Category: Politics

Hanoi: Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee for External Relations Vu Hai Ha has highlighted milestones in foreign affairs achieved by the legislature in 2023 during an interview recently granted to the press.

Ha underscored that 2023 marked the first year the Politburo’s Resolution No. 34-NQ/TW dated January 9, 2023 on major orientations and guidelines for the 13th National Party Congress’s foreign policy has been carried out in a concerted and comprehensive manner across all pillars, including activities led by the NA and its committees, friendship parliamentary groups, the NA Office, and organs under the NA Standing Committee, helping to deepen relations between Vietnam and partner countries and traditional friends.

During his overseas trips, NA Chairman Hue delivered speeches on policy issues at research institutes or universities, shared insights into Vietnam’s foreign policy in each country and region with a common spirit: Vietnam is ready to be a friend, a reliable partner, and a responsible
member of the international community, and actively and proactively integrate into the global community for the sake of peace, stability and development in the region and the world.

External activities not only promoted the exchange of expertise and professional insights but also enhanced ties between the Vietnamese NA and its international counterparts. Notably, attending the 44th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) in Indonesia, the Vietnamese delegation contributed initiatives pertaining to regional security, socio-economic development, and gender equality, which were applauded by international friends.

According to Ha, Vietnam also made significant contributions to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the 14th AIPA Caucus Meeting and the 9th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians.

The NA’s foreign affairs in 2023 were carried out actively, proactively, and comprehensively in alignment with the directives, resolutions, and conclusions of the Party Central Committee, th
e NA and orientations on diplomatic activities of the 15th NA towards 2030, which have been approved. These efforts contributed to elevating diplomatic activities as a highlight in the overall achievements of the country.

In 2023, by enhancing relations with key partners such as the US, China, Russia, and other important countries like the Republic of Korea and Japan, along with the trend of upgrading ties with various nations, Vietnam laid a robust foundation for the foreign affairs of the Party and the State in general, and for Vietnam’s diplomacy in particular.

Looking ahead to 2024, it is imperative for the Party and the State, particularly the NA, to actively and proactively implement the frameworks of relations established in 2023, Ha said.

The official emphasised the need to fully tap the benefits of harmonising Vietnam’s relations with partners in line with the spirit of “Vietnamese bamboo diplomacy” mentioned by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. This approach, he said, is vital for fosteri
ng an environment of peace and stability conducive to national development and the fulfillment of objectives set forth by the 13th National Party Congress./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Nghe An: National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue visited and extended Lunar New Year (Tet) greetings to public security officers and soldiers of the central province of Nghe An on February 8.

Congratulating the local public security force on their outstanding achievements last year, he asked them to apply the new models and methods that have proved effective over the recent past on a larger scale while showing stronger determination to obtain more accomplishments in the New Year.

He noted that the regional and international situations are forecast to continue witnessing complex, fast, and unpredictable developments. Meanwhile, Nghe An is the largest province in the country and holds a strategic location in terms of security and order. Though the local security, order, and safety situation in 2023 was assessed as the ‘most secure’ so far, the force should not lower their guard.

Given this, they need to further promote their sense of responsibility and exerted stronger efforts to excellently fulfil al
l the assigned tasks, the top legislator demanded.

Chairman Hue asked the force of Nghe An to be deeply aware of and guarantee the Party’s absolute and direct leadership over all aspects, the State’s consistent management, and people’s supervision over all of its activities.

They have to continue thoroughly grasping and seriously and fruitfully implementing the resolution on the national safeguarding strategy in the new context, issued at the eighth session of the 13th Party Central Committee, he said, noting that they need to be fully aware of the role of the people’s public security force in the protection of the Party’s ideological foundation and the fight against wrongful arguments of hostile forces.

He also ordered better performance in the Party building and the building of a truly clean, strong, regular, elite, and modern public security force capable of fulfilling requirements and tasks in the new context as in line with the 13th-tenure Politburo’s Resolution No 12.

Describing this as one of the f
ocal tasks, the NA leader expressed his hope that the force of Nghe An will become the leading unit in the implementation of this important resolution.

Besides, he also requested pushing ahead with the crime combat, upholding the force’s core role in the development of the ‘All people protect the Fatherland’s security’ movement, boosting the mass mobilisation work in tandem with the reinforcement of the people-based security, and stepping up social security and the care for disadvantaged people.

The immediate duty is to seriously carry out Directive No 26 of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat to firmly maintain security and order in terms of religious and ethnic affairs, especially in border and maritime areas, to ensure a healthy, safe, economical, and merry Tet for all people, according to Chairman Hue./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Paris: Ambassador Nguyen Thi Van Anh, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), presented her credentials to UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay at the organisation’s headquarters in Paris, France on February 7.

At the ceremony, Ambassador Anh emphasised that Vietnam appreciated multilateralism, the role and contribution of the United Nations and UNESCO in seeking solutions to increasing global challenges, thereby contributing to maintaining peace and security, and promoting sustainable development in the world.

She highlighted Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification, multilateralisation, as well as its policy of considering culture, science and education important driving forces for the country’s rapid and sustainable development.

She expressed her joy to hold her position admist fruitful cooperation between Vietnam and UNESCO in all the fields of culture, education, natural science, social scie
nce, information and communications.

The diplomat took this occasion to thanked the UNESCO for its support and assistance, especially in implementing the Memorandum of Cooperation between Vietnam and UNESCO for the 2021 – 2025 period.

She expressed her wish that the UNESCO will continue supporting Vietnam, particularly in consulting and developing new heritage documents, and preserving and promoting heritage sites recognised by UNESCO, including the project on conservation and promotion of the value of Thang Long Imperial Citadel.

She affirmed that she will do her best to deepen Vietnam – UNESCO ooperation, thereby contributing to realising the UNESCO’s goals and promoting socio-economic development of localities as well as Vietnam.

For her part, UNESCO Director-General Azoulay thanked Vietnam for its role, participation and contribution to the UNESCO.

She spoke highly of close and effective cooperation between Vietnam and UNESCO in all fields, considering it a typical model of cooperation, and propose b
oosting cooperation with Vietnam in other promising fields such as climate, water, ocean science, artificial intelligence, and others.

She said that more staff arranged at the UNESCO Office in Hanoi will make an important contribution to promoting cooperation with Vietnam in the coming time./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: The relationship between Russia and Vietnam is a bond of friendship and trust, forged in the Vietnamese people’s struggle for freedom and independence, and has been tested by time, Russian Ambassador to Vietnam G. S. Bezdetko said in an interview with the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the Lunar New Year 2024.

Looking back at 2023, Ambassador Bezdetko emphasised that despite many geo-political changes in the world, even tragedies, the Vietnam-Russia relationship, founded by previous generations, remains stable and creates a foundation for the development of cooperation between the two countries in a new historical context. Cooperation between Russia and Vietnam developed well based on its comprehensive strategic partnership. Political dialogues at high and top levels were maintained, along with the promotion of inter-parliamentary exchanges.

He said that in the past year, important events in the bilateral agenda took place, marking a start for more extensive cooperation activities in the comi
ng time. Direct dialogues between the leaders of the two countries have contributed to boosting the implementation of many agreements, and creating new opportunities for win-win cooperation as well as solving pending problems.

There are positive signs for bilateral trade, he said, expressing his expectations that direct flights between the two countries will soon be resumed in the near future.

He said that the two sides can cooperate more deeply not only in traditional fields but also in innovative fields such as high technology, artificial intelligence (AI), renewable energy sources, e-government systems, and information security.

Russia is willing to share research and development results with Vietnam, he affirmed.

Regarding cooperation opportunities to promote modern sports, the Ambassador said that Russia has recently launched an initiative to conduct competitions in the “phygital” format which combines both traditional and electronic sports.

He hoped that Vietnam will participate in the Internationa
l Multi-Sport Tournament Games of the Future that Russia will host in February and March this year in Kazan.

Regarding collaboration in culture, Bezdetko stressed that promoting cultural exchange is an important factor to further deepen the relations between the two countries. Research and promotion of languages, history, culture, traditional art genres, cinema, and cuisine are contributing to strengthening mutual understanding and making the peoples in different countries come closer to each other.

Last year, Russia organised cultural events in Vietnam, the ambassador recalled, pointing out some prominent events including the Russian Cultural Days in Hanoi and Ha Long city in July, and the performance of the world-famous art troupe “Turetskiy Choir” in Vietnam in November.

He said Russia will continue to introduce to Vietnamese audiences works of famous Russian poets and writers such as A.S. Pushkin, M.Yu. Lermontov, A.P. Chekhov, L.N. Tolstoi, music composers like P.I. Chaikovskiy, M.I. Glinka, D.D. Shos
takovich and contemporary Russian directors.

Besides, he assessed that Vietnam’s traditional culture and arts draw Russians’ interest. Since the Soviet era, medium and short stories by well-known Vietnamese authors have been translated into Russian. Recently, “Truyen Kieu” (Kieu Tale) – a precious gem in Vietnamese literature – was published in Russian.

The Ambassador expected that this year, Vietnam will participate in the second International Music Festival “Cosmic Sounds” and the Melikhovo Spring Theatre Festival organised in Russia.

As a person who has been attached to and learned about Vietnam since he was a university student, Ambassador Bezdetko said Vietnam has become his second homeland where he explores its diversity and richness of its culture, national identity, friendliness and hospitality of the people.

On the occasion of the New Year 2024 and Vietnamese traditional Lunar New Year celebration, he wished Vietnamese people good health, peace and prosperity. He also wished that Russia-Vietnam r
elations will continue to develop strongly./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

HCM City: The Tet book street festival 2024 of Ho Chi Minh City kicked off on February 7, expected to be a worth-visiting destination during the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival.

With dragon-themed decorations, the annual festival is held on Le Loi street and covers 11,200 sq.m, more than 3,000 sq.m larger than last year’s event. It sees the participation of more than 30 publishers and distributors who introduce about 65,000 books to visitors.

Among the three main zones, Zone A (from Nguyen Hue street to Pasteur street) displays unique publications and photos, rare and valuable books. Zone B (from Pasteur to Nam Ky Khoi Nghia street) is reserved for technology in the book industry like audio and electronic books. Meanwhile, Zone C (from Nam Ky Khoi Nghia to the Quach Thi Trang roundabout) includes book pavilions, an entertainment area for children, and a rest area for visitors.

Lam Dinh Thang, Director of the municipal Department of Information and Communications, said a new and interesting thing at this year
‘s festival is that more than 16,000 books will be presented as gifts for visitors. Organisers hope that presenting books as gifts will become a popular practice of the local political system, people, and businesses.

For the last more than 10 years, the book street festival has become a unique and typical cultural event of HCM City every Tet, giving domestic and foreign visitors a springtime destination and helping promote the reading habit in the local community.

The Tet book street festival 2024 is scheduled to last through February 14 (the fifth day of the Year of the Dragon)./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

HCM City: The 44th spring flower festival kicked off at Tao Dan Park in Ho Chi Minh City on February 6 evening as part of the activities to welcome the Lunar New Year (Tet) – the biggest and oldest festival in Vietnam.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Duong Anh Duc stated that this event embodies the rich cultural heritage of the locality.

Initiated in 1981, the annual event offers a good chance for artisans and gardeners in and outside the country to exchange experiences and ideas, he said, adding that along with the Nguyen Hue Flower Street project, the festival has become one of the city’s iconic and traditional festival events of the southern metropolis every time Tet comes.

According to Duc, festive activities and landscape designs arranged within the festival are imbued with unique artistic flairs, meeting the entertainment demand of people and contributing to preserving the traditional cultural value of the nation’s traditional Tet holiday.

The fes
tival features a series of unique works, including a collection of yellow apricot trees with a 50-year-old tree from a collector from the Mekong Delta province of An Giang; an over-40-year apricot tree with a height of 3 metres from Thu Duc city; a plumeria flower collection with many big ones; and a collection of orchids, including a 200-flower-stem work called Kim Diep (Golden Butterfly).

Notably, the 10-day event introduces a solid wood sculpture in the shape of a map of Vietnam, which was made public for the first time. This work is part of a collection by artisan Nguyen Truong Tien from HCM City.

A wide range of other activities such as cultural and art programmes, and lion and dragon dancing performances, will also be organised in the framework of the festival, which will last until February 15 (the 6th day of the first lunar month)./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency