Nhandan Newspaper – December 7-13: President of Japanese House of Councillors, Belarusian President visit Vietnam

1. President of Japanese House of Councillors pays official visit to Vietnam President of the Japanese House of Councillors Yamazaki Masaaki paid an official visit to Vietnam from December 7-10 at the invitation of Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung. During his visit, the Japanese upper house leader held talks with NA Chairman Hung, paid courtesy calls to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and President Truong Tan Sang, and met with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and head of the Party Central Committee’s Organisation Commission and Chairman of the Vietnam-Japan Parliamentary Friendship Group To Huy Rua. In talks and meetings, both sides agreed to foster ties between the two legislatures and the bilateral strategic partnership for the interests of the two peoples. 2. Belarusian President visits Vietnam Belarusian President Aleksandr Grigorievich Lukashenko made a State visit to Vietnam at the invitation of President Truong Tan Sang on December 9. During his visit, the Belarusian President held talks with President Sang, met National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, and paid a courtesy call to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. Both sides vowed to strengthen the traditional friendship and all-around co-operation between the two countries. President Sang and the Belarusian leader also signed a joint statement on strengthening and developing Vietnam-Belarus comprehensive links. 3. National Patriotic Emulation Congress takes place in Hanoi The ninth National Patriotic Emulation Congress themed “Unity, Creation, National Construction and Protection Emulation” opened in Hanoi on December 7,…