Press digest – September 5

VN wants to boost multi-faceted cooperation with Canada: President

Viet Nam wishes to enhance the multi-faceted cooperation with Canada, President Tran Dai Quang told visiting Canadian Foreign Minister Stephane Dion in Ha Noi on September 5.

He affirmed that Viet Nam stays ready to work together with Canada in order to deepen the relationship in a pragmatic and effective fashion, for interests of the two countries’ people, and for peace, stability and cooperation in Asia-Pacific and the world as well.

The head of State appreciated Canada’s commitments to continuing its official development assistance (ODA) for Viet Nam as well as its support for the country in climate change response, poverty reduction and food safety.

PM welcomes new Danish Ambassador

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted a reception in Ha Noi on September 5 for newly-accredited Danish Ambassador to Viet Nam Charlotte Laursen. 

He thanked the Danish Government for its ODA provision for Vietnam, saying that the capital has been used effectively in Viet Nam’s prioritized fields like poverty reduction, public governance, administrative reform, environment and climate change response. 

The Vietnamese Government is implementing a lot of policies to facilitate long-term operations of foreign enterprises in Viet Nam, including those from Denmark, he stated. 

Gov’t strives for 1-1.5% poverty reduction

The PM has recently passed Decision 1722/QD-TTg on the National Target Program on sustainable poverty reduction.

The new program aims to annually cut poverty rate by 1-1.5% (4% in poor districts and communes and 3-4% in ethnic minority households) on average in line with the 2016-2020 multi-dimensional poverty index.

VN hails Canada’s positive foreign policy

Viet Nam highly valued Canada’s positive foreign policy which upholds itself as a responsible power and connects with the  Asia-Pacific Region and ASEAN.

At the invitation of Deputy PM, FM Pham Binh Minh, Canadian FM Stéphane Dion is paying an official visit to Viet Nam from September 3-8. The two leaders held talks on September 5 in Ha Noi.

After talks, they chaired a press briefing in which Deputy PM Minh revealed that the two sides discussed ways to spur the bilateral ties in all fields.

VN commits to fostering ASEAN connectivity

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc  will join other leaders from ASEAN member states at the 28th & 29th ASEAN Summits and related events in Vientiane, Laos, from September 6-8. 

PM to pay official visit to China

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc will pay an official visit to China and attend the 13th China-ASEAN Expo and the 13th China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Nanning from September 10-15. 

The visit will be made at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang

Over 22 million enter new school year

More than 22 million pupils and students nationwide officially started their 2015-2016 academic year on September 5.

This is the second year schools across the country launched the new school year ceremonies simultaneously at 7:30 am.

On this occasion, State President Tran Dai Quang sent a letter to congratulate the educator staff, parents, pupils, and students nationwide.

Canadian FM talks to Vietnamese students about climate change

Canadian Foreign Minister Stephane Dion has suggested Canada, Viet Nam and other signatories to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change join hands to achieve the target of limiting the planet’s warming to below 2 degrees Celsius reached at the 21st UN Climate Change Conference. 

The Canadian Minister had a talk with students from the Diplomatic Academy of Viet Nam, the Ha Noi University of Science and Technology, the Hanoi University of Social Sciences and Humanities, and the Ha Noi University on September 5, within the framework of his official visit to Viet Nam. 

Fuel prices gain over 700 VND per litre

The prices of RON 92 petrol and bio-fuel E5 were raised VND 702 (US$ 0.31) and VND 611 (US$ 0.27) per litre from 3:00 pm on September 5. 

Following a joint decision by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Finance, the prices of diesel 0.05S and kerosene also increased VND 474 and VND 489 per litre, respectively. 

SMEs to access more financial assistance packages

A number of banks will introduce financial assistance packages to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to enable their active participation in international integration.

The banks have been entrusted by the Ministry of Planning and Investment’s Small and Medium Enterprise Development Fund, according to the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Accordingly, each SME working in innovation and creativity is entitled to loans worth a maximum of VND10 billion from a VND100 billion (US$4.54 million) program.

Vietjet marks new routes with 150,000 promotional tickets

The low-cost carrier Vietjet on September 5 announced 150,000 promotional tickets priced only from US$ 0 under “ 12pm, It’s time to Vietjet ” campaign to mark its three new routes of Ho Chi Minh City-Kaohsiung, Hanoi-Taipei and Hai Phong-Seoul.

Canada pledges US$15 million to combat SLCPs

Canadian Foreign Minister Stéphan Dion announced on September 5 that Canada will contribute US$15 million to assist Viet Nam small businesses in reducing short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs).

Foreign Minister Dion made the pledge during a meeting with Minister Tran Hong Ha of the Viet Nam Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in Hanoi, saying SLCPs are potent global warmers. 

They have a relatively short lifespan in the atmosphere compared to longer-lived greenhouse gases (GHGs), and they play a vitally important role in combating climate change./.

(Source: VGP/VNA/VOV)