Author: ltadmin

Vientiane: A local radio and television station, funded through non-refundable aid from the Vietnamese Government, was inaugurated and handed over during a ceremony held in the Lao northern province of Xaysomboun on January 29.

Speaking at the event, Deputy General Director of the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) Tran Minh Hung affirmed that the project is the fruition of the collective effort among the Laos-Vietnam Cooperation Committee, the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Committee; the Lao Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, the VOV, along with the active support of contractors and the local community.

He expressed his confidence that the station, upon operational, will bolster the local communications efforts.

Phoikham Hungbounnhuong, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Governor of Xaysomboun, said the work is part of a series of vital aid projects from the Vietnamese Government that have played a pivotal role in propelling the province’s rapid socio-economic development.

The work was built from
2019 to 2023 at a total investment exceeding 118 billion VND (4.91 million USD). Of which, 115 billion VND was non-refundable aid provided by the Vietnamese Government.

Situated in Phuhuaxang village, Anuvong district, the station spans an area of 5,587 sq.m, boasting an office headquarters, residential quarters for staff, a 75-meter television tower, alongside several auxiliary facilities./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang on January 29 chaired the ministry’s annual meeting with representatives from foreign representative agencies and foreign press agencies in Vietnam on the occasion of the Lunar New Year (Tet).

Nearly 40 ambassadors, more than 50 cultural and press attachés of foreign representative agencies in Vietnam, and almost 50 correspondents and press assistants of foreign press agencies in Vietnam attended the event. This is an opportunity for the Foreign Ministry and the foreign representatives agencies and foreign press offices to review their coordination last year and together celebrate Vietnam’s traditional Tet festival.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister Hang said that in 2023 despite instability and unpredictable developments in the world situation, Vietnam obtained many important results in various fields.

She attributed those important results to valuable support and effective cooperation of friends and partners worldwide, in addition to the c
ountry’s determination and efforts.

In external information and communications, Vietnam has received cooperation and support from foreign representative agencies, international organisations, and foreign press offices in Vietnam, thereby helping to raise awareness of Vietnam among the international community, she said.

She expressed her wish to continue receiving cooperation of the foreign representative agencies and foreign press offices in Vietnam./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: President of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA) Nguyen Xuan Thang held a working session in Hanoi on January 29 with Chancellor of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy (KNDA) Park Cheol-hee.

Thang said the Vietnam-Republic of Korea relationship is now at its best since the establishment of their diplomatic ties in 1992.

Highlighting the rapid and effective development of ties across politics, diplomacy, national defence-security, economy and trade bilaterally and multilaterally over the past more than three decades, he said Vietnam prioritises the promotion of trade, science, investment, with a particular emphasis on energy transition, green transformation, artificial intelligence and semiconductor technology.

Given Vietnam’s rising prominence as a preferred destination for leading global semiconductor corporations like Intel and Samsung, Thang expressed a keen interest in furthering cooperation in this crucial sector. He also envisioned an expansion of collaboration in the industr
ial supply chain, semiconductor technology, carbon neutrality and trade facilitation through greenhouse gas reduction, clean energy, expanding rules of origin and core mineral resources.

Park, for his part, wished for enhanced cooperation through specialised training for officials and lecturers provided by the HCMA, along with courses for trainees. He also expressed a desire to hold a semiconductor forum.

Both sides discussed and agreed to cooperate on climate change response, especially in maritime security in the region.

At a seminar on maritime security cooperation in the region and cooperation in the Greater Mekong Sub-region co-organised by the HCMA and the KNDA earlier, the two sides reached consensus on key measures to create a safe maritime environment, emphasising the political will of countries to coordinate actions.

They highlighted the need for collective efforts involving organisations or countries rather than unilateral and separate actions. They also stressed the importance of implementing
existing frameworks and mechanisms, building trust through the publication of white papers.

Additionally, measures in areas such as preserving marine biological resources, protecting the marine environment, and building capacity for law enforcement agencies at sea were identified as areas requiring stronger cooperation and agreements at the regional level./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) on January 29 held a get-together on the occasion of the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival.

The event saw the participation of representatives from some ministries and agencies, ambassadors, charge d’affaires, chiefs of diplomatic corps, international organisations and foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs), as well as friends and partners of the VUFO.

In his remarks, VUFO Chairman Phan Anh Son said under the Party’s leadership and the joint efforts of the entire political system and people, last year, Vietnam obtained great achievements in socio-economic development. 2023 was also a successful year for foreign affairs in general, including people-to-people diplomacy.

The union has actively supported foreign NGOs in Vietnam in implementing administrative procedures and connecting with Vietnamese localities, ministries and agencies. Foreign NGOs contributed nearly 228 million USD to projects and programmes in Vietnam in 2023.

He attributed tho
se important results to the attention of the Party and State leaders, the solidarity of the VUFO system, and especially the support and coordination of ambassadors, embassies, diplomatic representative agencies, international organisations, foreign businesses and NGOs in Vietnam.

To promote its achievements in the coming time, the VUFO will continue to innovate the mindset, methods of organisation and content of people-to-people diplomacy activities, maintain and expand a reputable and widespread network of partners in the regions, and improve the effectiveness of cooperation and support for activities of foreign NGOs, Son said./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Lao Cai: A New Year gathering was held in the northern border province of Lao Cai on January 29 evening, with a delegation from the provincial Party Organisation and authorities and their counterpart from Honghe county of China’s Yunnan province taking part.

The event was part of the cultural exchange programme celebrating the Lunar New Year across the border and the Vietnam-China border festival 2024 held the same day.

At the event, Secretary of the Lao Cai provincial Party Committee Dang Xuan Phong proposed that the Secretary of the Party Committee and leaders of Honghe county direct departments and agencies coordinate with Lao Cai province to swiftly resume the exchange of goods and residents through border gates and crossings, facilitate the opening of border gates between both sides, and build a pilot model of smart border gates at the Lao Cai – Hekou international border gate.

He urged Honghe county to recommend the relevant Chinese authorities designate the Lao Cai-Hekou international railway border
gate as the primary entry point for Vietnamese agricultural products and fruits into the Chinese market. Furthermore, he suggested expanding the list of Vietnamese fruits allowed to be imported into China to bolster trade turnover through the Lao Cai-Hekou international border gate.

He sought Honghe county’s continued support for the export of Vietnamese agricultural and aquatic products to China through border gates, stressing the importance of streamlined customs clearance for goods via the Lao Cai-Hekou international railway border gate.

He also suggested expanding the list of Vietnamese fruit items allowed for import into China to increase trade turnover through the Lao Cai-Hekou international border gate.

Secretary of the Honghe Party Committee Zhao Ruijun, for his part, said Honghe county wishes to further deepen ties between the two localities’ Party organisations, authorities and people.

He articulated a firm belief that, given the potential, advantages and robust traditional relationship, the two
sides would forge more effective cooperation in the future, particularly in significantly increasing the current value of export-import turnover.

On the occasion, a number of cooperation agreements were signed by Lao Cai and Chinese partners.

The same day, the Vietnam-China economic and trade forum, along with media and youth friendship exchanges, and an interaction between young entrepreneurs, were also held./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

New York: The Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN) and the Vietnamese Consulate General in New York co-hosted a gathering on the occasion of the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival on January 27 evening (local time).

Speaking at the event, which saw the participation of more than 500 Vietnamese people, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, stressed the importance of the resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly recognising the Lunar New Year as a UN holiday from 2024.

He briefed the participants on remarkable achievements Vietnam recorded in socio-economic development and foreign affairs, and lauded contributions by overseas Vietnamese.

Giang also provided updates on some new policies and laws at home that support returning OVs, including the amended Land Law recently approved by the National Assembly.

The two offices will continue supporting Vietnamese in New York and its adjacent areas, he pledged./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency