Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (left) examines products of the Plan and Food Research Centre of New Zealand (Photo: VNA)

PM expects breakthrough in agricultural cooperation with New Zealand

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited the Plan and Food Research Centre (PFR) in Auckland on March 10 as part of his official visit to New Zealand.

The center has been cooperating with farmers, scientists, food companies, exporters, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Science and Technology in Vietnam in projects on raising crop output, quality and pest resistance, and promoting post-harvest and processing technologies to bring more profit to farmers and firms. Noteworthy are projects in supporting for-export passion fruit and avocado industries, dragon fruit farming and safe vegetable farming based on GAP process.

PM Chinh said the advantages of Vietnam and New Zealand are supplementary, which provide a firm foundation for the two sides to promote cooperation, including in farming and food processing. He expressed hope that by building on the achievements, the two sides will accelerate joint work and make breakthroughs in agricultural cooperation.

PM Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse say goodbye to representatives of Vietnamese people in Australia before leaving Canberra for an official visit to New Zealand on March 9. (Photo: VNA)

Experts applaud upgrade of Vietnam - Australia relations

The establishment of the Vietnam - Australia comprehensive strategic partnership during Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visit to Australia, which concluded on March 9, has attracted attention from Australian experts and scholars. Talking to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s resident correspondents in Australia, Prof. Carl Thayer from the Australian Defence Force Academy, the University of New South Wales, said the upgrade of the bilateral ties to the comprehensive strategic partnership reflects the mutual respect’s political regimes. Economic benefits have brought the two countries closer together for the sake of a broader strategic interest.

The new partnership will generate opportunities for more intensive discussions about various issues between Vietnam and Australia, he said, noting that the majority of Australian people support the reinforcement of the ties with Vietnam, especially in education.

The scholar held that Australia will prioritize cooperation with Vietnam and promote dialogue. The two sides can jointly put forth and share ideas at different dialogue levels. All of these will serve the two countries’ shared future amid such challenges as climate change, economic uncertainties, and superpowers’ competition facing the world and the region. Both sides will jointly gain benefits if they understand those challenges and find out the best ways to promote the most effective cooperation via bilateral and multilateral mechanisms in which Vietnam engages and has a strong role to play, Thayer added.

Greg Earl, former member of the Australia - ASEAN Council and former Southeast Asia correspondent at the Australian Financial Review, perceived that the elevation of the bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership will create a prerequisite for Vietnam and Australia to enhance diplomatic ties more strongly and hold dialogues on regional issues. In fact, he noted, the two countries have found out ways to build closer and closer relations, which are based on complementary economic policies and the large Vietnamese community that has helped deepen Australia’s understanding of the Southeast Asian nation.

The ties with Vietnam form one of the fastest-growing foreign relationships of Australia over the recent past. Despite different political regimes, the two countries share many similarities in their foreign policies towards the region. In addition, Vietnam is investing in the resources of Australia, which in turn is importing more products from Vietnam. This has helped Australian businesses become more familiar with Vietnam, according to Earl.

Voicing his delight at the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership, Hal Hill, Emeritus Professor at the Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University, described this as a positive sign for the future of both countries. Though they are not geographically close to each other, they can seize this opportunity to develop durable relations and mutual understanding in all aspects.

He said Vietnam has enjoyed sound relations with most countries and secured an important stature in the international arena, setting an example for other countries to follow.

Besides, Vietnam is considered as an economic “star” in Southeast Asia and the most successful country in this region in terms of entering the global production network – the fastest-growing part of international trade. Many multinationals have come to Vietnam and carried out production activities here. Given this, Hill held that Vietnam is a great opportunity for Australia.

The professor said in terms of political and social aspects, Vietnam is a dynamic and active country that used to be one of the poorest in the world in the 1980s but thanks to Doi moi (Renewal), it has established itself as a diverse economy with large rice exports and successful agriculture and fisheries. With PM Chinh’s visit and such optimistic signs, a new era has opened for closer relations between Vietnam and Australia, he remarked.

Vietnam, Algeria step up pharmaceutical cooperation

The Critical Diseases Research and Treatment Institute (Radiner) of Vietnam and Saidal Group - an Algerian pharmaceutical company - have signed a cooperation agreement, opening up cooperation potential in the healthcare sector between the two countries. Radiner’s delegation led by its General Director Dr. Nguyen Phu Kieu paid a working visit to Algeria from February 27 to March 8 to introduce the institute's drug products, including Cedemex, a drug to support drug addiction treatment; Vegakiss, an herbal-based product to enhance immunity and resistance, and Kacemex, a herbal medicine to support cancer treatment.

Researched since 2000, Cedemex has been approved by the National Council for Science and the Ministry of Health. According to reports from various localities in Vietnam, the results of applying Cedemex showed that the non-relapse rate after three years and community integration rate reached 56%, while the success rate of drug addiction treatment in rehabilitation centers is 100%. Kieu said Cedemex has been used to treat over 20,000 drug-addicted patients in Vietnam and has also been utilized for treatment in Laos and Cambodia.

On this occasion, doctors and medical workers directly involved in treating drug-addicted patients at a hospital in Algiers were instructed on the usage procedure of this medication. Under the agreement, Radiner authorizes Saidal to act as the sole importer and distributor of Vegakiss products in Algeria and Africa.

In 2024, Saidal will import 100,000 boxes of Vegakiss, and it plans to increase the quantity by fourfold by 2026.

For Cedemex, Radiner and the Algerian partner are currently working together to obtain a usage permit in Algeria. The two sides will sign a distribution cooperation agreement for this product shortly. The export agreement between Radiner and the Algerian partner represents a notable achievement for Vietnam in the field of health care. It also signifies international recognition of made-in-Vietnam pharmaceutical products.

The partnership also contributes to strengthening the friendship between Vietnam and Algeria in both political and economic spheres. Radiner will continue to promote the export of medical products to Algeria and other African nations in the coming time, while also pursuing research projects on drug formulation and medical products with foreign partners from China and Australia.

Can Tho, German city eye green tourism cooperation (Photo: VOV)

Can Tho, German city eye green tourism cooperation

Authorities of Can Tho and a delegation from Germany’s Wernigerode city led by Mayor Tobias Kascha agreed to strengthen cooperation in various fields, with a focus on sustainable green tourism, during a working session in the Mekong Delta city on March 8.

Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Duong Tan Hien said Can Tho boasts a strong agricultural sector, with 80% of its land for farming (nearly 115,000 ha). The city is a hub for services and tourism, with rice, seafood, fruit trees, and animal farming forming the backbone of its agricultural industry.

Last year, the city accommodated roughly 6 million visitors, generating a revenue of 5.42 trillion VND (225.8 million USD). Leveraging the advantages provided by the Government’s pilot-specific policies and mechanisms for Can Tho's development, the city aims to maximize its potential and become a stronger economic force.

Hien emphasized the mutual benefits of increased agricultural cooperation between Wernigerode and Can Tho, saying that it aligns perfectly with Can Tho's strategic focus on developing its services- tourism. The city commits all possible support for firms from Germany, particularly those from Wernigerode to do business there, he said. Hien wished that Mayor Kascha would act as a bridge, facilitating information exchange and business opportunities for Can Tho enterprises seeking to expand into Wernigerode.

Mayor Kascha expressed his desire for deeper cooperation across various sectors. He highlighted Germany's existing twinning relationships with Ho Chi Minh City and Hoi An, which he believes provide a solid foundation for further locality-to-locality partnerships between Vietnam and Germany.

Wernigerode, like Can Tho, prioritizes tourism as a key economic driver, he said, noting the German city's extensive experience in sustainable green tourism models. He expressed his willingness to share this expertise with Can Tho while learning from the Mekong Delta city's successful models, particularly those focusing on green tourism adaptable to climate change.

According to the municipal Department of Foreign Affairs, Can Tho exported 18.15 million USD worth of goods to Germany last year, with rice, aquatic products, agricultural and processed agricultural products, apparel, and handicrafts as key currency earners. Its imports from Germany reached 260,000 USD, mostly pharmaceutical materials, machinery, and equipment.

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