Delegates to national convention 17th congressional district

During the talks, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh lauded Vietnam visit of Marise Payne following her reappointment as Minister for Foreign Affairs cum Minister for Women of Australia, saying that it proves the Australian government’s appreciation for Vietnam and substantial ties between the two nations. Deputy PM Minh thanked the Pacific country for maintaining the supply of development assistance to Vietnam, saying that it has been used effectively, contributing to Vietnam’s socio-economic development. For her part, Ms. Payne affirmed that Australia considers Vietnam one of its key partners in Southeast Asia and wants to further promote the bilateral relations and cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral frameworks. The two sides agreed to facilitate high-level visits in the coming time, effectively uphold 19 bilateral cooperation mechanisms, especially annual meetings between the two defense and foreign ministers, and hold the first … [Read more...] about Australia considers Vietnam a key partner in the region: Australian Foreign Minister

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son (R) meets with his Philippine counterpart Enrique A. Manalo (Photo: VNA) Jakarta (VNA) - Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son met with his Cambodian, Philippine and Malaysian counterparts on February 3 on the sidelines of the 32nd ASEAN Coordinating Council Meeting ( ACC-32 ) in Jakarta, Indonesia. During their meeting, FM Son and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn were pleased with the fruitful developments of the bilateral relationship in recent times, and agreed to continue promoting the exchange of high-level visits via all channels, enhancing people-to-people exchange; maintaining and optimising the effectiveness of existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms; fostering economic connections; strengthening cooperation between localities, especially those that share borders; and exerting effort to speed up tourism recovery. Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son (L) and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister … [Read more...] about FM meets Cambodian, Philippine, Malaysian counterparts

Addressing the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat in Jakarta, Indonesia, Minister Bui Thanh Son said that initiatives in the region should come from the goodwill of cooperation, complementarity and reciprocity to ASEAN-led mechanisms, thus contributing to the common goal of peace, security, stability and development. Sharing common concerns about unpredictable regional and international fluctuations, the Vietnamese minister stressed that ASEAN needs to maintain solidarity, self-reliance and flexible adaptation, strengthen internal resources, and promote its centrality. He reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security and safety of navigation and aviation in the East Sea (South China Sea), emphasizing the necessity for the group to strengthen its principle stance, and uphold international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982, towards a rules-based regional maritime order, and effectively protecting the legitimate interests of … [Read more...] about ASEAN should maintain balanced, harmonious approach to partners: FM Son

Brazil sank a decommissioned aircraft carrier in the Atlantic Ocean off its northeast coast, the Brazilian Navy said, despite warnings from environmentalists that the rusting 1960s French-built ship would pollute the sea and the marine food chain. The 32,000-tonne carrier had been floating offshore for three months since Turkey refused it entry to be scrapped there because it was an environmental hazard and the ship was towed back to Brazil. The carrier was scuttled in a "planned and controlled sinking" late on Friday, the Navy said in a statement, that would "avoid logistical, operational, environmental and economic losses to the Brazilian state," it said. The hull of the Sao Paulo was sunk in Brazilian jurisdictional waters 350 kilometers (217 miles) off the coast where the sea is 5,000 meters deep, a location chosen to mitigate the impact on fishing and ecosystems, the Navy said. Federal public prosecutors and Greenpeace had asked the Brazilian government to stop the … [Read more...] about Brazil sinks rusting old aircraft carrier in the Atlantic

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh inspects project to upgrade and expand Phu Cat airport (Photo: VNA) Binh Dinh (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh paid a working visit to the south-central coastal province of Binh Dinh on February 4, during which he inspected, and attended the inauguration ceremonies of some infrastructure projects in the locality. In the morning, PM Chinh listened to a report on a project to upgrade and expand Phu Cat airport, which is being used for both civil and military purposes. According to a draft master plan on the system of airports and airfields nationwide in the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, the Ministry of Transport proposed to increase the capacity of Phu Cat airport from 2 million passengers per year as designed to 5 million by 2030 and 7 million by 2050. The PM requested the ministry to coordinate with relevant agencies and Binh Dinh province to soon complete the Phu Cat Airport planning dossier to be ready for approval right … [Read more...] about Prime Minister pays working visit to Binh Dinh

The Deputy Minister of Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism hopes Vietnam will soon welcome ASEAN delegations to attend major tourism events in Vietnam this year. In 2023, ASEAN member countries will enhance the promotion of tourism projects, further facilitate the connection between   ASEAN destinations, and strengthen joint promotion activities in key markets and within ASEAN. Deputy Minister of Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MOCST) Doan Van Viet gave his proposal at the 26th Meeting of ASEAN Tourism Ministers, which is taking place in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, within the framework of the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF 2023). Ministers of ASEAN member countries attend the event. Photos: TITC MOCST’s Deputy Minister Doan Van Viet hoped that ASEAN members would soon remove entry requirements related to Covid-19. He said  Vietnam  welcomes ASEAN delegations to attend major tourism events in Vietnam this year, including the VITM … [Read more...] about ASEAN strengthens joint promotion activities for tourism recovery

Tourism is expected to label ASEAN as stable, peaceful, dignified, upholding human values, and able to support world economic stability. In 2023, ASEAN member states will enhance the promotion of tourism projects, further facilitate the connection between ASEAN destinations, and strengthen joint promotion activities in key markets and within the region. Deputy Minister of Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MOCST) Doan Van Viet gave the proposal at the 26th Meeting of ASEAN Tourism Ministers, which is taking place in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, within the framework of the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF 2023). ASEAN ministers attend the event. Photos: TITC MOCST’s Deputy Minister Doan Van Viet hoped that ASEAN members would soon remove entry requirements related to Covid-19. He said Vietnam welcomes ASEAN delegations to attend major tourism events in Vietnam this year, including the VITM International Travel Mart in Hanoi and ITE-HCMC in Ho Chi Minh … [Read more...] about ASEAN boosts tourism promotion for strong recovery

Being the heart of Vietnam, Hanoi has been promoting solid waste management while raising public awareness of environmental protection, helping the country reach the target of processing 96% of urban household waste in 2023. Hanoi has taken drastic measures to boost the management of solid waste, which has not met the requirements of environmental protection, according to Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DONRE) Mai Trong Thai. Accordingly, the DONRE has issued a plan and taken action to strengthen the state management of solid waste in the capital city and raise the people’s awareness of the issue. Previously, solid waste management in Hanoi was handled by the Department of Construction and DONRE, resulting in overlapping functions. Therefore, the DONRE has assumed primary responsibility for solid waste management in the capital from January 1, 2023. He stressed that the DONRE undertook early in resolving the difficulties that … [Read more...] about Hanoi takes drastic action to handle solid waste

The signing of the Treaty of Waitangi on February 6, 1840. (Photo: nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/the-signing-of-the-treaty) Hanoi (VNA) - The ambassador of New Zealand to Vietnam, Tredene Dobson, has written an article on the occasion of New Zealand's Waitangi Day (February 6). The following is the full text of the article. "All countries are unique – they all have a thousand big and small things that make them special. And most countries have a national day where the people of that nation come together to celebrate those special attributes and qualities.  One of the things that makes Aotearoa New Zealand unique is that we don’t have a national day – not officially anyway. Not one day set down in law – different to all of the other public holidays – that carries the weighty title of ‘national day’. We do have ‘Waitangi Day’ though – a day so special and unique to our country that it is often regarded by international friends as our national day. Waitangi Day marks the … [Read more...] about Waitangi Day reflections on New Zealand – Vietnam Partnership

The nation will work alongside other ASEAN member states to discuss, agree upon processes , procedures, and necessary measures aimed at supporting Timor Leste to become an official member of the bloc, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said. Minister Son made the statement during a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor Leste Adaljiza Albertina Xavier Reis Magno on February 4 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat (AMM Retreat) in Jakarta, Indonesia. Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son (R) and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor Leste Adaljiza Albertina Xavier Reis Magno at the meeting Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son (R) and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor Leste Adaljiza Albertina Xavier Reis Magno at the meeting Both sides consented to intensify the exchange of delegations at all levels, hold the first meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation at the ministerial level in … [Read more...] about Vietnam ready to help Timor Leste become ASEAN official member