Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has asked the nation’s largest economic hub to speed up infrastructure construction and human resource training to attract more foreign direct investment and utilise the resource more effectively.

Vietnam attaches great importance to promoting cooperation with Austria – an important member of the European Union, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung while receiving ambassador Johannes Peterlik in Hanoi on June 22.

Circle K- an international chain of convenience stores in the US with more than 7,000 stores around the world put five stores into operation in district 1, HCM City on June 19.  

National Assembly chairman Nguyen Phu Trong has called on the Vietnamese people, including those residing abroad, to unite and make a greater effort to overcome any difficulties and seize the chance to reach the targets for 2009 and the 2006-2010 period.

A Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai arrived in Seoul, the Republic of Korea, on June 18 to attend the East Asia Economic Summit within the framework of the World Economic Forum.

Deputies at the current National Assembly session on June 18 approved the revised bills on cinematography, cultural heritage housing and land, and the bills on Vietnamese representative offices abroad and State responsibility toward compensation.

The press must serve as the reliable vanguard force for the Party, State and people on the political and ideological front, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in his message delivered to media workers on Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day (June 21).

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem has asked ministries, provinces and cities to fulfil their all-round diplomatic tasks in terms of planning, networking and staff training.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has called on fellow Vietnamese countrymen and soldiers to participate in a special exemplary role model movement in anticipation of Hanoi’s 1,000th anniversary in 2010.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung delivered a report at the National Assembly on June 13, highlighting the initial results of the government’s economic stimulus packages, issues related to agriculture and rural development, the implementation of bauxite projects and solutions for the post-crisis period.

The Party, State and people of Vietnam will do their best to maintain and develop the traditional friendship and cooperation with China , said Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh.

Vietnam highly values the role of Saudi Arabia in the Middle East as well as in the world, State President Nguyen Minh Triet said at a meeting with Saudi Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Ali Ibrahim Al Naimi in Hanoi on June 11.

Vietnam wants to cooperate with Saudi Arabia on the basis of equality and mutual interest, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung while receiving the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali Abrahim Al Naimi in Hanoi on June 10.

Donors will continue to help Vietnam boost economic development and ride out the global financial storm as soon as possible to ensure its citizens will fully benefit from the development process.

Measures to increase cooperation between Vietnamese and Cambodian border provinces were discussed at a conference in Ho Chi Minh City on June 5.

Five years after Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange (AO)/Dioxin filed a class action suit against US chemical companies in the US courts, the pain and suffering caused by the toxic chemicals still linger on in their daily lives.

The leaders of the 10 ASEAN member countries and the Republic of Korea (RoK) on June 2 discussed measures to effectively overcome global and trans-national challenges at the second session of the ASEAN-RoK Commemorative Summit on Jeju island.

In the last two days Vietnam has detected three cases of influenza A/H1N1 in people who returned to HCM City from the US, and the Ministry of Health has employed urgent measures to prevent the flu from spreading into the community. However, there is growing concern about loopholes in prevention work.

Vietnam and ASEAN attach great importance to strengthening ties with the Republic of Korea (RoK) bilaterally and multilaterally, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at the opening ceremony of a Commemorative Summit between ASEAN and the RoK on Jeju Island on June 1.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has called on ASEAN and the Republic of Korea (RoK) to enhance mutual trust and build a firm foundation for sustainable development so as to boost investment and trade.

The Republic of Korea (RoK) attaches great importance to developing the friendly and cooperative ties with Vietnam, President Lee Myung-Bak told Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in a meeting in Seoul on May 30.

Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) have agreed to lift their comprehensive relationship in the 21st century to a strategic cooperative partnership for prosperity of each country and for peace and stability in the region.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung was received at a military base in Seoul, the Republic of Korea (RoK), on May 28 with the attendance of a deputy foreign minister and many other senior officials of the RoK Government.

Deputies to the current National Assembly session suggested on May 27 that the government give more priority to upgrading medical centres and education establishments in disadvantaged areas to narrow the development gap between the highland and lowland regions.

Foreign Ministers from 45 Asia and Europe Meeting (ASEM) member countries endorsed a number of initiatives in Hanoi on May 26 to promote closer cooperation between the two continents.

The government should keep the budget deficit at less than 7 percent and pay more attention to vocational training and job generation for people in rural areas, said National Assembly deputies.

General Secretary Nong Duc Manh on May 26 received Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and his entourage, while they were in Vietnam to attend the ninth Asia-Europe (ASEM) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

Poland is ready to provide US$280 million in preferential credits to help Vietnam develop its shipbuilding industry and other sectors, said Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski.

ASEM member countries should work closely to build up a more sustained financial and economic system to revive the sluggish economy and address global issues, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem on May 24 held separate meetings with his Japanese, Czech and Estonian counterparts who are in Hanoi for the 9th Asia-Europe Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM 9).