VNA
President meets Quang Ngai voters Politburo member and State President Tran Duc Luong and members of the National Assemby (NA) deputies delegation of Quang Ngai central province spent two days meeting local voters on January 7-8. The State president and NA deputies talked with voters in Binh Thuan commune (Binh Son district), Pho Thanh commune (Duc Pho district), and Ba Dong commune (Ba To district). The NA deputies reported to the local voters the results of the 10th session of the 10th National Assembly, the socio-economic situation in 2001 and the directions and targets of the 2002 socio-economic development plan. The voters expressed their belief in the leadership of the Party and State and said that NA sessions have dealt with existing problems in localities, that the NA deputies have truly reflected the expectations and aspirations of the people. They spoke highly of the amendments and adjustments made in the polices, laws of the State and Party recently which have addressed the issues relating to the needs of the people. They also made proposals to the Party, State and National Assembly on the implementation of policies supporting fishing production and aqua-farming in the locality. President Tran Duc Luong said he appreciated the opinions of the people which, he added, showed the citizensı awareness and responsibilities to the Party and State. He affirmed that it was the Party and State responsibly to address problems, to look after the concerns of the people and meet their aspirations. The State president said he hoped that the provincial Party Committee and people of Quang Ngai will continue to develop the staunch revolutionary tradition of the locality, promote unity, and are determined to overcome all local difficulties, together with people of the whole country, fulfil the socio-economic development targets of 2002 and the following years in the national cause of industrialisation and modernisation for a prosperous people, strong country and civilised, democratic and just society.ı President Tran Duc Luong also paid visits to the construction sites of Dung Quat Industrial Zone in Binh Son district, Ngang mountain reservoir in Ba To district and Sa Huynh fishing port in Duc Pho district. **** Elders should be honoured: president Elderly people are a target of priority, deserving to be honoured, cared for and served; they are also an integral part of the valuable resource of the whole nation, thus they should be further developed and promoted, affirmed President Tran Duc Luong in his letter sent to the Vietnam Elders' Association on its first national emulation conference held in Hanoi today. The letter wrote, " I warmly welcome the first national emulation conference of the Vietnam Elders' Association and at New Year, I wish all delegates and elderly people the best of health, longevity and happiness. I was happy to see that the respect and care for the elders has become a common responsibility of the Party committees at all levels, administrations, Fatherland fronts, organisations, families and the whole of society. Many elders take an active part in emulation movement. Many of them are not only selected good labourers, good producers, but are also good examples of the family unit and wisdom. They play an active role in movements to build a new lifestyle, fight against social evils and maintain political security and social law and order. War veterans and retired people, including many Party members, have set a good example in realising and supervising the implementation of democratic regulation at grassroots level, building up the Party and local administration, contributing to the strengthening of the national great unity, socio-economic development programmes and maintaining political stability in the localities." The Vietnam Elders' Association held a conference yesterday to review its activities and implement its tasks this year. Prominent among those attending the conference was Pham The Duyet, president of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Presidium. The association's president Vu Oanh delivered a report outlining its activities for last year and mapping out tasks for this year, including participation in hunger elimination and poverty reduction, building up Party cells, building new lifestyles in residential areas, the fight against corruption and smuggling, strengthening the movement 'Exemplary Elders', caring and promotion of ability and wisdom of the elders in the national renovation. **** Japanese speaker arrives A delegation of the Japan's House of Representatives led by Speaker Tamisuke Watanuki arrives in Hanoi today, beginning an official friendship visit to Vietnam. The visit is being made at the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Van An. Mr Tamisuke Watanuki is accompanied by his wife and two members of the House of Representatives who are also members of the Liberal Democracy Party. **** NA chief visits Haiphong National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Van An paid a two-day working visit to the northern coastal city of Haiphong on January 7-8. In his talks with leaders of the city, Chairman An praised the achievements recorded by the local people last year: GDP growth rate was 1.5 times higher than that of the national average; total investment capital of the whole society reached VND 5,200 billion; budget collection reached VND 1,000 for the first time ever, export turnover was put at US $400 million; the peopleıs living standards are improving steadily. The NA leader urged Haiphong to bring into full play its strength, potentials and advantages for quick and sustainable development, thus contributing to the national cause of industrialisation and modernisation. While there, Mr An, who is also a Politburo member, visited Bach Dang Ship Building Factory, Kien Thuy Fisheries Business, Chua Ve Port Loading and Unloading Business, Military Zone No 3, Anh Duong Supermarket and some major constructions in of Haiphong which are under progress namely Road No 35, Rao bridge in Do Son and others. **** Deputy PM lauds Siemens group Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Manh Cam on January 8 expressed his hope for further co-operation with Germany's Siemens group in the future. Mr Cam was speaking with the visiting vice president of the Siemens group, Klaus Wucherer, in Hanoi on January 8. He said he believed the current visit to Vietnam by Klaus Wucherer would be a new landmark in the co-operative ties between Vietnam and Siemens. The Deputy PM also expressed his high appreciation of the group's potential and lauded the co-operation between Vietnam and Siemens in the recent past. Klaus Wucherer said Siemens is ready to share experiences with Vietnam and transfer telecommunications and information technology to the country. (VNA) **** Denmark to help improve Government Office's capacity Denmark will provide 14.951 million kroner (more than US $1.83 million) as non-refundable aid to a project to improve the capacity of the Vietnamese Government Office. An agreement to this effect was signed in Hanoi on January 8, by Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc and Danish Ambassador to Vietnam Bjarne H Sorensen. The 30-month project is designed increase the efficiency of the Vietnamese Government Office (VGO) and restructure the VGO in accordance with its new functions and tasks. The ability of the staff and research macro-management policy will also be improved. Supporting the VGO is part of a programme funded by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) on State administration and administrative reform in Vietnam. The preparation stage for this project has been carried out since May 2000. (VNA) **** NA delegation visits Cambodia Cambodian National Assembly President Norodom Ranariddh spoke highly of the co-operation between Vietnam and Cambodia in exploiting the resources of the Mekong River while receiving in Phnom Penh on January 8 Vice Chairman Tran Ha Anh of the Vietnamese National Assembly's Committee for Science, Technology and Environment. The Cambodian NA President hailed the Vietnamese NA delegation's visit, describing it as contributing to and further promoting the mutual understanding and co-operation between the two legislative bodies. He said he hoped that both countries would work out measures to protect the resources and environment of the river. During the January 4-9 visit, the Vietnamese NA delegation held working sessions with the Cambodian NA's Committees for Economic, Investment, Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment; Public Works, Transport, Telecommunications, Post, Industry, Energy, Petroleum and Trade. They also worked with the Ministers of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and Environment. The delegation visited the Angkor Temple, the Royal Museum and Palace. (VNA) **** ASEAN parliamentarians to meet on preventing drug abuse Hanoi will host the first meeting of the AIPO Fact-Finding Committee to Combat Drug Menace (AIFOCOM) on January 30 and 31. Parliamentarians from eight member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and the host, will attend the meeting. It will also draw the participation of observers from the two remaining ASEAN members, Brunei and Myanmar, and representatives of the ASEAN Secretariat. The participants are to discuss measures to combat drug abuse as well as the future establishment of cooperative ties between AIFOCOM and international and regional anti-drug agencies. Vietnam is currently serving as president of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Organisation (AIPO). (VNA) **** Buddhists actively join social activities Buddhists in Hanoi have contributed VND 108 million (US $7,200) to the city's social activities over the past one year. They have donated VND 75 million in relief to natural calamity victims nationwide and many millions of Vietnamese dong to the funds for education promotion and poverty. Their contributions were reported at a conference held in the city on January 7 to review Hanoi Buddhist Church's one-year activities. The conference was attended by the Most Venerable Thich Thanh Tu, deputy president of the Vietnam Buddhist Church's Executive Council; the Most Venerable Thich Thanh Chinh, deputy head of the Hanoi Buddhist Church's Executive Board; and representatives of the municipal religious affairs committee. Over the past year, the Hanoi Buddhist Church has taken an active part in the city's preservation of cultural relics and international exchanges. It has encouraged Buddhist followers in the city to participate in local life and religious activities. (VNA) **** Catholic community boosts patriotic emulation movement The Catholic community nationwide have actively participated in the Patriotic Emulation movement. The assessment was made at a conference held in Hanoi on January 8 by the Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics (CSVC). The conference was to review the committee's activities in 2001, adopt a working programme for 2002 and make preparations for the 4th national congress honouring outstanding Catholic people in the fourth quarter of this year. Over the past year, Catholic people have actively engaged in poverty reduction programmes, social humanitarian activities, and the fight against social evils, reported the committee. It said it will continue advertising the Patriotic Emulation movement among Catholic people, and striving to build cultural Catholic residential areas and villages. Meanwhile, the CSVC chapters in all localities will encourage the Catholics to make more contributions to National construction and defence. Head of the Government Commission for Religious Affairs Le Quang Vinh, Deputy Director of the Party Central Committee's Mass Mobilisation Commission Trinh Xuan Gioi, and member of the Vietnam Fatherland Front's Standing Committee Le Truyen attended the conference. (VNA) **** Activities mark Studentsı Day A Studentsı Cultural Nightı was held on January 6 in Ho Chi Minh City to mark the 52nd anniversary of Studentsı Day (January 9, 1950 - January 9, 2002). Participating in the festival were thousands of students from 23 universities, colleges, and senior high schools within the city. The students reviewed the traditions and heroic fighting spirit of generations of students through the different periods of history for national independence and freedom. They also met with some elders who used to take part in the Saigon-Gia Dinh studentsı movement against the US imperialists. For the occasion, the cityıs Youth Union Committee and the Studentsı Association held a meeting between students of differing generations and presented 20 scholarships, worth VND 1 million each, to outstanding students. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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