Review on external affairs from August 8-14: Celebrating 55th Anniversary of ASEAN; actively solving issues related new passport
WVR - Review on a number of news headlines on external affairs from August 8-14 by The World & Vietnam Report.
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| The ASEAN flag hoisting ceremony in Hanoi, on August 8. (Photo: WVR/Nguyen Hong) |
Leaders’ activities
On August 10, receiving Anouphap Tounalom, Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee, and Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People’s Council of Vientiane, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong affirmed that Vietnam always treasured and gave top priority to the special relationship between the two countries. He highlighted effective cooperation between the two capital cities and urged Vientiane to step up close coordination and cooperation with Hanoi and other localities of Vietnam.
On the same day, August 10, at the National Assembly House, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue hosted a reception for Anouphap Tounalom, Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee, and Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People’s Council of Vientiane.
National Assembly Chairman Hue noted that the two capital cities have set an example for cooperation at the local level, with the sharing of experience in Party building, socio-economic development and activities of People’s Councils.
On August 12, in Hanoi, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc presented the President’s decision on sending officers to the UN peacekeeping missions and the Minister of Public Security’s decision on the establishment of the Ministry of Public Security Office for Peacekeeping Operations. President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked police officers assigned to United Nations peacekeeping missions to bring into full play their talents, strengths and creativity to fulfill their assigned tasks.
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| President Nguyen Xuan Phuc presented the President’s decision on sending officers to the UN peacekeeping missions and the Minister of Public Security’s decision on the establishment of the Ministry of Public Security Office for Peacekeeping Operations in Hanoi, on August 12. (Photo: WVR/Nguyen Hong) |
On August 10, at the Presidential Palace, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc received Kuwaiti Ambassador Yousef Ashour Al-sabbagh and Israeli Ambassador Yaron Mayer presented credentials.
On August 9, at the Presidential Palace, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc received Lt. Gen. Hun Manet, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) and Commander of the Royal Cambodian Army, member of the Standing Committee of the Central Committee of the Cambodian People's Party. The President expressed his hope that Lt. Gen. Hun Manet’s visit will significantly contribute to the success of the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year 2022, marking the 55th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties (June 24, 1967). https://en.baoquocte.vn/president-nguyen-xuan-phuc-receives-cambodian-high-ranking-military-officer-lt-gen-hun-manet-193837.html
On August 14, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received the delegation of scientists and leaders of the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (VILAR), led by Director, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Sidelnikov Nikolai Ivanovich, headed to Vietnam to attend a conference reviewing the 30-year cooperation between the President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Management Board and the Institute. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh thanked Russian scientists for carrying out the task of long-term preservation of President Ho Chi Minh’s body.
On August 10, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sent a message of sympathy to Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo over the great loss in human lives and assets caused by heavy-rain-induced floods in a number of localities in the Republic of Korea. On the same day, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son sent a message of sympathy to Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin.
Activities of the Foreign Affairs Minister
On August 13, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son attended the ASEAN Family Day 2022 jointly organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the ASEAN Community Women's Group in Hanoi (AWCH) on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the establishment of ASEAN (August 8, 1967-2022) and 27 years of Vietnam's accession to ASEAN (July 28, 1995-2022). The event aims to honor ASEAN's community values, enhance understanding, friendship and promote ASEAN's solidarity. Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, Ambassadors, Heads of Missions, Embassy staff, Delegations of all ASEAN countries and ASEAN Dialogue Partners in Hanoi, AWCH team members, Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials and their families attended the event.
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| ASEAN Family Day 2022 to honor ASEAN's community values, enhance understanding, friendship and promote ASEAN's solidarity. (Photo: WVR/Tuan Anh) |
Previously, on August 8, on the occasion of this important milestone of ASEAN, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs solemnly held the ceremony to fly the ASEAN flag. The ceremony was chaired by Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, and attended by Ambassadors of ASEAN countries and ASEAN partners, along with local officials.
The annual ASEAN flag hoisting ceremony is held in each ASEAN member state to honour their common values and express the determination to promote solidarity and cooperation. On this occasion, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son wrote an article about the journey of building the ASEAN Community and Vietnam's contributions to the Association's common vision.
On the afternoon of August 10, at the headquarters of the Ministry, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son received outgoing Norwegian Ambassador Grete Lochen to say goodbye on the occasion of the end of her working term in Vietnam. Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son suggested Norway accelerate the negotiation and signing of the FTA between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), including Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son sent a congratulatory message on the occasion of Mr. Hayashi Yoshimasa's re-appointment as Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs.Bilateral activities
On August 13, in Beijing, the Embassies of Vietnam and Laos in China held a friendship exchange in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties (September 5) and 45 years since of signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation (July 18). Vietnamese Ambassador Pham Sao Mai said over the last 60 years, the traditional and close relations between Vietnam and Laos, founded by late Presidents Ho Chi Minh, Kaysone Phomvihane and Souphanouvong and nurtured by generations of the two countries’ leaders and people, have surmounted countless difficulties and challenges to become an exemplary, faithful and rare relationship.
On August 12, at the headquarters of the National Assembly of Venezuela, the inaugural ceremony of the establishment of the Venezuela-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Group took place. Vice President of Venezuela's National Assembly Iris Varela Rangel expressed her delight at the growing partnership between the two countries, underlined that the establishment of the group is significant to the strengthening of partnership between the two National Assemblies, contributing to promoting the friendship and cooperation between the two countries as well as mutual understanding between their people.
On August 8, the Consulate General of Vietnam in Kunming, China collaborated with relevant agencies, experts and scholars of the two countries, Vietnam and China, to organize the international symposium on the Heritage of Ho Chi Minh and Vietnam-China Relations. The symposium aimed to discuss a plan to restore and embellish the relic of President Ho Chi Minh's old residence at No. 81 Hua Shan Nan Street, Kunming City. This work is very important, not only helping the people of Vietnam and China, better understand the life and great revolutionary cause of President Ho Chi Minh, but also contributing to enhancing the education of the young generations of the two countries regarding the traditional friendship between the two countries.
At the request of the economic newspaper Dunya News - the leading economic newspaper in Turkey, Vietnamese Ambassador to Turkey Do Son Hai gave an interview on economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and Turkey. The Vietnamese market is being increasingly interested by the business community and trade agencies in Turkey, considering Vietnam as a gateway to access the ASEAN market in general and Vietnam in particular.
Multilateral activities
On August 9, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, met with Mr. Robert McCooey, Senior Vice President of Nasdaq's Listing Services unit, who leads business development for new listings in Latin America and Asia-Pacific of Nasdaq Corporation. Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, has suggested Nasdaq introduce reputable and experienced US investors to invest in Vietnam in IT, renewable energy, agriculture, health care, education, finance, and real estate in the coming time. McCooey said that Vietnam's investment environment has a clear competitive advantage in the region thanks to its flexible response policy to the COVID-19 pandemic, and stable legal system.
On August 8, Deputy Minister Ha Kim Ngoc led a delegation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Francophonie International Organization Office in Hanoi to sign the condolence book for Mr. Chékou Oussouman, representative of the Francophonie International Organization in Asia-Pacific region who passed away on August 2.
In an interview with the media on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the establishment of ASEAN and the 27th anniversary of Vietnam's accession to ASEAN, Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc reviewed the achievements of ASEAN as well as the role and contributions of Vietnam as an active and responsible member of the ASEAN. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has demonstrated its resilience and effective response to great challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and fierce competition between big countries, according to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc. The Deputy Foreign Minister expressed his firm belief that ASEAN will overcome many challenges such as the risk of inflation, economic recession, competition among world powers, territory sovereignty disputes, and environment and climate change.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson
On August 13, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang updated information about citizen protection work concerning Vietnamese victims of the fire in Manchester, England.
On the afternoon of August 11, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regular press conference, Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang informed MOFA's coordination with foreign representative missions to solve problems related to the new version of Vietnamese passport; the case of two Vietnamese citizens accused of violating law in Spain; Vietnam's position regarding an official US launch of an anti-circumvention investigation into steel pipe imported from Vietnam; Vietnam's position on Taiwan Strait situation.
Other activities
On the evening of August 13, in Ho Chi Minh City, the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union held a cultural exchange for children from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. The event was part of activities held by young people of the three countries to mark the Vietnam-Laos and Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Years and the 60th and 55th anniversaries of Vietnam-Laos and Vietnam-Cambodia diplomatic relations respectively.
