Press digest – December 16

President receives US, Panamanian, Qatar Ambassadors

President Truong Tan Sang on December 16 received newly-accredited ambassadors from the US, Panama and Qatar who presented him their credentials.

PM to attend 5th GMS Summit in Thailand

At the invitation of Thai PM Prayuth Chan-ocha, PM Nguyen Tan Dung will lead a Vietnamese delegation to the 5th Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Summit in Bangkok, Thailand on December 19-20.

People’s Army marks 70th founding anniversary

A celebration was held on December 15 in the northern province of Cao Bang to mark the 70th founding anniversary of the Viet Nam People’s Army (1944-2014); and the 25th anniversary of All People’s National Defence Festival (1989-2014).

At the event, Tran Hung Dao Forest was  announced as the Special National Relic.

The event drew the attendance of State President Truong Tan Sang, National Assembly Vice Chairman Huynh Ngoc Son, as well as relatives of late General Vo Nguyen Giap.  

VN, UAE to boost trade, investment, labour cooperation

Deputy PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc held talks with his United Arab Emirates (UAE) counterpart Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi on December 16 during which both sides agreed to further beef up bilateral partnership in all fields, especially trade, investment, financial-banking and labour cooperation.

The two sides concurred to increase the exchange of delegations at all levels while affirming their determination to raise two-way trade to a more impressive figure. They also vowed to continue close coordination and mutual support at international multilateral forums.

Earlier, Deputy PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended the Viet Nam-United Arad Emirates (UAE) Business Forum in Dubai on December 15 during his official tour of the Persian Arab state.

PM asks for promptly rescue of trapped workers

PM Nguyen Tan Dung on December 16 dispatched an urgent note requiring all necessary measures to provide emergency relief and rescue the trapped workers in the recent hydropower plant tunnel collapses. 

The local authorities of Lam Dong were asked to spare no effort to search and save the victims who are trapped under ground in the Da Dang-Dachomo hydropower plant.  

The National Committee for Search and Rescue and the Ministries of National Defence and Public Security was assigned to support the local rescue efforts.

VN congratulates Japan on Lower House election

Viet Nam has congratulated Japan’s ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito on their victory in the recent Lower House election, Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Le Hai Binh said on Tuesday.

The Spokesman went on to say that “we believe that under the leadership of the ruling coalition, Japan will continue its development course, and the Viet Nam-Japan extensive strategic partnership will be further consolidated and enhanced to meet the two peoples’ interests and desires, contributing to peace and stability in the region and the world.”

New boost for development of cooperatives

The PM has ratified a program which supports the development of cooperatives in the 2015-2020 period.

The program targets to encourage, nurture the development of cooperatives, uphold their role, and strengthen household economic competitiveness especially farmer households and small and medium-sized business and production establishments.

Trade surplus fetches nearly US$ 3 bln in Jan-Nov period

Viet Nam gained a trade surplus of nearly US$ 438 million in November, bringing the total amount to US$ 2.88 billion in the first 11 months, according to the General Department of Viet Nam Customs.  

In the eleventh month, export turnover valued almost US$ 13.23 billion, representing a month-on-month decline of 6%. However, it reached US$ 136.942 billion in the January-November period, up 13.7% against the same period last year.

Meanwhile, import revenue was US$ 12.792 billion in November (down 6%) and US$ 134.058 billion in the past eleven months (up 11.8%).

EU supports enforcing Competition Law

The Viet Nam Competition Council (VCC) and the European Trade Policy and Investment Support Project (EU-MUTRAP) reviewed ten years of implementing the Competition Law in the country and lessons learnt at a seminar in Ho Chi Minh City on December 16.

EU-MUTRAP Technical Assistance Team Leader Claudio Dordi said the Competition Law has been implemented over the past 20 years and proved effective. Notably, it has played an important part in Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) negotiations among concerned nations.

Int’l tourists to VN increase sharply at year-end

Viet Nam welcomed more than 7.2 million foreign visitors in 11 months of 2014, up 5.4% compared to the same period last year.

According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), tourists from the Republic of Korea made up the majority with 764,835, a year-on-year increase of 12%.

The figure is expected to increase in December with most of them travelling to ideal destinations in south-central Viet Nam and Phu Quoc island./.

(Source: VGP/VNA/VOV/Nhandan)