Sport 12h

Monday, September 30, 2013

Switzerland increases development aid

Switzerland announced yesterday that it would increase development aid to Viet Nam in the next four-year period to 123 million Swiss francs (US$132.8 million).— Photo baoxaudung

HA NOI (VNS)— Switzerland announced yesterday that it would increase development aid to Viet Nam in the next four-year period to 123 million Swiss francs (US$132.8 million).

This represents an increase of about 50 per cent compared with the budget for the previous four-year period, according to Swiss Ambassador in Viet Nam Andrej Motyl.

In line with Viet Nam's aim to become an industrialised country by 2020 and its middle-income status, Motyl said the focus would shift from poverty reduction to economic development co-operation.

The new development framework stresses supporting Vietnamese small-and-medium enterprises to increase their productivity and competitiveness through better access to credit. "If the small-and-medium enterprises wither away, the whole future of the economy will be at stake," he said.

Since 1992, Switzerland contributed about $360 million to Viet Nam's socio-economic development and reform agenda.

Speaking at the launching ceremony of the new development framework, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen The Phuong applauded the Swiss help and said that Viet Nam would also vow to improve the progress of Switzerland's investment projects in the country, which totaled at about $2 billion in 2012. — VNS

VN, NZ agree on ambitious plan to step up two-way trade

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh and New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Finance, Bill English.—VNA/VNS Photo

HA NOI (VNS)— Viet Nam and New Zealand yesterday agreed to raise bilateral trade to US$1 billion by 2015.

The agreement was made during talks between Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh and New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Finance, Bill English.

In an effort to realise the ambitious target, the two deputy PMs pledged implementation of the 2013-2016 Plan of Action and the tax avoidance agreement signed during Governor General Jerry Mateparae's visit to Viet Nam in August this year.

During the talks, the two deputy PMs also agreed to increase exchanges of delegations and strengthen co-operation in security, tourism, agriculture, energy and mineral exploitation, and education. The two leaders also pledged to increase co-operation between the legislative bodies of both countries and increase people-to-people exchanges.

Ninh affirmed Viet Nam's policy of valuing co-operation with countries in the South Pacific, including New Zealand.

He thanked New Zealand for providing official development assistant (ODA) to Viet Nam and affirmed support for New Zealand's ASEAN Strategy, unveiled by Prime Minister John Key in July this year.

He stressed Viet Nam would work closely with New Zealand and other relevant countries to resolve negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement.

Viet Nam and New Zealand yesterday agreed to raise bilateral trade to US$1 billion by 2015.—VNA/VNS Photo

English affirmed that New Zealand considered Viet Nam one of its most valued partners within the ASEAN community and the Asia-Pacific region.

He said the New Zealand Government would continue providing ODA to Viet Nam at a steady level, adding that he was satisfied with the progress of New Zealand-funded development projects in the country.

The two sides praised the partnership between Viet Nam and New Zealand, acknowledging co-operation at the political and socio-economic level.

They discussed regional and international issues and agreed to co-operate closely at multilateral forums, including the East Asia Summit (EAS), Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum (APEC), Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement. — VNS

Serbian news agency inks VNA co-operation agreement

MOSCOW (VNS)— The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and the Serbian National News Agency Tanjug signed a co-operation agreement yesterday that aims to promote mutual understanding between Vietnamese and Serbian people.

VNA General Director Nguyen Duc Loi and Tanjug Deputy Director Maja Vojinovic Jovanovic inked the document on the sidelines of the 15th General Assembly of the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) in Moscow, Russia yesterday.

VNA and Tanjug will exchange news text, photos and videos free of charge in addition to assisting each other's reporters, exchanging delegations and consulting one another at regional and international forums.

On the same day, VNA was elected as a member of the executive board of the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) for the 2013-16 tenure at the forum's 15th general assembly, which concluded in Moscow.

Russia's Itar-Tass news agency won the OANA presidency. — VNS

Fidel Castro's visit to VN battlefield recalled

Former Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro visited Dong Ha Town in Quang Tri Province, Viet Nam in 1973. — VNA/VNS File Photo

QUANG TRI (VNS)— Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc yesterday attended a meeting commemorating the 40th anniversary of the inaugural visit of former Cuban President Fidel Castro to the battlefield in Quang Tri Province.

Addressing the meeting, Deputy PM Phuc recalled the visit by President Fidel Castro in 1973, saying the visit gave courage to the Vietnamese people and soldiers fighting against US troops in 1975.

Phuc said the visit was politically significant in Viet Nam's history, as President Castro hadbeen the first foreign leader to visit Viet Nam soon after the early independence of the North.

The gesture conveyed the affection President Castro had for Viet Nam, who insisted on visiting the war-torn locality, said Phuc.

He also described the post-war era, saying Cuba had continued to be Viet Nam's strongest supporter as it began the process of rebuilding, adding that bilateral relations between the two countries had persisted throughout their respective histories.

"The Party, State, and people of Viet Nam will always appreciate support from Cuba," he said.

In 1973, President Fidel Castro led a delegation to Ha Noi to celebrate the nation's newfound freedom. President Castro was reportedly determined to visit Quang Tri on September 15 and 16, wanting to inspect the locality worst affected by American attacks and buouying local hopes for rebuilding the province. —VNS

Viet Nam-Japan friendship bolstered with festival

HA NOI (VNS)— The friendship organisations of Viet Nam and Japan should do more to promote mutual understanding and advance the strategic partnership between the two countries, Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan has said.

After receiving delegates to the Viet Nam-Japan friendship festival in Ha Noi yesterday, Doan recognised that both sides were working together to overcome differences and uphold their respective strengths to achieve mutual development.

The Japanese delegates lauded the festival, organised to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Viet Nam-Japan diplomatic ties, for offering people the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the two nations' steady friendship and co-operation.

Chairman of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organisations Vu Xuan Hong presented a Friendship Order to President of the Japan-Viet Nam Friendship association Prof. Furuta Motoo. — VNS

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Viet Nam, Russia plan economic co-operation

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan and his Russian counterpart Olga Golodets agreed on the need to boost bilateral economic co-operation during a meeting in Moscow yesterday.— VNA/VNS Photo Cao Cuong
MOSCOW (VNS)— Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan and his Russian counterpart Olga Golodets agreed on the need to boost bilateral economic co-operation during a meeting in Moscow yesterday.

The meeting also included the early signing of a free trade agreement between Viet Nam and the Customs Union of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus and the speeding-up of co-operation in the field of energy.

The leaders were in consensus that they needed measures to further their strategic co-operation in science – technology and education – training and agreed to accelerate the signing of a relevant framework agreement.

Nhan and his Russian host concurred that they should increase Russian scholarships for Viet Nam, step up the establishment of a Viet Nam – Russia Technology University, build a nuclear science and technology centre in Viet Nam and promote the teaching of Russian language and literature in Vietnamese educational institutions. They also planned to create all possible conditions for ministries, sectors, academies and research institutes to establish and expand co-operation.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan meets with First Vice Chairman of the Russian State Duma Ivan Melnikov.—VNA/VNS Photo

Earlier on the same day, Nhan met with First Vice Chairman of the Russian State Duma Ivan Melnikov.

He said that Viet Nam and Russia could broaden their co-operation in economics, banking, agriculture, transport, energy and the sea-based economy as well as traditional fields.

The construction of joint universities and research centres had especially good prospects, he said, making education – training yet another area for strategic co-operation.

For his part, Melnikov reiterated that the Russian parliament would back Viet Nam's proposals to further co-operation in education – training and the establishment of joint research and education – training institutes, while considering an agreement on the travel of individuals as well as military technical co-operation.

Nhan on Monday attended a round-table seminar in Moscow titled Strategic co-operation in education and science-technology: The foundation for sustainable development of the Viet Nam-Russia strategic partnership".

He noted that Viet Nam was grateful to Russia for training 25,000 Vietnamese doctorate holders and highly-qualified engineers in many fields.

Delegates to the seminar agreed to study the possibility of opening joint-venture universities, and considering new directions for co-operation in shipbuilding, space research, health care, marine science, biology and satellite positioning. — VNS

Wide-ranging HCM City, Lyon urban partnership lights up

HCM CITY (VNS)— HCM City and Lyon, France plan to expand their co-operation beyond the established area of urban lighting.

Vice Chairwoman of the HCM City People's Committee Nguyen Thi Hong and visiting Deputy Mayor of Lyon Gilles Buna agreed yesterday during a meeting that the two cities had potential for co-operation in urban management, environmental protection, culture and economics.

Hong said she hoped Lyon would continue assisting the Vietnamese economic hub to install artistic lighting works at historical and cultural sites.

Gilles Buna said the two cities' co-operation in urban lighting over the past 15 years had brought encouraging results and pledged that his city would press ahead with assistance for future projects in HCM City.

A Lyon-designed artistic lighting project at the HCM City Central Post Office is scheduled to start shining on Sunday as one of several activities celebrating 40 years of Viet Nam – France diplomatic ties. — VNS