Peoples national party

The Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee held the fifth conference in the 11th tenure on April 13 to discuss a draft report on socio-economic and budget performance in the first quarter, and key tasks and goals for the second quarter.

They also mulled over a draft action programme to realise the Resolution of the 11th municipal Party Congress on mass mobilisation.

Chairing the event, Politburo member and Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen said the fight against COVID-19 remains the top priority in the second quarter and the coming time.

He required that the city will continue raising public awareness of following the 5K message, tightening immigration management, while putting in place a plan to implement “vaccine passport” pending its approval to promote tourism and economic development.

The official took note of clear signs of recovery of the city’s socio-economy situation in the first quarter with the GRDP up 4.58 percent, compared to a 0.42 percent increase in the same period last year.

The city basically achieved the dual goal of containing COVID-19 while maintaining socio-economic development and ensuring national defence-security.

About preparations for the elections of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2021-2026 tenure, he urged the steering committee, election committee and sub-committees involved to enhance inspection, especially personnel work, as well as promptly discover and handle acts that distort information related to the effort.

Nen also wanted work to early start to implement the master plans of HCM City and Thu Duc city.

He said more efforts should be made to improve business climate and competitiveness, first of all to tackle difficulties faced by businesses, push forward with administrative reform and assist people and enterprises in restoring production and business.

Source: VNA

The statement was underlined by Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen at a meeting between HCMC’s leaders and Consuls General, and leaders of international organizations and economic-cultural offices of countries in the city on April 14.

He highly appreciated outstanding contribution of international friends to the building and development of HCMC; and affirmed that all successes of the city are always associated with their support and companionship.

The city will make all efforts to become an economic leading role of the whole country, the Party Chief added.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong said that Vietnam has been one of the most successful countries in the world at containing the Covid-19 pandemic while maintaining economic growth.

The country has reached dual goals including the control of the Coronavirus pandemic and effective implementation of economic recovery programs.

Despite the Covid-19 outbreak causing a negative impact on trade and development, HCMC achieved a positive growth rate of 1.4 percent in 2020, contributed 22 percent to national GDP growth and donated 27 percent to the total State budget revenue.

Remittances to the city last year reached a record US$6.1 billion, an increase of 15 percent year on year.

The city’s chairman expressed his thanks for the companionship of Consuls General, and leaders of international organizations and economic-cultural offices of countries in the city in preventing and controlling the spread of the disease.

The municipal government has studied to build a project on turning HCMC into an international city and promote it as a worth-living city, a safe-dynamic-friendly destination for residents and international friends.

Regarding the future development plan of HCMC, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee informed about projects attracting so much interest from investors, especially the smart city building project featuring four centers of a shared database, an open data ecosystem, a center for socioeconomic forecasts and simulation, and a smart operation center .

He also introduced a planning scheme of Thu Duc City, the highly interactive and innovative urban area to the East HCMC that is expected to be developed into the “Silicon Valley” in Vietnam.

Apart from that, the rate of poor households of Khmer ethnic minority decreased by more than 4.11 percent.

The figure was released at the meeting “Celebrating the Year of the Trophy Lunar New Year in 2021” yesterday held by the provincial Party Committee, the People’s Council, the People’s Committee, and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Soc Trang Province.

Ha Ngoc Chien, Chairman of the National Assembly’s Council of Ethnic Minorities together with leaders of the Provincial Party Committee, People’s Council, People’s Committee, Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Soc Trang province; dignitaries, monks, officers and soldiers were attending the meeting.

At the meeting, delegates listened to a brief report on the province’s socio-economic development in 2020, as well as directions, goals, and key solutions in the coming time.

By 2020, Soc Trang province has a total population of nearly 1.2 million people, of which the Khmer people account for more than 30 percent.

On this occasion, Mr. Chien presented gifts to the province’s Executive Board of Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and 10 outstanding dignitaries.

The Choul Chnam Thmey in 2021, the traditional celebration of the solar New Year of the Khmer ethnic people , will take place from April 14 to 16.

Art performances aim at celebrating the 131st birth anniversary of great President Ho Chi Minh and the success of the 13th National Assembly Congress and People’s Councils at all levels, term of 2021-2026.

A series of artistic functions themed “May Festival” will take place in various venues throughout the city from 19 to 23 of May, according to an instruction of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sport sent to relevant municipal departments and units recently.

Hanoi will hold a series of event in May to exciting atmosphere to welcome major festivities and events of the capital and the country. Photo: Kinh te & Do thi.

“The show are aimed at promoting national self-esteem among Hanoians; showcasing the deep respect and gratitude of the city’s people from all walks of life for President Ho Chi Minh’s great merits; and creating a joyful as well as exciting atmosphere to welcome major festivities and events of the capital and the country,” the department noted.

These art shows, besides being interpreted by professional artists, will gather amateur actors and actresses, public servants, employees, soldiers, war veterans and students who live in Hanoi. They will perform repertoires of music and dance individually, in duet, trio, top choir, chorus, independent dance, solo or instrumental concert, among others.

Notably, topics of the shows will show the beauty of the country and the people of Vietnam, acclaiming the “Hanoi Heroic Capital”, the “City for Peace” and the “Creative City of Hanoi”, expressing the deep affection and gratitude of Vietnamese people to the Communist Party and President Ho Chi Minh, and appreciating great achievements of Hanoi city and the whole nation in the progress of national building and development.

The department encourages relevant units to organize art shows in commune or districts throughout the city, and in this way, disseminate the contents of the 13th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels, term of 2021-2026.

A teleconference was held on Wednesday to promote Belgian investment in the southern province of Binh Duong.

The event was co-hosted by the Becamex IDC Corp and the provincial People’s Committee.

In his opening speech, Vice chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Truc said as of the end of March, Binh Duong had drawn nearly 4,000 foreign-invested projects worth nearly US$37.9 billion, ranking third nationwide in terms of foreign direct investment (FDI) attraction, only behind HCM City and Ha Noi.

The province is now home to five Belgian projects worth over $39 million, ranking 37th out of 65 countries and territories investing in the locality, mostly pharmaceuticals, apparel, additives, beer and malt, and goods storage.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg Vu Anh Quang said amid uncertain developments caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the world, Belgium and Viet Nam continue to be important trade-investment partners of each other because they serve as regional trade hubs and gateways to the EU and ASEAN.

The two nations’ enterprises hold the potential of deeper collaboration within the framework of the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the Viet Nam-Belgium strategic partnership in agriculture, he added.

The Vietnamese Government attaches special importance to the implementation of major FTAs such as the EVFTA, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), he said, adding that FDI continues to serve as an important resource for Viet Nam’s economic growth and contribute to the implementation of the 2021-30 socio-economic development strategy with a vision to 2045 which was adopted by the 13th National Party Congress.

Belgian delegates hailed Viet Nam as a significant gateway linking ASEAN with the world via roads, waterway and airway. With a widespread system of deep-water seaports capable of receiving big vessels, political stability and the Government’s business incentives, Viet Nam is well-positioned to attract foreign investors. — VNS

Minister of National Defence Senior Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang (right) and Lao Ambassador Sengphet Houngboungnuang (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of National Defence Senior Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang received ambassadors of Laos , Cambodia, China and Russia in Hanoi on April 14.

Lao Ambassador Sengphet Houngboungnuang congratulated Giang on his appointment as Defence Minister of Vietnam and expressed his belief that the minister will make more contributions to the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States and armies.

The two sides affirmed that the defence cooperation is an important pillar of the bilateral ties, and significantly contributes to national construction and defence of each country.

Given the unexpected developments of the regional and international situation, the two countries should maintain and tighten the traditional friendship and special solidarity, and the defence ties in particular, they said.

They agreed to step up the exchange of delegations, especially those at the high level, in order to discuss strategic issues of shared concern, and enhance collaboration across spheres, especially defence and military.

At a meeting with Cambodian Ambassador Chay Navuth, Giang spoke highly of efforts by the Cambodian government, army and people in the COVID-19 combat.

They shared the view that defence collaboration is one of the major pillars of the relations between the two countries, and consented to step up delegation exchanges in the time ahead.

During a reception for Chinese Ambassador Xiong Bo, Giang affirmed that Vietnam attaches importance to its relations with China, and will make all-out efforts to consolidate and strengthen the time-honoured relationship and the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with the neighbouring country.

The minister briefed the ambassador on upcoming defence external activities to be held by Vietnam and China in the time ahead.

Meeting with Russian Ambassador Konstantin Vnukov, the minister said Vietnam always treasures the long-standing relations with Russia, and will do its utmost to promote the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, covering collaboration in national defence and technical military.

He called on the ambassador, in any position, to make more contributions to the bilateral ties.

The two sides reviewed the organisation of defence activities within Vietnam Year in Russia and Russia Year in Vietnam and the 25th anniversary of the signing of the treaty on basic principles for Vietnam-Russia friendship in 2019, and the 70th anniversary of the Vietnam-Russia diplomatic relations last year.

The countries are working hard to prepare for the Army Games this year./.

VNA