Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong. Photo: VNA

Vietnam-Argentina Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters ratified

President Vo Van Thuong has signed Decision No. 1238/QD-CTN approving the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Republic of Argentina at the request of the Government.

Vietnam and Argentina established diplomatic relations on October 25, 1973 and upgraded their ties to a comprehensive partnership in 2010.

After 50 years of cooperation, the relationship between Vietnam and Argentina has recorded many important achievements across a variety of fields and is increasingly growing steadily.

The Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between Vietnam and Argentina will contribute to enhancing the comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, thereby having positive impacts on multiple fields, cited VOV.

With the current crime situation tending to be cross-border, transnational and expanding in cyberspace, the completion of the criminal justice legal framework includes signing the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between Vietnam and Argentina as well as other countries is viewed as an objective requirement.

This serves as a direct, complete, and important legal basis for the two countries' law enforcement agencies to coordinate investigations, collect evidence, and conduct proceedings to comprehensively resolve criminal cases, meeting the requirements of improving the effectiveness of combating and preventing all types of crimes, thus better protecting the legitimate rights and interests of each country's citizens.

Vietnam, RoK promote science-technology partnership

The ninth meeting of the Vietnam-the Republic of Korea (RoK) Joint Committee on Science and Technology cooperation was held in Seoul on October 24 under the co-chair of Vietnamese Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat and Korean Minister of Science and ICT Lee Jong-ho.

The meeting was part of the activities to implement the action programme to realise the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries which was established during RoK President Yoon Suk Yeol’s visit to Vietnam in June.

Addressing the event, Lee underscored the increasingly strong impact of science and technology on life and socio-economic activities. He said that by promoting the policy coordination and cooperation in new areas, the two countries can optimise each other’s strengths and together cope with challenges they are facing.

He pointed to the considerable results of joint research between the two countries and the positive human resources exchange within typical cooperation projects, underlining that the Korean side hopes science-technology collaboration between the two countries will be further fostered through the joint committee mechanism.

For his part, Dat highlighted the great cooperation potential between the two countries in the field of science and technology.

The two sides can supplement each other in many areas, he said, affirming that the signing of the minute of the ninth meeting shows the commitment of the two countries in implementing cooperation contents within the mechanism, laying a foundation for the promotion of bilateral comprehensive partnership in the future.

The meeting aimed to share major policies in science and technology of the two countries, while seeking measures to expand bilateral collaboration in new areas, according to VNA.

Vietnamese Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat (R) and Korean Minister of Science and ICT Lee Jong-ho (Photo: VNA)

During the meeting, the Korean side introduced three major strategies and 17 tasks of its 5th Basic Science and Technology Plan for the 2023-2027 period, while Vietnam briefed the Korean side on the country’s science-technology renovation policy, thus enhancing mutual understanding on each other’s science-technology policies.

Participants also evaluated their science-technology partnership over the years and discussed ways to continue beefing up their ties in the field, including expanding the scale of science-technology and innovation cooperation, diversifying collaboration forms, and supporting Vietnam to implement the second phase of the Vietnam- Korea Institute of Science and Technology (VKIST).

The RoK will share with Vietnam its database on artificial intelligence (AI), promote cooperation on AI, digital transformation and core technology as well as source technology of Fourth Industrial Revolution, and strengthen its support in capacity improvement training to Vietnam.

The two sides will work together to connect the startup ecosystems of the two countries. They agreed to continue to support the construction of the RoK’s research and development (R&D) centers in Vietnam.

The Vietnam-RoK Joint Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation meets annually following the bilateral science-technology cooperation agreement signed in April 1995. In the previous eight meetings, the committee discussed different ways of cooperation in the field of science and technology.

The two sides agreed to hold the 10th meeting of the committee in Vietnam.

Vietnam destined to become center for international dispute resolution

Vietnam wishes to become a new location chosen by all parties to resolve international disputes which occur in the region and throughout the world.

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, permanent representative of Vietnam to the UN, made the statement at a roundtable discussion held on October 24 on reflections on the conciliation between Timor-Leste and Australia, five years after the first-ever UNCLOS (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea) Conciliation.

The event is part of the International Law Week which seeks to animate the underlying purposes detailed in the PCA Administrative Council Resolution dated 19 April and the UNGA Resolution 77/322 dated 3 August by reinforcing the shared mission between the UN and the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) towards the pacific settlement of disputes.

As part of his address, the Vietnamese diplomat affirmed that the success of the Conciliation Committee established for the first time under the provisions of UNCLOS in 1982 which has demonstrated the important role of the convention in peace and international security, providing reliable means to peacefully resolve disputes between countries, even complex issues related to maritime borders.

Furthermore, the country recognises the PCA's significant contribution to the history of peaceful dispute resolution over the past 125 years and believes that the strong development of the PCA is also reflected through the opening of regional offices outside The Hague, including an office in Hanoi in November, 2022. according to VOV.

At the roundtable discussion. Photo: VOV

On this occasion, the nation affirmed that disputes must be resolved by peaceful means on the basis of international law, including through international legal mechanisms.

Discussion took place within the framework of the UN’s annual International Law Week, receiving great attention from experts and legal advisors from 193 member countries and was broadcast live on the official website of the UN.

In 2018, based on the recommendations of the Compulsory Conciliation Commission established under the provisions of UNCLOS, Australia and Timor-Leste reached an agreement to end the long and complex process of resolving sea border disputes.

To mark this historic milestone and also to enhance understanding of the role of conciliation under UNCLOS, with the sponsorship of the UN Secretary General of the two Governments signed the Maritime Delimitation Agreement at the UN Headquarters in New York in the United States on March 6, 2018.

PCA is a long-standing international intergovernmental organization founded in 1899 and currently has 122 member states. Vietnam has been a member of the PCA since 2011 and is one of the five countries with PCA representative offices in the world.

The core group on co-operation between the UN and PCA includes eight member countries, namely Australia, Egypt, Guatemala, Hungary, Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam.

Vietnam holds important position in Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy: official

The Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade (MEDJCT) of Canada’s Ontario province and the Vietnam Trade Office in Canada on October 24 held a workshop to review the 5-year implementation of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and to promote Canada’s trade and investment to Vietnam.

Canadian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Maninder Sidhu said that Vietnam is currently considered an important partner of Canada in ASEAN and is the leading destination for Canadian goods in the ASEAN region, with a growth rate of 7% over the past 30 years. Vietnam is also considered a gateway for Canadian companies to enter ASEAN, VNA reported.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Canada Pham Vinh Quang and Canadian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Maninder Sidhu. (Photo: VNA)

He said when it comes to Vietnam, Canadian businesses pay much attention to the people-to-people exchange and the about 300,000-strong Vietnamese community in Canada.

A Canadian delegation led by Trade Minister Mary Ng will come to Vietnam soon, which shows how important Vietnam is in Canada's international relations as Canada is implementing the Indo-Pacific Strategy worth CAD2.3 billion (US$1.67 billion).

Vietnamese Ambassador to Canada Pham Vinh Quang said that the CPTPP brings new opportunities to Vietnam-Canada's economic, trade and investment relations.

Taking advantage of free trade agreements, particularly the CPTPP, the two sides can exploit the potential of the dynamic region and have the foundation for common growth.

Ontario province makes up to 40% of Canada's GDP and is also home to large corporations and investment funds.

In 2022, Ontario province's exports to Vietnam reached CAD173 million, more than doubling over the past 10 years. Ontario's demand for imports from Vietnam also continues to increase. Last year, the province imported nearly CAD7.3 billion of goods from Vietnam, double the import level compared to five years ago and 10 times that in 2012.

Central region copes with possible landslides, erosion due to heavy rains

In recent days, showers to downpours have battered provinces in the central region causing many roads to be cut off and many river banks and mountain areas are likely at risk of landslides. The region must cope with natural disasters.

Yesterday’s prolonged heavy rain combined with reservoirs upstream of rivers discharging water caused many traffic routes and residential areas in Quang Tri and Thua Thien Hue provinces to be flooded and cut off.

In Dong Ha City of Quang Tri Province, heavy rain caused Truong Chinh, Phan Van Tri, Dang Dung, Ngo Sy Lien, Mac Dinh Chi, Thanh Tinh, Truong Chinh, Phan Dinh Phung, and Dien Bien Phu roads to be partially inundated. Thousands of houses were surrounded by water, people were run off their feet to pack up their belongings to higher places.

In particular, Truong Chinh Street leading to Phan Dinh Phung Secondary School was under one-meter deep water; as a result, the school had to let students leave school, and teachers were urged to come to the school to move tables, chairs, and school supplies up high.

The Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue of Quang Tri Province said that heavy rain from the night of October 23 until the morning of October 24 caused Dong Ha City under the floodwater. In the two mountainous districts of Huong Hoa and Dakrong, 17 underground overflows were flooded by 0.5-2m while some villages and inter-commune roads in Hai Lang District were under 0.2-0.6 meter water.

Worse, prolonged downpours have flooded the National Highway 9 from Dong Ha to Lao Bao and National Highway 15D and caused traffic chaos on the highway. Currently, responsible forces have deployed guards and arranged barriers and warning signs at underground locations, landslide risk venues, and dangerous areas, cited SGGP.

The Central region copes with possible landslides, erosion due to heavy rains.

Yesterday, the Huong Dien power station upstream of Bo River discharged water downstream from 700-800 cubic meters per sec according to the order of the Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue of Thua Thien Hue province to cope with heavy rains and floods. Heavy rain and Huong Dien hydropower plant water discharge caused provincial roads 4B, 6B, 8A, and 10C to be partially flooded, making residents’ traveling difficult.

Many low-lying residential areas in Phong Dien and Quang Dien districts which have not had time to drain water after heavy rain last weekend continue to be flooded and separated, making people's lives more difficult.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Khac Hao, Deputy Chief of Operations at Cau Treo International Border Gate Border Guard Station in Ha Tinh Province, said that National Highway 8 passes through Kham Cat District of Bolykhamxay Province and Khun Kham District of Kham Muon Province in Laos suffered landslides due to the recent floods and have been cleared.

However because the Highway 8 area is not really safe, Lao authorities still prohibit vehicles from transporting goods and passengers from Laos through the Cau Treo international border gate and vice versa. Vehicles mainly move to other routes such as Cha Lo international border gate in Quang Binh Province, Lao Bao international border gate in Quang Tri Province, and Nam Can international border gate in Nghe An Province.

Previously, Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper reported that due to the impact of prolonged floods in early August 2023, cascading soil, rocks and trees ground traffic in the National Highway 8 in Laos which is dozens of kilometers from the Cau Treo international border gate in Ha Tinh Province’s Huong Son district to a halt. Moreover, many vehicles were trapped and buried in serious landslides.

To cope with the risk of serious erosion on the banks of the Ngan Pho River, Chairman of the People's Committee of Huong Son District Tran Binh Than also submitted a proposal to the Provincial People's Committee and competent agencies to approve the policy of adjusting the feasibility study of the Ngan Pho riverbank landslide treatment project, with a total cost of nearly VND120 billion (US$4,852,014) taken from the central and local budgets.

The project will build 5 embankments with a total length of more than 3.2km communes of Son Long, Tan My Ha, An Hoa Thinh, Son Trung, and Quang Diem.

Elsewhere in Binh Dinh Province, Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Pham Anh Tuan has just directed the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and localities to comprehensively review riverbank erosion and mountain landslides and people in landslide-prone areas to prepare a scenario to respond to the natural disasters and relocation plan when heavy rains and floods battered the province.

He especially emphasized the plan to prevent landslides in the Cam Mountain area in Cat Thanh Commune in Phu Cat District and the Hon Cha Mountain in Quy Nhon City’s Tran Quang Dieu Ward. The province will plant trees in protective forests in mountainous landslides. During the 2021 rainy season, Cam Mountain suddenly collapsed into a stream hundreds of meters long, threatening the property and lives of 117 households at the foot of the mountain.

The local authorities determined that the Hon Cha Mountain is at risk of landslides with an area of 9,714 square meters. Previously, the Provincial People's Committee allowed Xuan Nguyen Company to lease land in the mountain for expanding its granite processing factory but the government later revoked the license due to the consequences of the enterprise's salvage exploitation of stone. However, this mountain is still being illegally excavated.

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