Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao have shown their resolve to meet the goal of raising two-way trade to US$25 billion in 2010, alongside keeping trade balance and increasing cooperation between their border localities.

State President Nguyen Minh Triet on April 17 welcomed delegates to the 16th General Assembly of the French-Speaking Radio and Television International Council (CIRTEF) in Hanoi and expressed his hope that they would draw up effective cooperation plans for regional broadcasters.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung met with his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao in the Chinese province of Hainan on April 17 on the sidelines of the Boao Forum for Asia.

General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee and President of Laos, Choummaly Sayasone, will soon pay an official visit to Vietnam.

After attending the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), PM Nguyen Tan Dung and his wife will visit Guangdong province, as well as Hong Kong and Macau special administrative regions.

Vietnam considers New Zealand as one of its important partners and wants to promote friendship and multifaceted cooperation with New Zealand bilaterally and multilaterally, said National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong.

The Vietnamese government will create the best possible conditions for Australian businesses to boost trade and investment cooperation with their Vietnamese partners, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

A delegation from New Zealand’s Parliament, led by its Speaker, Lockwood Smith, will pay an official visit to Vietnam from April 15-19 at the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong.

Khanh Hoa needs to tap into its full potential to prevent further economic slowdown and achieve an economic growth rate of 10 percent in 2009, said Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung.

Vietnam wants to promote friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Iran, Deputy Foreign Minister Doan Xuan Hung has said.

The Vietnam National Assembly is willing to share experience and boost cooperation with its Lao counterpart, said NA Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong.

Singaporean Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew arrived in HCM City on April 13, beginning an official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

Many young entrepreneurs gathered in Nha Trang, central province of Khanh Hoa to participate in a talk entitled “Vietnamese young entrepreneurs help prevent economic downturn” on April 13.

A delegation of the Steering Committee for Judicial Reform, led by its First Vice Chairman Truong Vinh Trong, who is also Politburo member of the party Central Committee and Deputy Prime Minister, paid a working visit to Italy from April 7-11.

Nong Duc Manh, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, will pay an official visit to Japan soon, the Party Commission for External Affairs has announced.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai asked the coal sector to conserve and exploit coal in a sustainable manner to ensure national energy security, during a working session with Khe Cham Coal Company in Quang Ninh province on April 11.

ASEAN foreign ministers convened the first session of the ASEAN Political Security Community Council and a meeting of the ASEAN Coordination Council in Pattaya City, Thailand, on April 10.

Cultural exchange between Vietnam and Japan plays an important role in promoting solidarity and cooperation between the two countries, said State President Nguyen Minh Triet.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung arrived in Pattaya city, Thailand, on April 10 to attend meetings between ASEAN and its partners.

Vietnam and Portugal have agreed to increase their economic, trade and investment ties, especially in the fields of tourism, marine economy, electronics, information technology and renewable energy.

Vietnam places a high priority on information technology development and wants to cooperate closely with Intel Corporation in this area, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung while receiving Craig Barrett, chairman of the Board of Directors of Intel Corporation in Hanoi on April 9.

Liechtenstein wants to strengthen cooperative ties with Vietnam, said the Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein, Alois Philipp Maria, while receiving newly accredited Vietnamese ambassador Hoang Van Nha on April 8.

Two Indian navy destroyers, Ins-Mumbai and Ins-Ranvir docked at Dinh Vu port in the northern city of Hai Phong on April, beginning a four-day visit to Vietnam.

Deputy Foreign Minister Doan Xuan Hung has been on a visit to Iraq as special envoy of the Prime Minister from April 6-9.

Vietnam will continue to focus its efforts on slowing down economic decline with cautious steps towards executing the monetary policy and managing the macro-economy towards the end of the year, said a senior government official.

Belarus always considers Vietnam an important partner in Southeast Asia, said Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Aleinik, who is on a visit to Vietnam.

State President Nguyen Minh Triet asked the northern province of Bac Giang to make a breakthrough in poverty reduction during a visit on April 8.

A delegation of the Central Steering Board for Judicial Reform led by its first deputy chairman Truong Vinh Trong has paid a working visit to the UK and Northern Ireland.

Vietnam wants to increase multifaceted cooperation with the US for peace, stability and development in the region and the rest of the world, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung while receiving Senator John McCain in Hanoi on April 7.

The northern border province of Lang Son should make the best of its resources available to develop trade, services and tourism, said State President Nguyen Minh Triet.