Prime Minister welcomes European Parliament Vice President

1/8/2019 - 10:59:39 AM

Vietnam has always considered the cooperation between its National Assembly and the European Parliament (EP) as an important pillar of bilateral relations, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc affirmed while receiving EP Vice President Heidi Hautala in Hanoi on January 7.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and EP Vice President Heidi Hautala (Source: VNA)

PM Phuc said that the European Union is Vietnam’s leading partner and that the bilateral relations are developing well, reflected through the maintenance of high-level meetings, thereby helping boost mutual understanding and trust.

He expressed his belief that the visit to Vietnam by the EP Vice President will contribute to strengthening the relations between Vietnam and the EU in general and the two legislatures in particular.

Heidi Hautala informed her host that, during the visit, the EP working delegation will hold working sessions with Vietnam’s relevant offices and survey the enforcement of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance, and Trade (VPA/FLEGT).

Regarding the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), she affirmed that the EP will continue listening to Vietnam’s proposals in order to accelerate the ratification of the agreement.

This is a next-generation FTA, she stated, suggesting that both sides ensure firm and effective enforcement to achieve sustainable trade development.

The EU is willing to support Vietnam during the process, she added.

Appreciating the sentiments of his guest, PM Phuc said that Vietnam-EU relations hold much development potential and opportunities and, as such, the two sides should carry out specific measures, including stepping up all-level delegation exchanges and increasing the efficiency of cooperative channels concerning politics, diplomacy, economics, and development cooperation.

He voiced his hope to receive support from the EP and its Vice President to help accelerate the ratification of the EVFTA, affirming that the early enforcement of the agreement will create a new driving force and boost collaboration between the two sides, especially in economics.

Regarding illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, the PM said that, after receiving a "yellow card” warning from the European Commission, the entire political system of Vietnam has joined hands to take drastic measures to fight IUU fishing. He asked for the EP Vice President’s help in pushing the EC’s removal of the yellow card.

Regarding the VPA/FLEGT, PM Phuc said that the two sides officially signed the agreement during his working visit to the EU last October.

Vietnam’s policy is to develop the forestry sector sustainably, with the focus on developing timber processing for export and using materials legally.

He informed his guest that he had assigned the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to work with the relevant offices to accelerate the completion of the documents to be submitted towards the ratification of the agreement in the first quarter of 2019.

Vietnam hopes to receive support from the EP and its Vice President towards an early ratification of the agreement so that it can serve as a legal foundation to ensure that Vietnam’s wood and timber products exported to the EU have official origin certificates, thus bringing about greater benefits for both sides.

Source: NDO

Provincial People's Committee holds monthly meeting

The Hoa Binh provincial People’s Committee held its monthly conference in virtual form on April 2 to review draft documents to be submitted to the standing board of the provincial Party Committee and others under its management along with some other important issues. Vice Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Bui Van Khanh chaired the event, which was connected with the people's committees of districts and cities in Hoa Binh.

Smokeless “Hoang Cam” stove – legendary initiative in Hoa Binh campaign

Smokeless 'Hoang Cam' kitchen was a small yet extremely significant initiative of a soldier chef named Hoang Cam in the Hoa Binh campaign in 1951 – 1952. This legendary stove, later named after him, accompanied the nation in the 1954 Dien Bien Phu Campaign, and during the resistance war against the US.

Hoa Binh province’s 17th-tenure Party organisation convenes 15th meeting

The 15th meeting of Hoa Binh province’s 17th-tenure Party organisation was held on March 26. Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Nguyen Phi Long, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People's Council Bui Duc Hinh, and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Bui Van Khanh co-chaired the event.

Provincial Party Committee’s Standing Board reviews performance in Q1

Nguyen Phi Long, alternate member of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Hoa Binh provincial Party Committee, chaired a meeting of the provincial Party Committee’s Standing Board on March 21 to review the leadership over the implementation of tasks in the first quarter, identify focal tasks and solutions for the second quarter, and discuss some important draft reports.

Doc Lap communal Party Organisation shows strong performance in leading economic development

Over the years, the Party Organisation of Doc Lap commune in Hoa Binh city has shown strong performance in leading the implementation of many measures to boost production, enhancing the living conditions of locals and promoting the locality’s internal strengths as well as potential and advantages.

Provincial People's Committee's monthly meeting evaluates Q1 socio-economic development

Bui Van Khanh, Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People's Committee, on February 28 presided over a monthly meeting of the provincial People’s Committee to assess the implementation of the socio-economic development plan in the first quarter of 2024.