President Vo Van Thuong holds talks with General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith in April 2023 (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Laos stand side by side for mutual development: Lao scholar

The Party, State, and people of Laos and Vietnam have always stood shoulder to shoulder and shared both the sweet and bitter moments during war times and in their national defense, construction, and development causes, President of the Laos-Vietnam Friendship Association Prof. Dr. Boviengkham Vongdara has said.

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency in Laos on the occasion of the 61st founding anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries (September 5, 1962 – 2023), Vongdara recalled that the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos have endured through many decades and continue to grow stronger.

According to him, the close bond between the two countries stems from the fact that both the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) both have their origin in the Indochinese Communist Party.

After 1945, under the leadership of the Indochinese Communist Party, and later the CPV and the LPRP, the two countries consistently maintained a close, steadfast, and pure relationship in the spirit of brotherhood and comradeship.

During the comprehensive renewal period in the mid-1980s, the two countries continued to work together to preserve and promote their great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation, he noted.

In recent years, Vietnam has continued to stand beside and support Laos in its socio-economic development efforts. It has consistently been one of the three largest investors in Laos. Two-way trade has maintained growth annually, contributing to strongly promoting socio-economic development in both nations, cited VNA.

The Vietnam-Laos, Laos – Vietnam friendship associations have performed well in their role in promoting people-to-people diplomacy, especially in popularizing the great friendship between Laos and Vietnam, he said, noting that the close cooperation and initiatives undertaken by both associations have helped Vietnamese and Lao people understand each other better, thus strengthening their unity.

He underlined the need for the two nations to further strengthen their friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation, focusing on enhancing political ideology education for people from all walks of life, especially youths, to help them have a deeper understanding of the Vietnam-Laos relationship, which is a common asset that the two nations have cultivated, thus further developing this one-of-a-kind relationship.

Laos and Vietnam should also continue their close coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums, especially within ASEAN, he said.

A long spell of rain lashes across Vietnam

Moderate to heavy rains are expected to hit areas throughout the country in the coming days, helping to break the heat, especially in the northern region, according to the National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting.

Northern localities are anticipated to endure lashing rain accompanied by whirlwinds and lightning in the afternoon and evening from September 7 to 12.

The long spell of rain will send temperatures plummeting to 25 - 27 degrees Celsius, albeit several places still experience high temperatures of between 33 and 35 degrees Celsius, according to VOV.

Photo: VOV

Provinces from Thanh Hoa to Thua Thien Hue will have hot daytime periods and face showers and thunderstorms in some places in the evening and at night, with chances of whirlwinds, lightning, hail, and gusts, as well.

Showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening are also forecast to hit the Central Highlands region.

Meanwhile, the southern region will also experience downpours with rainfall of between 10mm and 30mm, or even 50mm in some areas from September 9 to 12. There will be showers and thunderstorms in some places in the evening and at night, with the possibility of whirlwinds, lightning, hail, and guests.

Foreign Minister Hosts Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son hosted a reception in Hanoi on September 7 for Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Kees van Baar.

At the meeting, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son expressed his pleasure at having many positive developments in the Vietnam-Netherlands Comprehensive Partnership in recent times and welcomed the fact that the two countries have been carrying out many meaningful activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations (1973-2023), contributing to enhancing exchanges and mutual understanding between the two countries.

The FM also spoke highly of the ambassador’s active role in arranging high-level visits and events, thus contributing to deepening bilateral ties in a practical and effective manner, NDO reported.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son receives Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Kees van Baar.

He suggested the diplomat continue promoting the exchange of visits at all levels, maintaining the effective implementation of bilateral cooperation mechanisms, and working with the Vietnamese partners to deepen the strategic partnership on climate adaptation and water management and the strategic partnership on sustainable agriculture and food security through practical and context-appropriate projects and programs.

The minister also proposed that the two sides efficiently carry out high-level agreements, and maintain effective cooperation in traditional areas such as politics and diplomacy, trade, and investment while enhancing joint work in areas of the Netherlands' strength and Vietnam's needs, such as circular economy, high technology, and renewable energy.

For his part, Ambassador Kees van Baar thanked the minister and relevant Vietnamese agencies for supporting the embassy’s activities to expand ties between Vietnam and the Netherlands in various areas.

He affirmed that the Netherlands attaches importance to the comprehensive partnership with Vietnam on the back of reliable political relations and close cooperation at multilateral forums, supports high-level exchanges, and the expansion of cooperation in potential areas such as hi-tech, climate change adaptation, water management, and sustainable agriculture.

On the global and regional issues of shared concern, the two sides highlighted their support for peace, cooperation, and development, as well as the settlement of disputes and conflicts through peaceful means in accordance with the United Nations Charter and international law.

Vietnam listed as a future key destination for RoK firms

Vietnam is emerging as a key destination in the future business strategy of enterprises from the Republic of Korea (RoK), a survey has shown.

The Korea International Trade Association (KITA) conducted a survey on foreign business demand for 906 conglomerates and companies from August 10 to 30. The results indicated that, aside from the US ranking at the top, the focus of business operations for Korean companies abroad has shifted from China and Japan to emerging markets such as Vietnam and India.

At RoK-funded Youngbag Vietnam company in the Binh Xuyen Industrial Park, Vinh Phuc province. (Photo: VNA)

Regarding the choice of countries as important future business destinations, the US was the top with 22.9%, followed by Vietnam with 8.7%, India 7.3%, China 7.0%, Japan 5.2%, Germany 4.1%, Indonesia 3.8%, and Saudi Arabia 3.1%.

The survey also showed that companies with significant export capabilities consider India as their future business destination, while medium-sized export performers choose Vietnam and China, cited VNA.

For those with export capabilities exceeding US$10 million, the US tops their priority for future business destinations with 27.3%, India 8.4%, Vietnam 8.2%, Japan 5.1%, and China 4.5%.

For those with export capabilities below US$10 million, the order was the US 20.5%, Vietnam 9.6%, China 9.1%, and India 7.1%.

Concert held to promote Vietnam-UK cultural, art exchange

The Vietnam-UK Network (VUKN) on September 7 organized a concert in London to celebrate the 10th founding anniversary of the network and the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-UK diplomatic relations.

The event, which attracted nearly 400 participants, aims to raise funds to support three British charities operating in Vietnam, which are The Christina Noble Children's Foundation, Facing the World, and Saigon Children's Charity.

The concert featured some famous Vietnamese and international artists, including pianists Tra Nguyen, Tomasz Lis and Shu-Wei Tseng, and violinists Stephane Tran Ngoc, Maryna Raievska, Abigail Dance, and Phuong Hoang Linh Nguyen, who performed famous works by British, Vietnamese and world composers, cited VOV.

The concert features famous Vietnamese and international artists.

VUKN Chairman and former British Ambassador to Vietnam Mark Kent said that having famous Vietnamese artists perform at the Royal College of Music in London is a great way to honor the Vietnam-UK relationship, adding that it also raises awareness of the importance of cultural exchange between the two countries.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Nguyen Hoang Long said the VUKN has organized a meaningful event to mark two important milestones, namely 10 years of the establishment of the network and 50 years of Vietnam-UK diplomatic relations. The Ambassador expressed pride that the Vietnam-UK strategic partnership is in its warmest period, in which people-to-people and cultural exchanges with the support of organizations like VUKN are key factors.

Addressing the event, Senator Richard Gilbey, vice chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Vietnam noted that the network is a really important part of the bilateral relationship.

While the two countries have government-level relationships with formal agreements, the network's activities help connect civil servants, businessmen, and scholars, and cultural practitioners, thereby creating favorable conditions for cooperative activities in all fields from education, trade to culture, making a great contribution to the bilateral relationship, he said.

Established in 2013, VUKN is a non-governmental organization that works to increase understanding and promote relationships between the two countries, especially in the economic, cultural, and social fields.

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