Press digest – June 17

VN, Netherlands join efforts to cope with climate change

PM Nguyen Tan Dung and his counterpart Mark Rutte co-chaired a high-level conference on collaborative support to the development of the Mekong Delta in Ha Noi.

PM Dung called for continued support to Viet Nam’s efforts in coping with climate change, particularly in the Mekong Delta region.

PM Rutte said the Netherlands is ready to share and learn experience from other delta regions, which will help both countries become stronger and require both sides’ efforts to turn theories into actions for the utmost development of the region.

At the conference, development partners affirmed their long-term collaboration with Vietnamese relevant agencies to support the Mekong Delta’s comprehensive and sustainable development.

President bids farewell to Norwegian Ambassador

President Truong Tan Sang hosted a reception in Ha Noi for outgoing Norwegian Ambassador Stale Risa.

The two countries still hold potential opportunities to coordinate in renewable energy, electricity and telecommunication, Sang said, adding that Viet Nam is willing to act as a bridge connecting Norway with other ASEAN member countries.

Germany calls for peaceful resolution of East Sea issue
 
Germany advocates the settlement of the East Sea issue through peaceful measures in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, affirmed German State Secretary Markus Ederer while he was received by Deputy PM, FM Pham Binh Minh.
 
Mr. Markus Ederer went on to say that Germany protests against unilateral actions that complicate the situation in the East Sea.

The two countries agreed to closely coordinate in preparing for high-level visits to mark the 40thanniversary of diplomatic ties in 2015; accelerating key projects, including the Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line 2 and Viet Nam-Germany University, in a bid to strengthen the bilateral relations.

China’s drilling rig likely to move
 
China’s oil rig Haiyang Shiyou-981, illegally stationed in the Vietnamese waters, was probably preparing to move to a new position on June 17 as it lowered its two cranes, according to Vietnam News Agency reporters at the site.
 
The Viet Nam Fisheries Surveillance fleet has intensified its monitoring of the area where the rig is illegally standing.

According to the Viet Nam Fisheries Surveillance force, China maintained 136 ships, including five battleships, to surround the rig. They kept on circling and standing ready to ram Vietnamese vessels, while approaching them to a distance of 30-50m.
 
VN, Laos agree to boost cooperation

Viet Nam and Laos will continue promoting bilateral cooperation in trade, education and human resources development in the remaining months of 2014.

They agreed on this strategy at a meeting of the Viet Nam-Laos cooperation subcommittee in Ha Noi on June 17 to review its operations over the past six months and discuss the future.

Singapore leads foreign investors in HCM City

Singapore led foreign investors in Ho Chi Minh City in the early months of 2014, according to a municipal official at a recent Viet Nam-Singapore business forum.

In the three months leading up to April, Ho Chi Minh City granted investment licenses to 71 foreign-invested businesses with total investment capital of nearly $750 million, including nine Singaporean projects capitalised at over $200 million.

In 2013, Singapore was the city’s third biggest trade partner, with two-way trade hitting $3 billion.

Egypt supports VN’s peaceful solution to East Sea issue

Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister for Asian Affairs Ahmed Ismail said that Egypt supports efforts to resolve tensions in the East Sea through political dialogues and peaceful measures.

After being briefed about the current situation in the East Sea, including China’s illegal placement of its Haiyang Shiyou 981 oil rig in Viet Nam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone, Ismail has made the statement during a meeting with deputy head of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Nguyen Tuan Phong.

Binh Duong successful in attracting FDI for industrialisation
 
The arrival of FDI projects have contributed significantly to increasing the industrial proportion of Binh Duong’s economy to 62 percent at present, helping it basically meet industrialisation standards.

The southern province of Binh Duong is currently leading other localities across the country in foreign direct investment (FDI) attraction, which is described by experts as a success story of the policies it has rolled out in favour of foreign players.
 
Mai Hung Dung, director of the provincial Department of Planning and Investment, reported that 2,295 FDI enterprises with a total investment of nearly $20 billion are running in the locality, of which many have registered to add more capital.
 
                                                                                                                     By Vien Nhu