Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI - Nguyễn Hữu Tấn killed himself in the detention centre of the Vĩnh Long Province Police yesterday, the provincial People's Committee said during a press conference. "Suspect Nguyễn Hữu Tấn used a paper knife to commit suicide in the detention centre," Deputy Head of Vĩnh Long Police, Phạm Văn Ngân said. On Tuesday, the Investigation Security Body of the provincial police conducted an urgent search and arrested Tấn, to investigate the propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam in accordance with the Article 88 of the Penal Code. On Wednesday, while working with the police, Tấn asked for a cigarette and a cup of water to drink. The investigative official left the office for a moment, Tấn took advantage of the situation to search for a paper knife kept inside the investigator's bag to commit suicide by cutting his neck blood vessels. The provincial police then invited Tấn's father and wife to come to examine the autopsy and assisted the family to … [Read more...]

Vietnamese military engineers have been successful in producing fully domestic-made tank armors that can withstand powerful shoulder-launched anti-tank rockets. Vietnamese military engineers have been successful in producing fully domestic-made tank armors that can withstand powerful shoulder-launched anti-tank rockets. With their strong firepower and destructive capabilities, tanks are always among top priority targets for opposing forces during battle, according to Major Nguyen Vu Hung, head of the technical design and explosives application department at the military-owned Institute of Propellants and Explosives. “We have been dreaming of building an explosive reactive armor for our tanks to cover the vehicles’ weakest and most vulnerable spots against anti-tank shells for a while.” Hung said. “It took us a long time to finally build one.” Explosive reactive armors (ERAs) work by detonating an element of itself on attack by a penetrating weapon, … [Read more...]

The number of international visitors to Viet Nam in the first four months of this year was estimated at 4.28 million, representing a year-on-year surge of 30.3 per cent. Arrivals by air reached 3.5 million passengers, an increase of 32.6 per cent against the same period last year, while 610,000 others travelled by road (up 11.1 per cent) and the rest arrived by sea (up 77.6 per cent), the General Statistics Office of Viet Nam reported. Visitors from Asia hit 3.06 million, up 35.3 per cent year-on-year. The agency reported an increase in tourist inflow from Asia’s key markets, with 1.27 million Chinese visitors, 701,000 Korean visitors and 261,000 Japanese visitors, up 61.1 per cent, 35.1 per cent and 6.6 per cent, respectively, against the same period last year. During the reviewed period, Viet Nam welcomed 747,000 European visitors, posting a year-on-year growth of 25.5 per cent, while the number of American tourists rose 11.1 per cent to 315,000, of which visitors from the … [Read more...]

He received the Speaker in Hanoi on May 4, the first day of the guest’s three-day official visit to Vietnam. He showed his delight at strong, comprehensive and practical gains reaped across politics, security-defence, economics, agriculture and forestry between the two countries, noting these have contributed to intensifying mutual trust and understanding. The Government leader hailed the outcomes of the talks between the guest and National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and approved the two legislative bodies’ plans to step up the exchange between young legislators, who, he described, are crucial elements helping develop the legislative cooperation and national relations. He took the occasion to thank Japan for the attention it has given to Vietnam and its people, especially the valuable ODA source to spur socio-economic development and reduce poverty. PM Phuc suggested the countries boost high-level legislative exchanges and contacts to exchange experience and … [Read more...]

The Vietnamese leader hailed the visit, saying that it will contribute to fostering the relationship between the two countries and the two legislatures in particular. She affirmed that enhancing ties with Japan is one of the priorities in Vietnam’s foreign policy, noting the regular visits and meetings by all-level officials and parliamentarian groups as well as people-to-people exchanges over the past time. Especially, the first Vietnam visit by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko in February 2017 and the other by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe one month earlier have created a momentum for promoting the friendship and cooperation between the two countries. NA Chairwoman Ngan suggested the two sides closely coordinate in organising activities to mark the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties in 2018. Appreciating the two countries’ determination to double their 2016 trade of US$30 billion by 2020, she stated that Japan has become Vietnam’s leading important … [Read more...]

Eight inspection teams have been set up to inspect and supervise the investigation, prosecution and trial of serious corruption and economic cases related to the standing boards of 20 provincial party committees. The supervision and inspection aim to grasp the situation and assess the leadership role played by Party committees in localities and their performance in detecting and handling corruption cases, towards identifying and dealing with signs of ideological, ethical and lifestyle degradation, as well as “self-evolution” and “self-transformation” inside Party organisations. During the inspection and supervision of the investigation, prosecution and trial of serious corruption and economic cases, particularly those of public concern, the teams will pinpoint limitations and difficulties of the process as well as their causes, thus devising measures to improve the effectiveness of the work. The Party chief required that the inspection should have clear … [Read more...]

These events aim to realise APEC’s key cooperation contents and priorities adopted at the SOM1 and agree on plans to draft documents to be submitted to the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in November and ministerial meetings in 2017 for approval. They include 49 meetings and conferences of committees and working groups from May 9-16, and a multi-party dialogue on APEC cooperation towards 2020 and beyond on May 16, which will be held for the first time under the initiative of Vietnam to define measures to complete Bogor goals on schedule in 2020 and next steps to build the post-2020 APEC Vision. The APEC Study Centres Consortium Conference 2017 will take place on May 12-13, while the meeting of the APEC Executive Committee and the plenary meeting of the APEC Council on May 14-15, will discuss prospects to strengthen and upgrade the Asia-Pacific economy, new momentum for economic growth and connection, the Asia-Pacific agenda on digital and cyber economies, and challenges … [Read more...]

She elaborated that “Vietnam has sufficient legal foundation and historical evidence testifying its sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago as well as legitimate rights over Vietnam’s sea areas defined as in line with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).” China’s ban violated Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa archipelago as well as Vietnam’s rights and legitimate interests in its sea areas. That action also infringed international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS and relevant international legal documents, and ran counter to the spirit and wording of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) signed by ASEAN and China in 2002. The fishing ban neither suits the development trend in the two countries’ relations nor benefits peace and stability in the region, Hang stressed. In response to a question about the East Sea issue in the Chairman’s Statement of the 30th ASEAN Summit in the … [Read more...]

WASHINGTON DC - Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Phạm Quang Vinh has affirmed Việt Nam's desire to tighten its comprehensive partnership with the US at recent meetings with elected US officials in Washington DC. At his meeting with Senator John McCain, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, and Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy, ranking member of the House Committee on Armed Services, Vinh informed the hosts of the development of the two countries' relations in all fields, ranging from politics, economics and investment, to education, tourism and science-technology. He also conveyed Vietnamese leaders' wish that the new US administration further increase the comprehensive partnership between the two countries and promote exchanges of high-ranking visits between the two sides, particularly visits by Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc and US President Donald Trump. McCain said that he attaches importance to relations with Việt Nam and will do his utmost to boost bilateral ties … [Read more...]

Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Pham Quang Vinh has affirmed Vietnam's desire to tighten its comprehensive partnership with the US at recent meetings with elected US officials in Washington DC. At his meeting with Senator John McCain, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, and Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy, ranking member of the House Committee on Armed Services, Vinh informed the hosts of the development of the two countries' relations in all fields, ranging from politics, economics, investment, to education, tourism, and science-technology. John McCain said that he attaches importance to relations with Vietnam and will do his utmost to boost bilateral ties. Meanwhile, Stephanie Murphy agreed to promote bilateral dialogue to strengthen cooperation and mutual understanding. As the first Vietnamese-American woman to be elected to Congress, and the second Vietnamese-American person after Joseph Cao, she affirmed she would work to aid the overseas Vietnamese community in … [Read more...]

Do Hoang Yen, Director of the MoJ’s Department of Judicial Support, said 13 provinces and centrally-run cities in Vietnam are piloting bailiff services while 12 other localities have registered for providing these services. Bailiff services have helped improve the quality of judging and enforcing civil verdicts, she said, adding that they are a positive legal tool for people to protect their own rights and interests when engaging in civil, economic and commercial transactions. She acknowledged shortcomings in existing bailiff activities, pointing to bailiffs’ limited capacity and experience which is partly attributable to a shortage of professional training and a code of ethics of bailiffs. To increase the state management of and create a more favourable legal corridor for bailiff services, the MoJ plans to build a circular guiding the implementation of some articles in the Government’s Decree on the organisation and activities of bailiffs, and another circular on … [Read more...]

Sumitomo Mitsui is currently holding 15 percent of the charter capital of the Vietnam Export-Import Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Eximbank) and used to support Japanese and Vietnamese businesses with capital and financial services. It has expressed the intention of expanding operations in small- and medium-sized enterprises development and infrastructure building in the country. At the meeting in Hanoi on May 3, Deputy PM Hue applauded Sumitomo Mitsui’s investment and business partnership in Vietnam. He elaborated about 700km of a north-south expressway is set to be built in the country from now to 2020, and the construction will cost some VND200 trillion (US$8.8 billion). SMBC and other investors from Vietnam and other countries can make investment in the form of public-private partnership. Hue also voiced his hope that with its experience in financial management, SMBC will help turn Eximbank into a strong credit organisation and further take part in the equitisation and … [Read more...]

MANILA - The Vietnamese delegation, led by Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, made important contributions to the success of the 30th ASEAN Summit, which took place in the Philippines on April 29 and 30. The statement was made by Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyễn Quốc Dũng in an interview with the press. According to the official, from the preparation phase, Việt Nam coordinated with the Philippines and other ASEAN countries in prioritising themes for ASEAN Year 2017 proposed by the host country, as well as putting forward general documents and contents to be discussed at the summit. Việt Nam also fulfilled its role as the Chair of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration Task Force and the coordinator for the ASEAN-India dialogue partnership, while contributing constructive ideas during discussions on the basis of upholding ASEAN solidarity and fostering the development of a strong ASEAN Community, Dũng said. To build a strong ASEAN Community, Prime Minister Phúc stressed the need to give … [Read more...]

'I think I'm best placed to talk to this new world that's emerging, to talk to the Russia of Putin, to the United States of Trump.' Far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen said on Tuesday she was better placed than her rival, centrist Emmanuel Macron, to defend France's interests in what she called the "new world" of U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin. Le Pen, who rails against "uncontrolled globalization", hopes to channel the same nationalist, anti-establishment sentiment that propelled Trump to the White House and spurred Britain's vote to leave the European Union, and become the first woman to lead France. She bills Macron, a pro-European Union former investment banker, as a stooge of banks and the elite. "I think I'm best placed to talk to this new world that's emerging, to talk to the Russia of Putin, to the United States of Trump, to talk to the Britain of (Prime Minister Theresa) May ... to talk to the India of (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi," … [Read more...]

General Secretary Tran Phu (1904-1931) was born in Tung Anh commune, Duc Tho district, Ha Tinh province. He was the first General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam from October 27, 1930 to September 6, 1931. Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Hoang Trung Hai offering incense to commemorate the first Party General Secretary Tran Phu on May 1. Photo: VNA The house, a national historical relic classified by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, was one of the secret facilities of the Provisional Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam from February 1930 to October 1930. It was the place where  comrade Tran Phu drafted the Party Political Thesis. In October 1930, the First Conference of the Central Party Committee in Hong Kong (China) adopted the Political Thesis and elected the official Central Committee's members. Comrade Tran Phu was elected the first General Secretary of the Party. On behalf of the delegation, the Hanoi Party Secretary wrote … [Read more...]

Viet Nam News MANILA - Southeast Asian leaders renewed the resolve to build ASEAN into an example of regional co-operation at the freshly finished 30th ASEAN Summit in Manila, the Philippines, according to ASEAN Secretary-General Lê Lương Minh. Reviewing the summit, Minh told Vietnam News Agency reporters that the ASEAN leaders reiterated efforts to build ASEAN into a region of peace and stability that promotes political and security cooperation and ensures economic growth and social development. Amid complex developments jeopardising regional peace and stability such as tensions in the Korean Peninsula and unilateral reclamation and militarisation activities in the East Sea, the ASEAN leaders also repeated their support for the peaceful settlement of disputes while asking all parties concerned to exercise self-restraint, not have actions that may complicate the situation and disputes, and work to finalise a legally binding code of conduct (COC) in the East Sea. ASEAN and China … [Read more...]

Nghe An (VNA) - President Tran Dai Quang visited Naval Team 2 of the Border Guard High Command and Company 33 on Ngu Island in central Nghe An province on April 30. Naval Team 2 of Nghe An's Border Guard High Command is tasked with protecting the sovereignty and security in the province's inshore waters which is more than 82km long. Border guards are among key forces in safeguarding sovereignty and keeping security and order at sea in Nghe An. Meanwhile, Company 33 of the province's Military High Command is responsible for ensuring security on sea routes and participates in natural disaster prevention and control, search and rescue. Lauding officers and soldiers' efforts to fulfill assigned tasks, President Quang emphasised that Vietnam has a long coast which is favourable for sea-based economic activities and sea tourism. However, that advantage also poses a heavy duty for the nation on how to protect independence and sovereignty in sea and island areas. He asked Company 33 to … [Read more...]

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (fourth from left) take photo with leaders of other ASEAN countries (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, his spouse, and a Vietnamese high-ranking delegation arrived in Hanoi on April 30 morning after participating in the 30th ASEAN Summit, which took place in Manila, the Philippines, from April 28-29. Themed “Partnering for Change, Engaging the World”, the two-day summit put the first note for numerous activities to celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (1967 – 2017). PM Phuc and leaders of other ASEAN countries mapped out orientations for the building of the ASEAN Community as well as discussed measures to promote external relations and the central role of the group. They also exchanged regional and international issues of mutual concerns and advocated cooperation priorities proposed by the host Philippines in 2017. Addressing a plenary session of the summit, PM … [Read more...]

Manila (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and President of the Philippines Rodrigo Roa Duterte have agreed to soon conduct a meeting of the two countries’ Joint Committee to ratchet up their cooperative ties. They had a bilateral meeting in Manila on April 29 on the margin of the 30th ASEAN Summit. The two leaders expressed their pleasure at the growing strategic partnership over the past time and agreed to increase all-level delegation exchange. President Duterte said he attaches great importance to the friendship with Vietnam and welcomes President Tran Dai Quang to pay an official visit to the Philippines in 2017. He thanked Vietnam for its readiness to provide rice for the Philippines in the long run. The President said he will spare no effort to push the completion of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) with practical and feasible contents in line with international law. PM Phuc took this occasion to invite President Duterte to join the APEC Economic … [Read more...]

Delivering the message, AIPA President and Speaker of the Philippines’ House of Representatives Pantaleon D. Alvarez affirmed that the assembly supports the achievement of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 through harmonising the laws in the member states and building common standards through issuing domestic laws that are in line with ASEAN’s agreements and commitments. AIPA reiterated its support for the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint, the enhancement of ASEAN’s central role and unanimity in the region’s evolving architecture and in commitments with dialogue partners. The message also reviewed the joint statement of the ASEAN and Chinese foreign ministers at the ASEAN Foreign Minister’s Meeting held in Vientiane, Laos, in July 2016. This statement repeated the commitment of all parties concerned to fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, and the freedom of navigation inside and outside of … [Read more...]