Weekly press digest – May 19-25

National Assembly convenes seventh session

The 13th National Assembly (NA) opened its seventh session in Ha Noi on May 20, with law building work consuming most of the agenda.

During the 28-day sitting, including panel discussions and inquiry sessions, law-makers are expected to approve 11 draft laws and make the first review of 16 revised laws.

They spent time listening to a report on East Sea-related issues by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh. 

In his opening speech, NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung raised concern over complicated situations in the East Sea. He noted that China’s placement of its oil rig in Viet Nam’s exclusive economic zone has seriously violated Viet Nam’s sovereignty.

PM calls on int’l community to voice support for VN

Peace and stability, including peace, security, safety and freedom of navigation in the East Sea, are the prerequisites for development.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung stressed the point at the World Economic Forum on East Asia 2014 in Manila, the Philippines on May 22.

The Government chief especially highlighted that the situation in the East Sea is very serious due to China’s illegal installation of the drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou 981 in Viet Nam’s waters.

The China’s move has seriously violated international law, the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, directly threatening peace, stability, security and safety of navigation in the East Sea.

VN, Philippines work towards strategic partnership

Vietnamese PM Nguyen Tan Dung and Philippine President Aquino ten day du have agreed to set up a joint committee led by the two foreign ministries to figure out a roadmap towards the establishment of strategic partnership between the two countries.

The agreement was made during their talks in Manila on May 21 as part of PM Dung’s tour to the Philippines from May 21-23.

PM Dung congratulated the Philippines on reaching a peace accord which puts an end to decades of conflicts and opens up development opportunities in the Southern part of the country. 

Meanwhile, President Aquino thanked Viet Nam for its valuable assistance to the Philippines to overcome the consequences of typhoon Haiyan last year.

The two countries vehemently denounce and call on the international community to demand China stop its acts of infringement, strictly comply with international law, the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, and work toward the conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea.

PM Dung grants interview to Associate Press

PM Nguyen Tan Dung on May 21st in Manila, the Philippines, granted an interview to the US Associate Press about the recent developments in the East Sea as well as Viet Nam’s measures.

The PM underlined that Viet Nam has endured untold suffering and losses from past invasive wars."Therefore, it is always our earnest desire to have peace and friendship for national development. We are never the first to use military means and would never unilaterally start a military confrontation unless we are forced to take self-defense actions."

“Viet Nam has been consistent in pursuing peaceful means by making use of every opportunity, every dialogue channel to peacefully settle the current situation,” said PM Dung.

VN poised to sue China in court over East Sea tension

The government is preparing necessary filings to bring China to the International Arbitration Court if China does not withdraw its drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 from Viet Nam’s exclusive economic zone. 

The information was revealed by Nguyen Hanh Phuc, Chairman of the National Assembly Office in a May 24 interview with the media on the sidelines of the ongoing National Assembly session.

Phuc said after examining a Government report on the East Sea situation, lawmakers voiced their support for measures being taken by the government.

Gov’t adopts measures to assist foreign-funded enterprises

PM Nguyen Tan Dung on May 20 presided over a meeting to discuss measures to help foreign-invested enterprises which sustained damage caused by extremist protesters in some localities.  

Over the past time, people across the country has vehemently denounced China’s illegal placement of an oil rig in Viet Nam’s waters. Some protesters violated legal regulations by damaging property of the State, individuals and enterprises, including foreign-invested ones, resisting on-duty officials, and affecting social security, order, safety and business production.

The Government has taken comprehensive measures to timely prevent and strictly punish the lawbreakers. As a result, the situation has been put under control. Most of the affected enterprises have resumed operation.

Deputy PM stresses respect for int’l law to ensure Asia’s future

Despite difficulties and challenges, if international law, practices and regional commitments are fully respected and responsibilities shared, then there is a bright future for Asia, said Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam at the 20th International Conference on the Future of Asia in Tokyo on May 22-23.

The Deputy PM said Asia continues to experience dynamic development, yet challenges and hidden dangers remain. Therefore, the future development of Asia requires further changes and transformation.

Apart from national endeavors, enhancing the cohesion between countries is extremely important, Dam said, underlining policy coordination, transport infrastructure connectivity, technological innovation, linkages in human resources development and cooperation in environmental protection.

VN has full foundation on sovereignty over Hoang Sa, Truong Sa

An international press conference was organised on May 23 in Ha Noi to update reporters on information of the East Sea situation.

According to the Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Le Hai Binh, since the previous press conference on May 7 on China’s illegal placement of its Haiyang Shiyou- 981 in Viet Nam ’s waters, Viet Nam has showed utmost restraint and exhausted all peaceful measures, opportunity and dialogue channels to settle the issue in a peaceful manner.

Campaign for children’s health care launched 

June has been selected as the national month of action for children’s health, aiming to raise public awareness of child care and limit injuries among children.

The campaign will help improve parents’ knowledge about raising children while creating a safe and meaningful playground for them. The launch will take place amidst the backdrop of International Children’s Day (June 1) and the summer holidays.

May consumer price index rises by 0.2%

Viet Nam’s consumer price index (CPI) for May recorded a slight rise of 0.2% from the previous month and a year-on-year increase of 4.72%.

According to the General Statistics Office (GSO), the upward trend was seen in all the 11 commodity groups.

In the month, the group of housing and building materials posted the highest hike with 0.43%. Meanwhile, the smallest increase was recorded in medicine and health services.

World heritage sites contribute to national development

World cultural and natural heritage sites in Viet Nam have made great contributions to socio-economic development, particularly in localities where the sites are located, experts agreed at a seminar on May 23 in Ha Noi.

Nguyen Quoc Hung, Deputy Director of the Department for Heritage under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said such heritage sites constitute a major tourism resource.

He said while no official statistics are available, the recognition of a world heritage site is almost always followed by a fast increase in the number of tourists. According to UNESCO statistics, more than 1 billion tourists visit world natural and cultural heritage sites each year.

Viet Nam currently has seven world heritage sites, which are the complex of monuments in the ancient imperial city of Hue, Ha Long Bay, My Son Sanctuary, Hoi An ancient town, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, the central sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long – Hanoi and the Ho Dynasty Citadel./.

(Source: VGP/VOV/VNA)