped line” claim of China, and the Chinese Permanent Delegation to the UN on April 14 sent a diplomatic note to the UN Secretary General to express its opinions on the Philippine delegation’s diplomatic note.

Both diplomatic notes of the Philippines and China mentioned the issue of sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos.

Vice President attends Global Women Summit

A Vietnamese delegation, led by Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan, has participated in the 21 st Global Summit of Women (GSW), that opened in Istanbul city, Turkey on May 5.

Nearly 1,500 women who are politicians, wives of heads of state, entrepreneurs and government leaders from over 80 countries worldwide attended the summit, themed “Women: Bridging Solutions to the 21 st Century.”

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vice State President Doan applauded the theme of the summit, saying that as the world faces more challenges such as the scarcity of energy and cooking, epidemics, natural disasters and climate change, the summit offers an opportunity for participants to discuss and set out measures to promote and improve the role of women in addressing those challenges.

From Vietnam’s experience and based on the summit’s objectives, the Vietnamese representative suggested countries and international organisations have a proper acknowledgement of the role of women, especially in state and business management.

Doan affirmed that Vietnam always believes that the GSW will continue to be a practical forum where women from all over the world may express their aspirations for devotion as well as their ideas and ambitions in building a better and more equal world for the advancement of women.

At the opening ceremony, GSW President Irene Natividad said that the GSW holds an increasingly important position and serves as a bridge for all women throughout the world to share experiences and strengthen mutual understanding, especially those in underdeveloped countries and groups of women easily vulnerable to ongoing crises.

She called on women in the globe to raise high the spirit of solidarity and actively put forth new ideas and initiatives in order to participate more in addressing global issues.

On this occasion, the GSW leader asked countries and governments to create conditions for and empower women so as to help them improve their positions and dedicate more to social development for a fair and civilised world.

On the sidelines of the 21 st GSW, on May 5, Vice State President Doan met with Park Hee Young, the Republic of Korea ’s Minister of Gender Equality and Family, who said that the RoK government is implementing many programmes to protect the interests of the Vietnamese community in the RoK, especially Vietnamese brides.

Party leader welcomes foreign guests

Party General Secretary and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong Friday received International Monetary Fund (IMF) Deputy General Director Naoyuki Shinohara and Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in Hanoi.

The two guests are in Vietnam to attend the Asian Development Bank (ADB) 44th annual meeting.

At a separate reception for the IMF Deputy General Director, the Party leader highly valued the IMF’s important role in boosting international monetary cooperation, economic growth and assistance for its member countries, including Vietnam through providing consultations on economic policies and technical and financial assistance.

He also spoke highly of Naoyuki Shinohara’s important contributions to strengthening the cooperation between Vietnam and the IMF in particular and between Vietnam and the international financial-monetary community in general.

Vietnam is actively implementing measures to stabilise its macro economy, curb inflation and ensure social welfare, Trong said, adding that the country wants to receive more effective support and assistance from the IMF and international financial-monetary institutions in order to successfully fulfil its set socio-economic objectives, contributing to the regional and world economic-financial stability.

For his part, the IMF Deputy General Director appreciated Vietnam ’s economic development potential as well as its socio-economic achievements.

In the context of complex developments regarding the current financial crisis and economic downturn in the region and the world, Vietnam ’s determination to implement packages of macroeconomic stabilisation and inflation control solutions was very important and essential, he said.

He also expressed his belief in Vietnam’s future development prospects and affirmed that the IMF is always ready to strengthen cooperation and assistance for the Southeast Asian country.

While meeting with the Indian Finance Minister, the Party chief highly valued the increasing role and important contributions of India in addressing regional and international issues and expressed his belief that India will continue harvesting greater achievements and holding an adequate position in the region and the world at large.

Trong stressed that the Vietnamese Party, State and people attach importance to further fostering the strategic partnership with India . He expressed his wish that the two countries would continue to boost relations between their Parties, legislative bodies, and people-to-people exchange, helping develop and deepen their strategic partnership.

Minister Pranab Mukherjee spoke highly of Vietnam’s organization work and active participation in activities during the annual ADB meeting, affirming that India wishes to enhance cooperation with Vietnam in all fields ranging from politics, security and defence to trade, investment, finance, education and training, and science and technology.

On the occasion, Party General Secretary and NA Chairman Trong conveyed his invitations to President Sonia Gandhi and General Secretary Rahul Gandhi of the Indian National Congress Party to visit Vietnam.

ASEAN speeds up regional connectivity

Governmental officials and representatives from think-tanks and businesses in the Southeast Asian region gathered in Hanoi on May 5 to discuss how to speed up regional connectivity for benefits of member countries and people in the region.

At the seminar “ASEAN Integration: Speed-up Connectivity”, part of the ongoing 44th ADB annual meeting in Hanoi, panelists discussed the rationale for accelerated regional economic integration and proposed action strategies and actions to accelerate the progress with a view to the region’s better integrated and inclusive economy that narrows the development gap within and between nations.

They stressed the importance and geographic advantage of the group in the world and shared the view that ASEAN connectivity will play as a key to promote the bloc’s position on the international areas.

They addressed common challenges, rising food and oil prices, disaster and climate change, high inflation, and emphasised the need to enhance connectivity among regional members in three areas of infrastructure, institutions and people-to-people.

The seminar spoke highly of Vietnam ’s contributions to and increasing role in the ASEAN integration process, especially efforts in implementing ASEAN commitments on trade facilitation and investment, links on infrastructure and coordinating works.

ASEAN connectivity needs the involvement of different sectors – government, business, people to solve regional and global issues, such as environmental protection, food security, energy and inflation control, Le Hoai Trung, Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister, told VNA reporter.

Therefore, the seminar drew the participation of representatives of different sectors and circles and discussed issues to accelerate the master plan on ASEAN connectivity adopted in Hanoi and enhance traffic network links, facilitating trade and investment, preventing natural disasters and mitigating climate change impacts, he added.

According to the deputy FM, by organising the seminar, ADB wants to draw more partners to involve in the regional integration process. The Manila-based institution not only provides capital, but also expertise and knowledge in different areas, he said.

VN sends UN note over islands row

Viet Nam’s permanent mission to the United Nations has sent an official note to UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon to confirm its undeniable sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos on the East Sea.

The move was in response to two earlier notes sent to the UN head by the Philippines and China, which referred to their sovereignty over the Truong Sa islands.

“The Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos are incontrovertible parts of Viet Nam’s territory. Viet Nam has sufficient evidence in terms of both history and legality to affirm its sovereignty over the two archipelagos,” the Vietnamese mission’s note dated May 3 said.

The note sent by the Philippines permanent mission on April 4 protested against China’s “9-dash line” territorial claim over the whole of the East Sea.

It’s also called the “9-dotted line” because it shows a series of nine dashes or dotted lines on a map. The lines form a ring around the East Sea area which China claims is part of its territory.

China’s mission later responded to the Philippines diplomatic protest by an official note to the UN General Secretary, dated April 14.

Viet Nam, Russia enhance parliamentary co-operation

A leader from Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, has been delighted with increasing legislative ties with Viet Nam and the two countries’ strategic partnership.

Ivan Melnikov, Deputy Speaker of the State Duma, met with National Assembly Vice Chairman Nguyen Duc Kien in Moscow on Wednesday.

He hailed the dynamic development of bilateral economic-trade ties and said there was still potential for the two countries’ co-operation in the field.

Kien spoke highly of Russia’s increasing role and position in the international arena.

The officials exchanged experience in budgetary, tariff, fiscal and monetary fields, while discussing their legislative body’s role in each country’s political system.

This year, Viet Nam and Russia will celebrate the 10th anniversary of their strategic partnership and are preparing for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s visit to Vietnam in July.

Earlier on May 3, Vice Chairman Kien met with Vladimir Petrov, who is Vice Chairman of the Budgetary Committee of the Federation Council of Russia (the upper house of Russia’s parliament).

Both underlined the urgency of raising the quality of living conditions and social welfare for people. Kien stressed the need to continue bolstering legislative co-operation between Vietnam and Russia.

During the six-day visit, beginning on May 2, the Vietnamese delegation also held working sessions with authorities and the legislative body of Saint Petersburg, and laid wreaths at Ho Chi Minh Monument and the Tomb of Unknown Soldier in Moscow.

Vietnam one of AFD’s five largest partners

The French Development Agency (AFD) has signed three financing agreements with Vietnamese partners.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem praised the AFD’s role in Vietnam’s development while receiving AFD General Director Dov Zerah in Hanoi on May 6.

He cited the AFD’s contributions to poverty reduction, rural development, infrastructure, institutional building and finance in Vietnam, highlighting major projects important to the country’s socio-economic development, such as the Hanoi urban railway and the Huoi Quang hydroelectric power plant.

He asked the AFD to continue assisting Vietnam in the future, expanding to training human resources and teaching French.

Mr Khiem also appreciated the friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and France, and France’s role as the leading European economic, investment and trade partner in Vietnam.

Zerah affirmed that Vietnam was one of the AFD’s five largest partners in the world in addition to Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey and South Africa, and praised Vietnam for standing in the group of favoured emerging markets (CIVETS) along with Colombia, Indonesia, Egypt, Turkey and South Africa.

“AFD considers cooperation with Vietnam a priority,” he said.

He added that in addition to its large commitments of financial assistance, the AFD’s disbursement rate is higher than average and he expressed his pleasure at the diversification of cooperation between the AFD and Vietnam.

Earlier on May 5, the AFD signed three financing agreements worth a total of 22 million euro with Vietnamese partners.

Vietnam wants to tighten cooperation with Belgium

Vietnam wants Belgium to continue its investment in infrastructure, economic development, education and training, especially training high-quality human resources for Vietnam’s development.

Standing Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung made the statement at a meeting with Belgian counterpart Didier Reynders, who was in Vietnam to attend the Asian Development Bank’s 44th Annual Meeting.

Deputy PM Hung expressed his delight at the fine development of the two countries’ relations in all fields and thanked the Belgian government and people for their support and official development assistance to Vietnam.

He said he hoped the two sides would specify targets for promoting two-way trade, and Belgium would quickly recognize Vietnam as a market economy at the next Vietnam-Belgium Joint Committee meeting.

Reynders said that besides traditional projects on infrastructure, education and public health, Belgium would expand cooperation activities to the field of new technology with Vietnam.

Belgium will encourage businesses, including banks, to seek markets and expand activities in Vietnam, he said.