Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh speaks at the meeting. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The ASEAN 2020 NationalCommittee convened its fifth meeting in Hanoi on May 15, focusing onpreparations for the upcoming 36th ASEAN Summit.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham BinhMinh, who is chairman of the committee, said the COVID-19 pandemic has largelyimpacted ASEAN in general and Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2020 in particular.
He, however, described these challenges asopportunities for Vietnam to promote its role as ASEAN Chair 2020.
Vietnam has proactively and promptly organised manyvideo conferences within ASEAN and between the grouping and its partnersregarding the fight against the epidemic, and raised initiatives in line withthe theme of “Cohesive and responsive” of the ASEAN Year 2020, he said.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung, who is general secretary of the committee, reviewedthe work that has been done so far this year, especially the adjustments andsupplements of Vietnam’s activities and initiatives within the framework of theASEAN Chairmanship Year under the impacts of COVID-19.
Regarding the implementation of the results of theSpecial ASEAN Summit and Special ASEAN 3 Summit on COVID-19, as well asPrime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s initiatives presented at the events, Dungsaid relevant ministries and agencies are speeding up the building of implementationdocuments and measures that will be sent to other ASEAN member countries forfeedback collection and submitted to the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC).
Representatives of many ministries and agencies alsoproposed scenarios for activities to be held in the time ahead, with attentionpaid to ensuring security, safety and disease prevention and control fordelegates.
Minh asked the Ministries of Foreign Affairs; Industryand Trade; and Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs to play a more active roleas agencies in charge of the pillars of politics-security, economyand culture-society.
Greater efforts should be made to push ahead with therealisation of the results reaped at the two above-mentioned summits, he said.
Minh assigned the sub-committees and the ASEAN 2020Secretariat to continue with preparations for the 36th ASEAN Summit,and put forth suitable plans, programmes and scenarios.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) consists of 10 member states - Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam./.
Faced with the negative impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on regional and global economies, including interruptions to supply chains, ASEAN countries are making greater efforts to recover and improve their responsiveness to future risks, Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh has said.
Labour ministers from 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) had a video conference on May 14 to look into impacts of COVID-19 on labour and employment.
An online ASEAN Defence Senior Officials’ Meeting (ADSOM) was held on May 15 under the chair of Vietnam’s Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh.
PM Chinh requested ERIA to maintain close coordination with Vietnamese agencies and research institutes to promote policy research and consultations, and help the country increase productivity, quality, and competitiveness of the economy, especially in digital transformation, green transition, and circular economy, to contribute to achieving the rapid, sustainable development and double-digit economic growth goals it has set out for the coming decades.
The new Quang Tri province will include 78 commune-level units and features key assets such as the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, a long coastline, historical landmarks, three international border gates, deep-water ports, a modern transport network, and two airports.
The rehearsal took place at the National Military Training Centre No. 4, the Vietnam National University - Hanoi, and the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism, involving more than 7,400 officers and soldiers.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a meeting with Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa on June 25 on the sidelines of the 16th Annual Meeting of the New Champions of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Tianjin city, China, during which he affirmed Vietnam attaches great importance to its multifaceted cooperation with Ecuador and proposes continued dialogue, negotiation, and signing of cooperation agreements in trade, investment, finance, and agriculture.
A working visit to Toulouse by Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang from June 23–25 has laid important groundwork for expanding multi-sector cooperation between Vietnam and the Occitanie region.
Prof. Dr. Georgy Toloraia, Executive Director of the National Committee for BRICS Research and Director of the Centre for Russian Strategy in Asia at the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, expressed his confidence that Vietnam will become a substantial and influential partner of BRICS.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed enhancing economic and trade cooperation, including the development of railway connectivity between Vietnam and Kyrgyzstan, which will also strengthen links with Central Asian nations.
The new law abolishes the death penalty for eight criminal offenses: the crime aimed at overthrowing the people’s government; the crime of sabotaging state infrastructure and technical facilities; the crime of producing and trading counterfeit medicines for treatment and prevention; the crime of destroying peace and causing aggressive war; the crime of espionage; that of illegally transporting narcotics; embezzlement; and bribe taking.
Vietnam will continue to coordinate closely with and make positive contributions to the initiatives and collective work of the Group of 77 (G77) developing nations, said Ambassador Do Hung Viet, head of the Vietnamese Permanent Mission to the UN.
Speaking at the session, NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man stressed the urgency of the amended railway law, noting the country is currently implementing many railway development projects such as the North–South high-speed railway, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi urban rail systems, and the Lao Cai–Hanoi–Hai Phong line.
Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son has signed a decision establishing a Vietnamese sub-committee under the Joint Committee on Economic, Trade, and Investment Cooperation between the Vietnamese and Spanish Governments.
Young lawmakers must be remain true to revolutionary ideals, loyal to the Party, nation, and people, and to resist the temptations of personal gain or power. They must dare to think, dare to act, dare to innovate, and dare to take responsibility.
The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on June 24 afternoon approved in principle an ordinance amending and supplementing several provisions of six ordinances relating to the jurisdiction of the People’s Courts and relevant agencies.
Through many ups and downs of history, Cambodia-Vietnam relations have become increasingly closer and stronger. The ties are currently developing based on the motto of “Good neighborliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, and long-term sustainability” from 2005 until today.
The resolution, covering seven articles, delineates clear criteria, principles, procedures, and responsibilities for resolving problems caused by legal regulations.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh speaks at the meeting. (Photo: VNA) 
