Hanoi’s activities to welcome Tet

A spring newspaper festival, and a number of exhibitions, including a photo exhibition in Trang Tien street, an ornamental plant exhibition in Ly Thai To flower garden, antiques exhibitions in Hanoi ancient citadel and Dinh Tien Hoang street, together with a film week, have held to open the activity chain. 

Hanoi has become the first city to allow firecrackers to be lighted in all districts across the city on New Year’s Eve, which will fall on February 13. 

Besides, an incense-offering ceremony dedicated to King Ly Thai To will take place and numerous traditional art performances will be staged at Ngoc Son temple, Ba Kieu temple, Ha Dong district and Son Tay town. 

Several other activities will be organised in Quoc Tu Giam Literature Temple from February 15-23 while a circus performance at Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc square and art performances on the city’s outskirts will be held on February 16-18. 

On the occasion, Hanoi has guidelined relevant agencies to make preparations for other up-coming special anniversaries, including the 221st anniversary of Ngoc Hoi-Dong Da victory (Feb. 18) and festivals of Huong pagoda and other temples across the city.

Vietnam sends congratulations to Bulgaria on diplomatic ties

Hanoi (VNA) – State President Nguyen Minh Triet on February 7 cabled a message of congratulations to his Bulgarian counterpart Georgi Parvanov on the 60 th anniversary of Vietnam-Bulgaria diplomatic ties (Feb. 8). 

On the same day, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung also sent a message to his Bulgarian counterpart Boyko Borissov while Deputy PM-cum-Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem extended congratulations to Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov.

VNA presents Tet gifts to AO victims in Hanoi

Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and the Hanoi AO/dioxin Victims’ Association on February 7 presented gifts to two war veterans who are heavily affected by the Agent Orange/dioxin on the occasion of the Tet (Lunar New Year) festival. 

War veterans Nguyen Thanh Son and Nguyen Van Hien each received a gift worth 250,000 VND taken from the VNA’s Fund for AO Victims 

Both Son and Hien are very difficult as their children suffer the serious after-effects of the AO/dioxin sprayed by the US troops during the Vietnam war. 

On the occasion, the VNA’s Fund for AO Victims presented Tet gifts worth between 200,000 VND and 300,000 VND each to around 700 families of AO victims in 35 provinces and cities nationwide and nine wheelchairs for victims in Hanoi and Nam Dinh province. 

The fund also built two charity houses worth 30 million VND each in Phu Tho and Quang Tri provinces.

Lunar new year festival celebrated in RoK, Canada

Hanoi (VNA) – Receptions to celebrate lunar New Year festival (Tet) were held by the Vietnamese Ambassadors to the Republic of Korea (RoK) and Canada .

At the reception in Seoul , the RoK, on Feb. 7, Ambassador Tran Trong Toan reviewed Vietnam ’s achievements in politic, diplomatic, culture, socio-economic areas in 2009 and emphasised the country’s economic recovery, maintaining the economic growth rate at 5.3 percent against the previous target of 5 percent.

Vietnam and the RoK lifting bilateral ties to the strategic partnership opened a new chapter in development of the countries’ relations, creating a firm legal basis and favourable conditions for bilateral cooperation in a new height, Ambassador Toan stressed.

The Party and Government highly appreciate contributions by the overseas Vietnamese, including those living abroad, he added. There are about 90,000 Vietnamese people living in the RoK.

Lee Hee-yeon, descendant of Ly dynasty family in the RoK, thanked the Vietnamese Party, Government and Embassy’s attention to the expatriates’ lives. He was moved on the Vietnamese government’s decision to grant the citizenship to several members of the Ly family.

At a get-together at the “Vietnamese House” in Ottawa , Canada , on Feb. 6, Ambassador Nguyen Duc Hung reviewed outstanding events in the two countries’ ties over the past year, saying that both countries are seeing strong and favourable development in their comprehensive cooperation.

Two-way trade between Vietnam and Canada reached 1.3 billion USD in 2009, and the northern American country became Vietnam ’s 10 th largest trading partner with a total registered capital of 4.2 billion USD, the ambassador said.

Both countries are also boosting cooperation in education, labour and employment, he added, attributing the development to the overseas Vietnamese’s contributions. 
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper took this occasion to send a message of greetings to the embassy, affirming further development of the friendship and effective cooperation between the two countries, which, he said have helped expand cultural and trade exchanges.

Spring Newspaper Festival wraps up

Hanoi (VNA) – The Spring Newspaper Festival 2010 closed in Hanoi on February 7 after four days of service. 

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Pham Quang Nghi said that the festival was a significant activity that coincided with the 80 th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and opened up a series of events in celebration of 1,000 year-old Thang Long-Hanoi. 

With the participation of more than 600 press agencies, the largest number so far, the Spring Newspaper Festival 2010 brought in a special spiritual “food” for people on the occasion of the traditional Tet (Lunar New Year) festival, he said, adding that it also created an ebullient emulation atmosphere among press agencies and journalists nationwide.

Nghi stressed that the Party, State and people always highly value the role of the press – a vanguard in the cause of national defence and construction.

State leaders pay Tet visits to people

Thua Thien-Hue (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on February 7 led a government delegation to visit the central province of Thua Thien Hue on the occasion of the Tet (Lunar New Year) festival. 

Speaking at a working session with the provincial leaders, PM Dung asked Thua Thien-Hue province to continue promoting its advantages to develop itself into a centre of culture, tourism, science and technology, health, education and training in the central region in particular and the whole country in general. 

To reach this goal, Thua Thien-Hue province should better urban planning work, invest in infrastructure development and pay attention to developing areas that are its strengths such as tourism, information technology, sea-based economy, he said. 

The province must focus on developing human resources as well as preserving and promoting traditional cultural values, he added. 

The Prime Minister also visited and presented gifts to families who tendered great service to the nation in Nam Dong district, which is home to a large number of ethnic minority people but has the lowest poverty rate in the country. 

On the same day, Truong Tan Sang, Politburo member and standing member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC), paid a Tet visit to the central Ha Tinh province while To Huy Rua, Politburo member and Secretary of the CPVCC visited the central province of Quang Ngai . 

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai also paid Tet visits to the Mekong Delta provinces of Bac Lieu and Soc Trang from February 6-7.

Unitel Vietnam presents computers to Laos’ school

Hanoi (VNA) – Unitel Vietnam, a joint venture between Unitel Vietnam Group and a Laos’ telecommunication company, has handed over 10 sets of computers and an internet system to Udomsay province’s Boarding School of Laos. 

Prominent among those present at the Feb. 6 ceremony were director of Udomsay Education Department Ovatchanthavong, Unitel Chairman Ulaha thongvantha and representatives of the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos. 

The Vietnam-built Udomsay Provincial Boarding School has been put into operation since 1996. The school has 10 classes with 360 students coming from 14 ethnic groups in the Udomsay province.

Party chief stresses newly accredited ambassadors’ tasks

Hanoi (VNA) - General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nong Duc Manh has urged newly accredited ambassadors to comprehensively conduct their assigned tasks, especially paying due attention to economic and cultural diplomacy and overseas Vietnamese affairs during their terms of office abroad.

At his meeting in Hanoi on Feb. 7, General Secretary Manh told new ambassadors, general consuls and heads of diplomatic missions that the appointment is a ‘great honour’ and a ‘glorious task’ entrusted to them by the Party, State and people. 

He reminded the diplomats to thoroughly grasp and implement the Party and State’s foreign policy of self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development, multilateralisation and diversification of international relations, and integration into the world economy as well as expansion of cooperation in other areas. 

Vietnam is a friend, a reliable partner and a responsible member of the international community, taking an active part in regional and international cooperation, the Party leader said.

President hails overseas Vietnamese’ contributions

Hanoi (VNA) – State President Nguyen Minh Triet has highlighted Vietnam ’s important achievements in 2009, attributing them to strong determination and constant efforts by all Vietnamese people, including those residing overseas.

At a Tet get-together in Hanoi on Feb. 6, President Triet said that despite the global economic recession, Vietnam achieved a remarkable performance with high economic growth and ensured security and national defence, thus contributing to raising the country’s position in the international arena. 

Although facing difficulties, overseas Vietnamese have strived to build communities of unity and mutual assistance, have stable lives, well integrate into the local communities and contribute to the homeland, he said.

Many bright examples of the Vietnamese expatriates have contributed to Vietnam ’s profile in the country of their residence. Many of them have returned and joined in projects in science, technology, education, culture and social areas as well as respond to charitable and humanitarian activities, helping inside country’s people affected by natural disasters and epidemics.

Their sentiments and acts toward the homeland strongly confirmed that overseas Vietnamese is an inseparable part of the nation, the President emphasised.

About 1,000 Vietnamese nationals around the world attended the Tet get-together jointly organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Hanoi Municipal People’s Committee and the Vietnam Television. 

Earlier the day, they offered incense at the Thang Long Royal Citadel.