Press digest – November 13

 

The National Assembly adopted a resolution on the national target programs in the 2016-2020 period with 88% of the votes, cutting the programs to two – new-style rural construction and sustainable poverty reduction.

 

The two remaining programs will ensure effectiveness while other programs in previous periods will be reviewed and rearranged in 37 component projects of 21 target programs with more appropriate scale for effective implementation.

 

The national target program on building new-style rural areas to 2020 aims to help 50% of communes reach new rural areas’ standards and 100% of communes achieve at least five required criteria.

 

The program on sustainable poverty reduction will strive for an annual poverty reduction rate from 1-1.5% while the annual rate of 4% is targeted in disadvantaged communes and districts in accordance with national poverty standards for the 2016-2020 period.

 

 

President Truong Tan Sang and his wife are due to attend the 23rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Manila, the Philippines, from November 17 – 19. 

 

The participation will be made at the invitation of Philippine President Benigno Aquino III. 

Established in November 1989, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum now comprises 21 economies, constituting roughly 39% of the world’s population, 57 % of total global GDP and 47% of international trade.

 

 

PM Nguyen Tan Dung has conveyed condolences to German Chancellor Angela Merkel over the decease of the European nation’s former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt. 

 

The Vietnamese leader also extended deepest sympathies to Schmidt’s family. 

Helmut Schmidt, who served as West German Chancellor from 1974 to 1982, passed away at the age of 96 on November 10.

 

 

President of the Senate of the Czech Republic Milan Stech will pay an official visit to Viet Nam from November 15-20.

 

The visit is made at the invitation of Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Sinh Hung.

 

The year 2015 marks the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and the Czech Republic (February 2).

 

The Czech Republic considers Viet Nam one of the 12 most potential markets.

Two-way trade between the two countries doubled in the past five years to reach US$670 million in 2014.

 

 

During the 38th session of the UNESCO General Conference in Paris, Viet Nam was elected to the UNESCO Executive Board for the 2015-2019 tenure.

 

The country gained 156 out of the 186 votes to win a seat at the organization’s Executive Board for the fourth time after the memberships from 1978-1983, 2001-2005 and 2009-2013.

 

The Executive Board, which consists of 58 member states with a four-year term of office, is on behalf of the UNESCO General Assembly between the organization’s two sessions to oversee the implementation of UNESCO’s working agenda and budget plan, maintaining relations with the UN and other UN agencies to prepare the agenda of the General Conference and recommend the admission of new states.

 

The Executive Board’s members play important roles in devising plans and building programs of the UNESCO.

 

The 5th East Asian Seas Congress themed “Global targets, local benefits – Setting the sustainable development agenda for the seas of East Asia beyond 2015” will be held in Da Nang City from November 16 to 21.

 

The hosting of the event aims to affirm Viet Nam’s position, role and contributions to peace, friendship and development in the East Asian seas in particular and on the international arena in general, he added.

 

As the host, Viet Nam wants to demonstrate its efforts to build the East Asian seas of peace, stability, and sustainable development.

 

 

The Ministry of Science and Technology and the French Development Agency (AFD) launched a US$1.3 million project aimed at improving the registration and management of geographical indications in Viet Nam.

 

The project is designed to improve the registration and management system of geographical indications by developing a new approach based on the experience of European countries, particularly France.

 

It will also help Viet Nam integrate in the field regionally and globally.

 

 

The Thai government on November 10 has approved the Ministry of Labor’s (MOL)’s proposal for recruiting workers from ASEAN member countries, including Viet Nam, with a view to solving the labour shortage in the country.

Accordingly, Thailand will allow Vietnamese workers entering the country under travel visa prior to February 10, 2015 to register and complete procedures to work legally in Thailand within one year.

Visa fees applied for Vietnamese workers will decrease from 2,000 THB (57 USD) to 500 THB, equal to those applied for workers from Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia.

 

 

A Viet Nam – US trade office was inaugurated in southern Binh Duong province as a joint effort of the Viet Nam-US Chamber of Commerce in the US, Binh Duong’s Department of External Affairs and Becamex IDC. 

 

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Mai Hung Dung said Binh Duong has attracted many foreign investors. Many business organisations from Japan, the Republic of Korea and China’s Taiwan have opened their representative offices in the locality. 

According to the provincial Department of Planning and Investment, Binh Duong is currently hosting 2,548 valid foreign-funded projects totalling more than US$22 billion. 

 

 

(Source: VGP/VNA/VOV)