Respecting friends

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended and delivered remarks at an open debate of the UN Security Council (UNSC) on addressing climate-related risks to international peace and security, which was held in the form of video conferencing on February 23.

Following is the full text of the Prime Minister’s remarks.

Mr. President,

I applaud the initiative of the UK Government and yourself, Mr. President, to host this important UNSC open debate on “Addressing climate-related risks to international peace and security”. I would like to thank UN Secretary General António Guterres and Chair of the UN Youth Advisory Group Nisreen Elsaim for your insightful and substantive information and recommendations.
Mr. President,

Earth – our blue planet, and our shared home – is suffering from grievous impacts of climate change. 2020 was one of the three hottest years in modern history, and was faced with the constant and severe aftermaths of floods, droughts, bushfires, rising sea level, and the unprecedented COVID-19 outbreak.

Such calamities have placed great burdens on the political and socio-economic life of many countries. They have caused unemployment and poverty, affected the livelihood of hundreds of millions of people, and risked creating instabilities or exacerbating present conflicts in many countries and regions, thus threatening international peace and security. In addition, conflicts and instabilities would further erode countries’ resilience, and rob them of valuable resources that could have been utilised to overcome the challenges of climate change.

Therefore, I propose that the UNSC, with its foremost mission being the maintenance of international peace and security, needs to galvanize collective and persevering efforts of the international community via the following measures:

First, a comprehensive and balanced approach is necessary in handling the connections between traditional and non-traditional security challenges, particularly in addressing the root causes of conflicts, such as poverty, inequality, power politics and unilateral interference and coercion. Strict adherence to the UN Charter and international law must truly become a standard of behaviour for countries in international relations.

Second, for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDG-2030), the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the Paris Agreement (COP-21) to be effectively implemented, the UNSC and the international community should allocate greater resources to support developing countries, least developed countries, small island developing states, and land-locked countries that are most detrimentally affected by climate change, and are also lacking expertise and resources.

Third, I hope that the UNSC will continue to enhance its early warning capacity, and bolster its role in mediating, preventing and resolving conflicts in all regions, including through enhancing cooperation with regional organisations.

Fourth, in order to harmoniously manage the connection between climate change and security, it is necessary to continue upholding the principles of respect for the sovereignty, national ownership and principal responsibilities of states. The shared interests of communities and peoples, particularly vulnerable groups, must be placed at the heart of all national and global climate action strategies and plans.

Mr. President,

According to the World Bank, Vietnam is among the six countries most severely affected by climate change. Thus, active and effective response to climate change is both a major guideline and a strong political resolve by the Vietnamese Government. Vietnam has made great efforts to fulfil its international commitments on climate change (SDG-2030 and COP-21). In this connection, we support all endeavours to address climate-related challenges at the UNSC and other multilateral forums. I hope that the international community will provide Vietnam with further assistance and resources, so that we can better fulfil our commitments. Vietnam will work closely with other ASEAN members and support the cooperation between ASEAN and the UN.

Mr. President,

The world is burdened with the fight against COVID-19. Responding to the appeal of the UN Secretary General in “Making peace with nature is the defining task of the 21st century”, we should take bold actions and enhance international unity. I am confident that the “challenges” stemming from climate change can be transformed into “drivers” for change, contributing to fostering a future of peace and more sustainable development for next generations.

Thank you./.

Shrimps processed for export (Photo: VNA)

HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City ’s Department of Industry and Trade has set the target to export 48.19 billion USD worth of products in 2021, a year-on-year surge of 10 percent.

Under its development plan for 2021 recently submitted to the municipal People’s Committee, the sector said import revenue is estimated at 56.47 billion USD for the whole year, up 11 percent against the previous year.

Besides, it eyed to reel in more than 835.68 trillion VND (36.29 billion USD) from retail sales and services revenues in the year, up 10 percent year-on-year.

The department said it will carry out necessary measures in a comprehensive fashion to branch out industry and trade, contributing to promoting economic recovery of the southern hub.

Earlier, HCM City set a goal of boosting the export of its key products this year and beyond via trade promotion activities and assistance to enterprises.

Head of the statistics office Huynh Van Hung said COVID-19 has been largely brought under control around Vietnam, resulting in the production sector exhibiting signs of recovery. Local enterprises, however, continue to face difficulties as many major trading nations are yet to open their markets.

He noted that enterprises are in need of diverse and long-term support relating to information on importers of materials and fuel, new markets and partners, and domestic consumption stimulus measures.

According to Nguyen Phuong Dong, Director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade, despite facing myriad challenges, last year the city still saw five goods post export turnover in excess of 1 billion USD: computers-electronic products and components, with 17.8 billion USD; garment-textile 4.3 billion USD; footwear 2.2 billion USD; machinery-equipment-spare parts 2.2 billion USD; and other goods 6.9 billion USD. Together their export value accounted for 83.5 percent of the city’s total.

Key export markets remained China, the US, and Japan. China imported 10.5 billion USD worth of goods from HCM City last year, up 23.7 percent year-on-year. Exports to the US and Japan, meanwhile, stood at 6.7 billion USD and 2.8 billion USD, down 0.2 and 16 percent, respectively, year-on-year./.

A student washes hands with sanitiser (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – As of February 24, schools in 52 provinces and cities reopened to their students. The 11 remaining provinces and cities are considering the pandemic situation in their localities to make decisions on when their schools can reopen .

The Ministry of Education and Training has requested local departments of education and training and educational institutions nationwide to strictly implement COVID-19 prevention and control measures, especially when students come back to school.

Schools are urged to stay vigilant against the pandemic, and proactively carry out prevention and control measures to ensure safety for students, with the focus on disinfecting classes, teaching and learning tools and toys.

Kindergarten children maintain 1m distance with friends (Photo: VNA)

Schools are also requested to coordinate with parents to keep a close watch on students’ health while they are at home and at school.

The Ministry of Education and Training also asked schools to actively build study plans for students to ensure the quality of their study after a long holiday./.

Invested by Fuji Phuc Long Development Co.Ltd, the 50-year project will be carried out in Hong Thai, Tang Tien communes and Nenh township in Viet Yen district, covering 50ha in the first stage.

The PM asked the provincial People’s Committee to be responsible for choosing investors to carry out projects in line with legal regulations regarding investment, bidding, land and real estate trade and relevant laws, with a priority given to projects using modern and eco-friendly technologies.

It must also implement compensation and site clearance, and transfer land use purpose to embark on projects as approved in terms of scale, location and progress.

The committee was also assigned to direct the provincial management board of IPs to ask investors to make deposit to ensure project implementation in line with the investment law.

The board and agencies concerned must also oversee the implementation of projects in line with laws on investment, land, environment, construction and real estate trade while attracting investment in IPs in accordance with approved planning.

Source: VNA

The visits aimed to promote solidarity, friendship and cooperation between the Vietnamese military region and Cambodian military partners within the framework of the signed agreements.

The visits, seen as a hallmark in Military Region 7’s implementation of the foreign policy in 2019, contributed to bolstering the bilateral relations between the two peoples and militaries, and strengthening the whole people defense posture of the military region.

Cambodians feel happier Chol Chnam Thmay with visits of Vietnamese friends

The delegation of the Military Region 7 Command, led by its Commander, Lieutenant General Vo Minh Luong, started visiting Cambodian military units and localities from the beginning of April.

At this time of the year, Cambodia looks beautiful and youthful. Buds and blossoms appear on trees, which makes people feel happy and healthy, particularly when the traditional New Year festival of the Cambodian people – Chol Chnam Thmay, is coming.

In both formal meetings and informal talks with the visiting Vietnamese military delegation, Cambodian troops and people all repeated the sacrifices of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers, who laid down their lives for the revival of the Cambodian people.

As years have passed since the Cambodian people with the support of the Vietnam People Army completely defeated the Pol Pot clique, the sacrifices of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and pains of the Cambodian people caused by the Pol Pot genocidal regime have gradually eased; but for all Cambodians, Vietnam has still remained a loyal and helpful friend.

Under the schedule, the Vietnamese military delegation visited Military Regions 1, 2 and 4 of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. At every stop, the visiting delegation was warmly welcomed by all Cambodian military units and civilian authorities. All hosts said that their Chol Chnam Thmay was happier, and that they would have more success and property in the new year when Vietnamese friends came to them on the occasion of their New Year festival. The Vietnamese military delegation also had a number of sport and cultural exchange activities with local military units and people.

During the meetings with local military and civilian leaders, General Luong, Commander of Military Region 7, expressed thanks for the sincere sentiment of the hosts for the visiting delegation as well as for effective supports of the Cambodian people and military in collecting and repatriating remains of fallen Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts in the past. He also hoped that the two sides would continuously cement the solidarity and friendship, promote peace and stability, and expand cooperation between the two nations and militaries.

Earlier another delegation of Military Region 7 led by its Political Commissar, Lieutenant General Tran Hoai Trung, also visited Cambodia on the Cambodian people’s Chol Chnam Thmay 2019. The delegation paid a courtesy calls on President of the Cambodian National Assembly Heng Samrin, Deputy Prime Minister Men Som On and Secretary of State of the Cambodian Ministry of Defense General Neang Phat, as well as visited a number of Cambodian military and police units.

The two delegations of Military Region 7 of Vietnam also visited and laid flowery wreaths at the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Monument in Phnom Penh, and Memorial of Vietnamese Volunteer Soldiers and Experts in Ba Chong village, Preak Bat ward, Stung Treng city, Cambodia.

According to General Trung, Military Region 7 and other Vietnamese military units usually pay visits and hold meetings and exchange activities with Cambodian partners on major Cambodian anniversaries with the aim of promoting mutual understanding and trust as well as boosting relations and cooperation between the two sides, following the motto for development of the Vietnam-Cambodia relations: “Good neighbor, traditional friendship, comprehensive and sustainable cooperation.”

Translated by Thu Nguyen