Vietnam and World

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said he hopes that Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) will further their economic, trade and investment ties in an effort to raise two-way trade to a more impressive figure in the future. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and RoK Ambassador Ha Chan Ho 

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met with Cambodian PM Samdec Hunsen, National Assembly (NA) Chairman Heng Somrin, Acting Chairman of the Senate Say Chum and Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Home Affairs, Sar Kheng on August 16.

Trade ties between Vietnam and Portugal have recorded rapid growth, but are yet to match the potential of the two countries, Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly, Uong Chu Luu has said. Speaking to Porto mayor, Rui Moreira in the city on June 27, Vice Chairman Luu stressed that the two countries had many similarities, including the fact that both were coastal countries, and expressed his joy at the fine development in Vietnam-Portugal relations. He also proposed that Portuguese companies invest in Vietnam in the fields of oil and gas, and shipbuilding. Informing his guest of the ongoing tension in the East Sea and Vietnam’s stance in safeguarding its sovereignty, Vice Chairman Luu expressed hope for further support from other countries, including Portugal and other members of the European Union. For his part, Mayor Moreira said Portuguese people knew about Vietnam through their visits to and imports from the country, and affirmed that imports from Vietnam were increasing quickly, although the European country is struggling to weather global economic crises. The Portuguese government hoped to further increase exports to Vietnam with the goal of turning the country into Portugal’s reliable trade partner, he stressed.                                                                                                                                                             Nhan Dan/VNA

Sapa Group on June 26 signed a deal to expand its operations in Vietnam, pumping an additional US$8 million into its Sapa TBG joint venture with Ben Thanh Group (BTG). The investment package calls for installation of larger presses, additional workshops and ancillary production equipment, raising the company’s aluminum intrusion capacity to 15,000 tonnes per year. At the signing ceremony, Ambassador to Norway Le Thi Tuyet Mai, State Secretary to Minister of Trade and Industry Lars Jocob Hiim congratulated company officials on the joint venture’s achievements. They also expressed their hopes that the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement which is poised to be signed will strengthen investment and trade relations between the two countries. For his part, BTG Director General Nguyen Quang Tien said that since the Sapa BTG joint venture began operations in December 2010, it has been highly successful, obtaining high growth in sales and profits. In the 2011-2013, its sales volume grew by 9.4% over the previous year and pre-tax profits rose by 38%. Sapa Group’s CEO Svein Tore Holsether in turn said the Group’s expansion in the Asian market reaffirms its leading role in supplying aluminum supplier in the world.                                                                                                                                                                               VOV

Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty (L) and General Emmanuel Bautista

The Chinese side continues violently defending its oil rig that is illegally standing in Vietnam's waters.

The UN Human Rights Council (UN HRC) has approved Vietnam’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on human rights in the second cycle, acknowledging the country’s progress in protecting and promoting fundamental human rights.

 President Truong Tan Sang and his entourage visit agricultural research centre in Ibaraki prefecture (Source: VNA)