Review on external affairs from Oct. 2-8: Belgian Chamber of Representatives supports Vietnamese AO victims; Honoring President Ho Chi Minh
WVR - Review on a number of news headlines on external affairs from Oct.2-8 by The World and Vietnam Report.
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| On October 5 evening (local time), the Belgian Chamber of Representatives passed a resolution in support of the Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin victims in Vietnam, with absolute approval votes 134/134. (Photo: WVR) |
Leaders’ activities
On October 7, Vietnamese leaders extended condolences to their Syrian counterparts over the death of more than 100 people and injury of many others after a drone attack on the military academy in the western city of Homs province two days earlier. President Vo Van Thuong sent a message of condolences to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh extended condolences to his Syrian counterpart Hussein Arnous and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue cabled a message of condolences to Speaker of the Syrian People’s Council Hammouda Youssef Sabbagh. The same day, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son extended condolences to Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Faisal Al-Meqdad.
On October 3, on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of Germany's National Day (October 3, 1990 - 2023), President Vo Van Thuong sent a congratulatory message to German President Frank Walter-Steinmeie. On the day, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh extended congratulations to Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue sent congratulatory messages to Bundestag President Bärbel Bas and President of the Federal Council Peter Tschentscher. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son sent a message of congratulations to his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock.
On October 4, President Vo Van Thuong has just signed Decision No. 1109/2023/QD-CTN approving the Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Czech Republic at the request of the Governmen. Vietnam and Czechoslovakia signed the Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Civil and Criminal Matters in 1982 (currently inherited by the Czech Republic), which is a legal framework for the two sides to coordinate in resolving requests for mutual legal assistance in civil and criminal matters. To meet new practical requirements, the ratification of a separate Agreement on criminal legal assistance to replace the provisions on criminal legal assistance in the 1982 Agreement is necessary, contributing to perfecting the legal framework on mutual legal assistance between the two countries.
On October 6, receiving President of Italy's Lombardy region Attilio Fontana and an Italian delegation, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said Vietnam treasures and advocates deepening its strategic partnership with Italy. PM Chinh hailed their visit at a time when the two countries are celebrating the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and the 10th anniversary of strategic partnership. The Prime Minister proposed the Lombardy region consider the possibility of establishing a partnership with a Vietnamese region, such as the Red River Delta region with Hanoi capital city, or the southeastern region with Ho Chi Minh City.
On October 4, receiving Vientiane's Mayor Atsaphangthong Siphandone who was in Hanoi on the occasion of the 69th anniversary of Hanoi's Liberation Day (October 10, 1954-2023), Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh lauded significant contributions by Vientiane to achievements Laos has recorded over the past nearly four decades of reform. The Prime Minister affirmed that the outcomes of cooperation between Hanoi and Vientiane vividly demonstrated the traditional, special friendship between Vietnam and Laos. Hanoi and Vientiane should cooperate and support each other to complete institutions and spur socio-economic development, he said.
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| Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and Vientiane's Mayor Atsaphangthong Siphandone. (Photo: VNA) |
On October 4, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sent a message of congratulations to Mr. Sato Kilman on his appointment as Prime Minister of Vanuatu. On this occasion, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son also extended his congratulations to Mr. Marc Ati on his appointment as Vanuatu’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.
On October 2, receiving Minister-President of Lower Saxony Stephan Weil, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has highlighted potential for cooperation between Vietnam and Germany and its Lower Saxony state, and suggested the two sides step up cooperation in different areas. The Prime Minister emphasised that trade between Vietnam and Lower Saxony was valued at 1.4 billion EUR (1.46 billion USD) last year, equivalent to one-tenth of the trade revenue between the two countries. The Prime Minister expressed his hope for a more intensive strategic partnership with Germany in general and Lower Saxony in particular. The two sides should foster cooperation in politics and diplomacy, trade-investment, climate change response, vocational training, and people-to-people exchange, he suggested. Prime Minister Chinh also called on the German state’s authorities to encourage local businesses to invest in Vietnam in the areas where both sides have strengths and demand like high-tech, digital transformation, and climate change response.
On October 5, Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Vuong Dinh Hue received Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Sengphet Houngboungnuang, lauding the outgoing diplomat’s significant contributions to relations between the two countries and the two parliaments. He noted Ambassador Sengphet Houngboungnuang has helped promote the substantive, practical, and fruitful ties between the two parliaments, especially in the activities marking the countries’ Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022. The Vietnamese NA supports and is ready to assist and share experience with its Lao counterpart so that the Lao side will successfully host the high-level conference among the parliaments of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam in Vientiane in early this December, and the 45th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-45) in October 2024, the NA Chairman affirmed.
On October 5, at the reception for outgoing Bangladesh Ambassador Samina Naz, Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan said the Bangladeshi Ambassador to Vietnam and Bangladeshi Embassy in Vietnam have done a good job in promoting the good traditional relations between the two countries. She stressed that politics-diplomacy and trade are the two pillar areas of cooperation between Vietnam and Bangladesh, adding that both countries' election to the UN Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term provides an opportunity for the two sides to continue supporting each other on human rights, gender equality, climate change, and sustainable development.
On October 6, at the reception for Principal Adviser on Energy Diplomacy of the European Union Tibor Stelbaczky and the UK's Envoy on the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) Chris Taylor, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha said the JETP needs to be promptly carried out with specific actions and a cooperation mechanism between the Government and the private sector. Vietnam has taken several steps in fulfilling its commitments under the JETP, such as establishing a steering committee, approving an action plan, forming a secretariat with specialised working groups, he said.
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| Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha (R) hosts Principal Adviser on Energy Diplomacy of the European Union Tibor Stelbaczky and the UK's Envoy on JETP Chris Taylor. (Photo: VNA) |
Activities of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
On October 3, in Hanoi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son hosted a reception for UK Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack. Foreign Minister Son proposed the two countries continue stepping up delegation exchanges, effectively implementing bilateral cooperation mechanisms, maintaining close cooperation at multilateral forums, and encouraging UK enterprises, including those from Scotland, to invest in finance, science-technology, innovation, green transformation and energy transition in Vietnam. He expressed appreciation for UK role in promoting the building of the Just Energy Transition Partnership framework between Vietnam and international partners. He suggested the UK continue to support Vietnam in building institutions and policies; boost human resources training and technology transfer in the process of green transformation and sustainable development; and strengthen collaboration in education and training, including joint training cooperation with Scottish universities. Agreeing with the Vietnamese Minister’s proposals, Secretary of State Alister Jack affirmed that the UK will maintain support for Vietnam to respond to climate change and develop renewable energy and green finance.
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| Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (R) and UK Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack. (Photo: WVR/Tuan Anh) |
Bilateral activities
On October 3 in Hanoi, at a meeting with local media reporters, newly accredited ambassador of France to Vietnam Olivier Brochet said that France stays ready to support Vietnam in fighting off global challenges, including climate change response. The Ambassador described the relationship between Vietnam and France as special, recalling the age-old bond between the two peoples despite the ups and downs in the two countries’ histories, and said his mission as Ambassador is to further strengthen this special relationship.
On October 7, the Vietnam Pho Festival 2023 was held in Yoyogi Park, Tokyo, as part of celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu sai in recent years, the number of Japanese restaurants serving Vietnamese cuisine has been steadily increasing, with 'Pho' being one of the most ordered and increasingly popular dishes in Japan. The two-day festival is the first of its kind in Japan to introduce Vietnamese cuisine, particularly Pho, a unique Vietnamese dish. It is also expected to further tighten people-to-people exchange and lasting friendship between Vietnam and Japan.
On October 6, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang attended and spoke at the second Overseas Vietnamese Economic Forum, which was held on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan (1973-2023). Within the framework of the Forum, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang met with Fukuoka Governor Hattori Seitaro; meeting with representatives of the Vietnamese community in the Kyushu area.
On October 5, receiving Mr. Attilio Fontana, President of the Lombardy region, Italy, who was on a visit to Vietnam, Deputy Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet proposed that the Italian Government and especially the Lombardy region strengthen cooperation with Vietnam in various fields, which both sides have strengths and needs such as high technology, green transformation, digital transformation, innovation.
On October 5, at 10:00 p.m. (Belgium time), at the plenary session, the Belgian Chamber of Representatives passed a resolution in support of the Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin victims in Vietnam, with absolute approval votes (134/134 votes in favor). Lawmaker André Flahaut, who submitted the Resolution to the Federal Parliament in December 2021, recounted his visit to Hoa Binh Village in Vietnam where he witnessed the devastating effects of AO on the Vietnamese people across generations. He underlined the need to build a "livable" future for future generations, especially in Vietnam.
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| At the plenary session of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives. (Photo: VNA) |
Lawmaker Michel De Maegd said that the Vietnamese AO victims need long-term support because many areas have been contaminated with chemical toxins sprayed by the US troops during the war, and there is a need for soil and water decontamination. The AO issue in Vietnam has also caused ecological consequences. Els Van Hoof, Chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives, said the approval of the resolution holds significance as this year marks the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Belgium diplomatic ties (1973-2023). This is a historic outcome as Belgian Parliament has become the world's first legislature to approve a resolution supporting the Vietnamese Agent Orange/dioxin victims.
On October 5, Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lt. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien and Singaporean Permanent Secretary for Defence Chan Heng Kee co-chaired the 14th defence policy dialogue between Vietnam and Singapore. At the dialogue, the two sides discussed the international and regional situations and issues of common concern. They highly valued the role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and ASEAN-led mechanisms.
On October 3, speaking at the 33rd Anniversary of German Unification Day (October 3, 1990 - October 3, 2023), Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang emphasized economic cooperation was expanded after 3 years of the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) coming into effect (from August 1, 2020), making Germany the largest trading partner of Vietnam in Europe and Vietnam. Nam is one of Germany's largest partners in Southeast Asia. The two countries also closely coordinate in solving global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and respond to climate change.
From October 3-5, in Dublin (Ireland) and Bern (Switzerland), Director General of the European Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Do Minh Hung conducted respectively Vietnam-Ireland and Vietnam-Switzerland political consultations at the level of Director General.
On October 8, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi co-chaired the 5th meeting of the Vietnam-UAE Inter-Governmental Committee in Hanoi. The two sides reviewed the outcomes of bilateral cooperation since the fourth meeting in 2019, and discussed issues of mutual concern as well as new solutions to promote the bilateral cooperation in all fields. Regarding trade cooperation, the scale of two-way trade has been maintained at 5 billion USD per year since 2019, helping Vietnam rank in the top 10 largest import partners of the UAE and in return, the UAE become one of Vietnam's largest trading partners in the Middle East region.
Multilateral activities
On October 6, at the meeting of the UN General Assembly’s Disarmament and International Security Committee (Committee 1), Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, reiterated Vietnam's commitment to maintaining a Southeast Asian region free of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction along with other ASEAN nations. The Ambassador has called for stepping up the implementation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) across all three pillars, namely nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation, and the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
On October 5, in New York, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations, had a working session with Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US Representative to the UN, to discuss measures to strengthen cooperation between the two delegations in global issues at multilateral forums, including the UN. This is an activity to implement and concretise the Joint Leaders' Statement on the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which was approved by both sides during the recent State visit to Vietnam by US President Joe Biden.
On October 3, at a meeting of the UN Committee on Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Issues of the 78th-tenure UN General Assembly, Minister Counsellor Le Thi Minh Thoa, Deputy Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN) has stated that it is necessary to promote international cooperation to support countries in implementing international commitments to ensure the full, equal and meaningful participation of women and girls in all areas of social life, contributing to preventing violence and discrimination.
Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
On October 8, responding to a reporter's question for Vietnam's response to the escalating conflict between Hamas forces and Israel, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Pham Thu Hang stated:
“Vietnam has kept a close watch on, and been concerned over the escalating conflict between Hamas forces and Israel that has resulted in many casualties for civilians.
We call on relevant parties to exercise restraint, refrain from taking actions that further complicate the situation, soon resume negotiations to resolve disagreements through peaceful means and based on international law and relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, and ensure safety and legitimate interests of civilians”.
On October 7, the Vietnamese Embassy in Israel issued a notice with recommendations to ensure security and safety for the Vietnamese community in Israel, providing a hotline to support and protect citizens in case of emergency. So far, Vietnamese citizens, including the Vietnamese community, officials on business trips and tourists to Israel, have remained safe amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas militants that caused hundreds of casualties in recent days, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Other activities
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| Conference to review 3 years of implementing activities to introduce and honor President Ho Chi Minh abroad. (Photo: WVR/Tuan Anh) |
On October 5, in coordination with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to organize a conference to review 3 years of implementing activities to introduce and honor President Ho Chi Minh abroad. Deputy Foreign Minister, Chairman of the Vietnam National Committee for UNESCO Ha Kim Ngoc attended and spoke at the Conference.
