주호치민 대한민국 총영사관

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

POLITICS

VOV News

Cambodian King visits Vietnam

Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni began an official three-day visit to Vietnam on June 24 with the aim of strengthening the traditional friendship, good neighbourliness and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

The visit, made at the invitation of President Nguyen Minh Triet, is the second by the King, following his first in March 2006. It also coincides with the 41st anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries on June 24.

Vietnam and Cambodia have agreed to develop their relations under the motto of "traditional friendship, good neighbourliness and comprehensive and long-term cooperation."Since early 2008, many important activities have been held to strengthen bilateral ties. The Vietnamese and Cambodian Prime Ministers had a separate meeting on the fringe of the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) Summit in Laos in March. The border provinces of Vietnam and Cambodia also met in Sihanoukville in February to review the results of their cooperation and map out future development plans. The first exchange was successfully conducted between the two foreign ministries in May.

Over the past few years, both countries have increased the number of top-level visits, including visits to Vietnam by Prime Minister Hun Sen (in October 2005), King Norodom Sihamoni (in March 2006) and Defence Minister Tea Banh (in March 2008), and a visit to Cambodia by State President Nguyen Minh Triet in February 2007.

The two countries have cooperated well in dealing with border issues to ensure security and stability along their common border, and have agreed to complete land border demarcation and landmark planting by 2012. They have also cooperated closely in combating cross-border crime, smuggling, trade frauds and social problems along their borders.

The two countries have also worked closely in the sub-regional framework and in multilateral cooperation such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Ayeyawady - Chao Phraya - Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) and the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS).

Vietnam, Bulgaria strengthen time-honoured friendship "We always regard Vietnam as a good friend and Vietnam plays an important part in relations with Bulgaria as its economy is developing positively", said Bulgaria’s National Assembly Chairman, Georgi Pirinski.

NA Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong and his delegation are on a four-day visit to Bulgaria from June 20-24 at the invitation of his Bulgarian counterpart George Pirinski.

For a long time, Vietnam has been seen as a good friend to Bulgaria. This was demonstrated through effective cooperation with Vietnam during war time. Bulgaria helped train thousands of Vietnamese staff in different fields who now hold important positions.

Mr Pirinski expressed the hope that the two countries will boost closer and more effective cooperation, particularly in economics, in order to raise two-way trade turnover to more than the current modest figure of US$47 million.

For his part, the Vietnamese legislative leader said that Vietnam pursues its consistent policy of developing the traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with Bulgaria and wants Bulgaria to help it establish comprehensive relations with the EU.

Both sides will boost cooperation between their ministries, business sectors and localities to create the best possible conditions for businesses to seek opportunities in each country. The two countries should further promote bilateral cooperation in personnel training, labour, tourism and food processing, said Mr Trong.

They agreed to exchange information and share experience in legislative bodies’ operational areas aimed at enhancing the implementation of agreements signed between the two countries.

Both sides will compare notes on international issues of mutual concern and boost cooperation at inter-parliamentary forums such as the Inter- Parliamentary Union (IPU) and Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP).

On the occasion, Mr Trong invited the Bulgarian legislative leader to visit Vietnam and his invitation was accepted with pleasure.

After the talks, they approved a joint statement along with a number of specific agreements. This was the first time Vietnamese and Bulgarian National Assemblies signed a joint statement. This showed that they attach great importance to developing traditional relations and bring the friendship to a new high.

The approval of the joint statement will serve as a legal foundation for both countries to carry out their agreements. The two national assemblies will enhance their supervisory roles in supporting each other at bilateral and multilateral forums for the development of each country, said Mr Trong.

The same day, Mr Trong was scheduled to meet with Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov and deliver a speech at the Vietnam-Bulgaria Business Forum.

Four more laws become effective They are the Law on Corporate Income Tax, the Law on Value Added Tax, the Law on Management and Use of State Assets and the Law on Compulsory Procurement and Requisition of Assets.

A press briefing was held in Hanoi on June 23 by the State President’s Office to announce the State President’s order for the four laws.

Deputy Minister of Finance Pham Sy Danh said that according to the Law on Corporate Income Tax (revised), the tax rate will be reduced to 25 percent from 28 percent previously and taxable entities include organisations and businesses from all economic sectors. Individuals, businesses and households who are paying corporate income tax will pay tax under the Law on Personal Income Tax.

Funding allocated to education, health care, measures to clean up after natural disasters’ and house building for the poor under legal regulations will not be taxed as business income.

Regarding the Law on Value Added Tax, Mr Danh said that some categories of products and services not subject to tax will also be reduced to 25 from 28 previously and tax rates will be applied at three levels: 0 percent, 5 percent and 10 percent.

Under the Law on Compulsory Procurement and Requisition of Assets, those who have requisition assets will be paid money based on market prices. The Procurement and Requisition of Assets will only be made if needed for reasons of national security and national interests.

TheLaw on Management and Utilisation of State Assets regulates that State assets will be taken back if they are misused. The law aims to increase the efficiency of management and use of State assets in conformity with the effective implementation of the Law on Thrift Practice, Waste Prevention and Control and the Anti-Corruption Law.

PM believes in future ties with the US

Washington (VNA) – The friendship and cooperative relations between Vietnam and the US will further develop in all fields based on equality, mutual respect and benefits. The statement was made by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in a message on Vietnam –US relationship on the occasion of his official visit to the US, which was published in the "Washington Post" newspaper on June 23. Since the normalisation 13 years ago, the Vietnam-US relations have seen important achievements in various fields that lay the foundation for the two countries’ future cooperation, the PM wrote in his message. The newspaper also published congratulations on the PM’s visit of 10 US corporations which are doing business in Vietnam, including AES, Brook Bower Asia, Cargil, DHL, ExxonMobil, Goldman Sachs, MARS, Microsoft and TPG.Boosting bilateral economic and commercial cooperation is one of the objectives of the Vietnamese government leader’s visit to the US, the AP said.

State President: Vietnam looks for more investors from Algeria

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam is eager for cooperation with Algeria in the areas of oil and gas, agriculture, health care and construction, and hopes that Algerian businesses will actively come to inquire into opportunities for cooperation and investment in the country, said President Nguyen Minh Triet. President Triet made the statement while receiving Algerian Minister of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Handicrafts Mustafa Benbada on June 23. The Algerian Minister is attending the 8 th meeting of the Vietnam-Algeria Inter-governmental Committee in Hanoi from June 23-24. The leader affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to multifaceted cooperation with traditional friends, including Algeria . The Algerian Minister said that the convention of meetings every two years by the Vietnam-Algeria Inter-governmental Committee reflects the two governments’ political determination to promote economic and commercial cooperation. Vietnamese construction companies are welcomed to invest in Algeria, the minister said. The two countries should diversify forms of economic, commercial and investment cooperation, he added.

Vietnam, China move to complete border demarcation on schedule

Hanoi (VNA) –Vietnam and China have agreed to exert more efforts to complete land border demarcation and landmark planting along their common borderline this year as agreed by high-ranking leaders of the two countries.During the 27th chairman-level session of the Vietnam-China Joint Committee for Land Border Demarcation and Landmark Planting, which took place in Hanoi from June 12 to 22, the two sides discussed solutions to outstanding issues in the area. The two sides decided to hold their next session in China next month.One June 21, the Vietnamese and Chinese delegations to the event were received by Deputy Foreign Minister Vu Dung.

NA Chairman begins his visit to France

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong and his delegation left Sofia for Paris on June 24, beginning their official visit to France at the invitation of the President of the French Senate, Christian Poncelet.

Earlier on June 23, during his visit to Bulgaria, Mr Trong met with President Georgi Parvanov and delivered a speech at the Bulgaria-Vietnam Business Forum.

The Vietnamese legislative leader informed the Bulgarian President of the results of his talks with Bulgaria’s NA Chairman Georgi Pirinski, the joint statement and agreements adopted by both countries. The approval of these agreements will be an important legal foundation for the two national assemblies to make a greater contribution to promoting cooperative relations.

Mr Trong hoped that both leaders will createthe best possible conditions for their respective ministries, sectors, and businesses to increase investment cooperation and tap into areas of potential economic benefit.

Both countries pledged to support each other at international forums and boost bilateral cooperation in labour, education, training and tourism, said Mr Parvanov.

Vietnam is in the process of national industrialisation and modernisation. Therefore, it needs huge investment in its transport infrastructure, high-quality human resources training and environmental protection measures, said Mr Trong.

BUSINES

VOV News

Rice export volume will be more than 4.5 million tonnes

According to preliminary statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), this year’srice output is estimated to reach around 37 million tonnes, one million tonnes more than last year.

Northern provinces are harvesting winter-spring crops with an estimated output of 6.2-6.4 million tonnes. The Mekong Delta region also had bumper winter-spring crops and its farmers are harvesting early summer-autumn crops. They have harvested around 130,000ha out of 400,000ha summer-autumn crops with an average productivity of 5-5.5 tonnes per hectare and even 6 tonnes per hectare in some regions.

With the estimated rice output, after balancing domestic demands and the national reserve, the rice volume for exports will be more than 4.5 million tonnes.

Secretary General of the Vietnamese Food Association (Vietfood) Nguyen Thi Nguyet said that businesses have signed new export contracts, bringing the total rice export volume to 3.5 million tonnes. All new rice exports will be delivered in next three months (July to September).

According to Vietfood, rice prices on the world market are falling sharply because export and import countries are harvesting their crops with increasing yields. However, Vietnamese rice exports still enjoy favourable conditions thanks to increasing demand for rice on the world market. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has forecast that rice prices will continue to rise to hit a record high in 2009.

HCMC Web

New bridge and conjunction to be built for HCMC

The People’s Committee has recently directed relevant agencies on inviting bids for the design package for the projects to build the Rach Chiec bridge and a junction in front of the main gate of the National University HCMC.

Accordingly, the Department of Transport is assigned to consider and approve the bidding plan and direct the investor to follow necessary procedures.

SOCIAL

Three-child families on the rise

VietNamNet Bridge –The birth rate is increasing in many provinces, especially the number of families with third children. Thirty-four of 64 provinces have a rising rate of third-child deliveries, reported the Ministry of Health.

According to the Population General Department under the Health Ministry, the number of families with third children increased by 17.3% in the first quarter of 2008 compared to the same period of 2007.

Some provinces have seen a sudden increase, such as Bac Ninh – 65.6%, Vinh Phuc – 62.2%, Thai Nguyen –55.6%, Phu Tho – 57%, Ha Tay – 49.9%, and Hai Phong – 46.8%.

Realising the increase of birth rates in some provinces, the Health Ministry formed four inter-sector inspection teams to check birth rates and population & family planning tasks in some locations.

Inspectors found out that the rate of third-child deliveries is increasing, and originate with the thinking that population and family planning agencies were dissolved and people are now allowed to deliver child without limitation. Experts say that this is a worrying trend because people’s thinking is one of the decisive factors in the success of population and family planning tasks.

Last August, the Committee for Population, Family and Children was dissolved and it was not until January 2008 that the Population General Department was set up to take over the committee’s job. This interruption caused adverse impacts on the system of population and family planning divisions at all levels, especially the grassroots level.

Sky’s the limit to ASEAN Tourism Industry

Vietnam will host the 28th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Tourism Forum (ATF) in Hanoi from January 5-12, 2009.

The theme of the forum "ASEAN Tourism – Striving for a New Height"aims to boost the ASEAN tourist industry and promote ASEAN as a single tourism destination at a time of fierce global competition.During ATF 2009, there will be dialogues between ASEAN Tourism Ministers, the ATF Travel Exchange (TRAVEX), travel seminars and exhibitions. Vietnam is expected to welcome nearly 1,500 foreign visitors for ATF 2009 with 400 travel agencies from potential markets such as North America, Western and Eastern Europe, Northeast Asia and Australia attending.2009will be the last year for ASEAN to achieve full integration as the region moves closer to becoming the ASEAN Economic Community. The ASEAN tourism industry has made significant contributions to the integration process by strengthening exchanges and consolidating peace in the region.

CULTURE

VOV News

Fifty int'l martial arts teams to attend Tay Son-Binh Dinh Festival The 2008 Tay Son-Binh Dinh Festival scheduled for late July and early August will draw 50 international martial arts from over 30 countries.

Martial arts teams from the Republic of Korea (RoK), Thailand, Laos and dozens of domestic teams have registered to compete in the event.