Vietnam seeks WIPO assistance; French Ambassador honoured for educational contributions; Dominican party names office after Ho Chi Minh; Vietnam, Algeria promote friendship, cooperation
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Vietnam hopes to receive more assistance from the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), especially to finalise its legal system on intellectual property (IP) and train IP officials.
State President Nguyen Minh Triet stated this while receiving Dr Francis Gurry, WIPO General Director, in Hanoi on January 20.
He confirmed Vietnam’s commitment to protecting intellectual property rights, saying the country has issued IP-related legal documents and established a special agency on IP.
However, he said, Vietnam still needs assistance from the WIPO due to its lack of legislation and few qualified officials.
WIPO General Director F. Gurry praised Vietnam for its efforts to implement international treaties on IP rights.
Vietnam is an exemplary role model in exercising intellectual property rights and in increasing cooperation with the WIPO, said the General Director.
He said that Vietnam’s commitment to protecting intellectual property rights will help to promote its image and products abroad. He added that his organisation is willing to provide more assistance to Vietnam, with priority being given to training up IP officials.
French Ambassador honoured for educational contributions
The French Ambassador to Vietnam, Herve Bolot, on January 19 was awarded the insignia “for the cause of education” in recognition of his great contributions to Vietnam’s education sector.
During the past two years, Ambassador Bolot has worked closely with the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training, taking an active part in the implementation of educational cooperation programmes between Vietnam and France.
The French diplomat has authored initiatives to maintain and develop the French language in Vietnam, and has helped organise many seminars and training courses for French teachers in Vietnam.
Mr Bolot has also worked with the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training to carry out a number of projects to build French University centres at the Hanoi National University and the Ho Chi Minh City National University, to build a French-Vietnamese Management Education Center (CFVG), and to develop a high quality engineer training programme (PFIEV).
Addressing the presentation ceremony, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Vu Luan said that Vietnam’s education sector warmly appreciates Ambassador Bolot’s contributions during his working term in Vietnam.
Mr Luan also expressed his hope that in the future, Vietnam and France will continue to strengthen friendship and cooperation, especially in the education and training sector.
Vice President presents Tet gifts to Son La people
State Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan led a delegation to visit the northern province of Son La on January 18 where she presented gifts to war veterans and people who have resettled in the area.
During the stay in the province from January 18-20, the delegation visited Phong Lai village in Thuan Chau district, Chieng Lao village in Muong La district and Chieng Sinh ward in Son La City.
While working with provincial leaders, Mrs Doan urged them to ensure the newly resettled and poor people enjoy a happy Lunar New Year festival (Tet). She also asked them to preserve the cultural identities of ethnic groups, strengthen the emulation campaign and carry out social welfare to promote national unity.
The Vice President praised the provincial socio-economic and cultural achievements. “Poverty reduction has made significant progress”, she said.
According to the Son La provincial People’s Committee’s report, the average economic growth rate is 14.7 percent in four year (2006-2009) and 14.36 percent in 2009. The province resettled 11,721 out of 12,479 households and is expected to complete resettlement on next month. The number of poor households dropped from 46 percent in 2005 to 29 percent in 2009.
PM urges Ha Giang to accelerate development
Ha Giang should make full use of its potential to promote socio-economic development, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung during his visit to the province on January 19-20.
PM Dung led the Government delegation which visited the four districts of Quang Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Van and Meo Vac where ethnic minority people face a number of difficulties, especially water. The PM suggested several measures to deal with the essential needs of mountain people. He agreed to provide more than VND200 billion to build 30 reservoirs. He also asked the relevant ministries and departments as well as local authorities to help farmers step up intensive farming to increase their productivity, grow grass to breed cows and increase the planting of trees to ensure their steady jobs.
After making his fact-finding tour of water reservoirs and meeting with the local people, PM Dung met with the leaders of Ha Giang province and four districts. He praised the provincial Party and authorities’ efforts to overcome the recent economic difficulties to make significant progress in every field.
In 2009, despite many difficulties, the province achieved a growth rate of 13.46 percent and produced more than 30,000 tonnes of foodstuff – the highest amount so far. Grazing land has now risen to 4,000ha and nearly 14,000ha of new forest have been planted. Many irrigation and civil projects are also underway to help 6,300 poor households resettle. The number of poor households has dropped by 6 percent.
However, Ha Giang is still a poor country, with poor households doubling the national average. The State will continue to help the province to eradicate poverty but the provincial Party, administration and people must do their utmost to develop sustainably, PM Dung asserted.
He also urged provincial leaders to put in place measures to boost socio-economic development. The province must introduce more efficient production models, plant pastures for breeding cows, enlarge forests and rubber plantations. They must also build reservoirs to ensure clean water supplies for local use as well as upgrade the infrastructure.
Mr Dung also asked the province to check the progress of more than 20 hydro-electric power projects to ensure safety, socio-economic efficiency and no damage to the environment. He directed the province to foster import and export services via the Thanh Thuy border gate and develop services and tourism.
On the occasion, PM Dung presented gifts to ethnic minority people living in Dong Van, Meo Vac and Yen Minh districts and the workers at the Nho Que 3 Hydroelectric Power Plant. He also witnessed the Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade handing over VND65 billion to build houses for poor people and the new Lung Cu Flag Tower.
During his stay in Ha Giang, PM Dung offered incense at the President Ho Chi Minh Memorial in Meo Vac town.
Dominican party names office after Ho Chi Minh
The United Left Movement of Dominica (MIU) has named the office of its Santo Domingo chapter after Vietnam’s late State President Ho Chi Minh.
Speaking at the office’s inauguration ceremony in the capital city on January 17, MIU Secretary-General Miguel Mejia praised President Ho Chi Minh’s great contributions to the Vietnamese people’s struggle in particular and the world revolutionary movement in general.
He said the MIU, as a member of the governing alliance in Dominica, is resolved to strengthen ties with Vietnam .
On the occasion, Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba and the Republic of Dominica Vu Chi Cong presented a portrait photo of President Ho Chi Minh and a Vietnamese national flag to be hung at the office.
Son La urged to focus on training ethnic officials
Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh has asked the northern mountainous province of Son La to pay special attention to training local ethnic officials.
While meeting with the provincial Party Committee during his January 18-19 visit, the Party leader urged the province to focus on rapid and sustainable development and environmental protection as well as developing its processing industry, forestry projects, cattle breeding and aquaculture.
The province should synchronously combine the resettlement of people with creating new rural areas with a focus on preserving cultural identities of ethnic groups and the characteristics of ethnic people, he said.
The Party leader praised the province for its socio-economic achievements over the past few years, with its high economic growth and its effective resettlement programme.
In the 2006-2009 period, Son La achieved a GDP growth rate of 14 percent and its per capita income was VND10.5 million per year, higher than the average level for the midland and mountainous region.
To speed up land acquisition for the Son La hydro-electric power plant, by the end of 2009, the province re-housed more than 11,600 households, accounting for 93.3 percent of the total number and the remaining work will be completed in the first quarter of this year.
Currently, all the communes have nursery, primary and secondary schools while 203 out of 2,006 communes also have health centres.
The poverty rate fell from 46 percent in 2005 to 29 percent in 2009 and nearly 81 percent of all households have access to electricity and 74 percent clean water.
During his stay, Mr Manh visited and presented gifts to employees working at the hydropower plant construction site and residents in the Huoi Hao resettlement area of Muong Bu commune.
The first turbine in the plant is expected to be operational by December 2010, two years ahead of schedule.
Vietnam, Algeria promote friendship, cooperation
Vietnam is willing to share its experiences in joining the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and boost cooperation in various areas with the African nation, says National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong.
Mr Trong told his Algerian counterpart Abdelaziz Ziari during talks in Hanoi on January 19 that conducting WTO negotiations is not an easy task, but it is important to seize opportunities and overcome challenges in the post-admission period.
He praised Algeria’s efforts to cushion the impact of the global economic and financial turmoil and become one of four newly emerging economies in Africa. He said Algeria plays a very important role in maintaining peace in North Africa and the whole continent as well as in the non-aligned movement struggling for a new and fair world order.
Vietnam attaches great importance to strengthening the friendly and cooperative relations with its traditional friends, including Algeria, affirmed Mr Trong.
He underlined the need to educate the two countries’ young generations about the Vietnam-Algeria relationship, which has stood the test of time and developed constantly over the years.
He noted that despite encouraging progress, economic, trade and investment ties between Vietnam and Algeria have not matched their potential and have not lived up to their people’s expectations. He proposed that the two legislative bodies and governments create optimal conditions for their business communities to explore each other’s markets and establish partnerships.
The two legislative leaders briefed the media on the results of their talks in Hanoi
Mr Trong said both Vietnam and Algeria see the potential for increasing cooperation, citing Vietnam’s advantages in agricultural production, food and consumer good processing and Algeria’s experience in developing the oil, gas and steel sectors.
Algeria could serve as Vietnam’s gateway to the huge African market, and Vietnam could help Algeria penetrate the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said the Vietnamese legislator.
He said both sides should increase the sharing of their experiences in developing a market economy and carrying out legislative operations.
“Algeria is developing an organized market economy while Vietnam is embarking on a socialist-oriented market economy. The bottom line is how we can bring into full play the advantages of the market economy and ensure social welfare,” said Mr Trong.
He stressed that during the globalisation process, international economic integration is an inevitable trend, but “we’d better preserve and develop our own cultural identity and ethical values.”
For his part, Abdelaziz Ziari expressed his admiration for Vietnam’s past struggle for national liberation, and said the Algerian revolution stemmed from Vietnam’s Dien Bien Phu victory in 1954 as well as the two nations’ wars of resistance against colonialism.
Wartime sacrifice and current development achievements have laid a foundation for promoting Algeria-Vietnam friendship, and our task is to educate young generations to preserve and develop this valuable friendship, said Mr Ziari.
He voiced the Algerian people’s desire to strengthen solidarity, friendship and cooperation with Vietnam and other nations to promote the values of the just struggle that peace-loving people and other progressive forces have pursued so far.
Mr Ziari lauded Vietnam’s impressive economic development and its increasing role in the world and said Algeria wants to boost cooperation with Vietnam, especially in economics, trade, and investment.
He also said his nation is working hard to increase trade with Vietnam on a par with several Asian countries whose trade ties have seen flourishing in recent years.
As Algeria is in a period of transition to a competitive market economy and at the same time is carrying out a national social policy, it needs to share development experiences with Vietnam, especially in joining the WTO, said Mr Ziari. He proposed that both countries consider establishing advisory groups to carry out this task.
Both host and guest agreed that the two legislative bodies should speed up the implementation of their cooperation agreements signed in 2005 and increase the exchange of visits to promote mutual understanding and cooperation. They also agreed to work closely in regional and international forums.
Mr Ziari began an official visit to Vietnam on January 19 at the invitation of Mr Trong.
Hai Duong urged to become nation’s motive force
State President Nguyen Minh Triet has praised the socio-economic developments of the northern province of Hai Duong, expressing his wish that it will soon make a breakthrough to become an engine for the country’s economy.
President Triet, who visited Hai Duong on January 18-19, analysed the quick growth of China and the Republic of Korea and highlighted the important role of advantaged provinces like Hai Duong in offsetting the slow development of mountainous provinces for the country’s overall high growth.
Hai Duong province has dramatically shifted its economic structure in an industrial-oriented way. Industries and construction now make up more than 44 percent of the province’s GDP. Its industrial zones have now attracted 117 domestic and foreign investment projects with a total capitalization of more than US$1.7 billion.
Meeting with the province’s leaders, Mr Triet said he supported the development of industrial clusters, which have provided 35,000 jobs for local people.
However, he requested that the province pay due attention to environmental issues and agriculture to ensure sustainable development and political stability.
PV
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