Criticism and self-criticism among ranking officials and Party members are of paramount importance for Party building work, says Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has expressed his pleasure at the rapid development of Vietnam-Chile relations, especially in economics, trade, and investment.

Vietnam is willing to cooperate and speed up negotiations for signing the Free Trade Agreement with the European Union to help further develop bilateral relations.

Morgen Lykketoft, Speaker of the Danish Parliament, will pay an official visit to Vietnam from March 4-7.

Chansy Phosikham, head of the Lao People’s Revolution Party Central Committee of the Party Organization Commission, has praised the cooperation between the Laos and Vietnam Red Cross Societies (VRC and LRC).

Vietnam attended the 11th Senior Officials Meeting Responsible for Information (SOMRI 11) held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on February 27-28 with the participation of 10 ASEAN member countries.

On February 28, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh received Lyonpo Kinzang Dorji, special envoy of the Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Bhutan who is on a working visit to Vietnam.

Vietnam and China have frankly discussed bilateral relations and issues related to their territorial borders during two-day talks between Deputy Foreign Minister Ho Xuan Son and his Chinese counterpart Zhang Zhijun, which ended in Beijing on February 28.

The third meeting of the Vietnam-Vatican Joint Working Group took place in Hanoi on February 27-28.

Vietnam and Chile should consider opening direct air routes to facilitate their trade, State President Truong Tan Sang told visiting Senate President Guido Girardin Lavín in Hanoi on February 28.

A seminar was held in Hanoi on February 28 by the National Assembly (NA) Office and the Konrad Adenauer Stifung (KAS) political foundation from Germany to discuss issues of State power and constitutional experiences of other countries.

On February 28, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Government Committee for Religious Affairs organized a conference to review tasks assigned for 2011 and discuss the implementation of the tasks set for this year.

Chile is committed to strengthening cooperation with Vietnam, especially in the areas of mineral exploitation, science-technology, agriculture and education, says Senate President Guido Girardin Lavín.

Viet Nam will deliver a speech on February 29 at the 19th meeting of the United Nations' Human Rights Council, which is being held in Geneva.

Major Lao newspapers have run articles about Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong’s visit to Vietnam, which was made at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung.

Vietnam hopes to strengthen ties with Colombia in various fields such as politics, diplomacy, economics, trade, energy, oil and gas, culture, education and tourism.

A three-day national conference opened in Hanoi on February 27 to discuss the implementation of the resolution on Party building and rectification adopted at the fourth Plenum of the 11th Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee.

Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong made a fact-finding tour of Kon Tum, Gia Lai and Binh Dinh provinces from February 23-26 to learn about their development experience.

The Government of Laos creates the best possible conditions for Vietnamese businesses to invest in the country which benefit both sides, says Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong.

Thailand is ready for the second joint Cabinet meeting to be hosted by Vietnam, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra told Vietnamese military officers in Bangkok on February 25.

The Quang Nam province border guards have joined their Lao counterparts from Sekong province to conduct bilateral patrols and protect the landmarks along the border between the two countries.

The third meeting of the Vietnam-Vatican Joint Working Group will be held in Hanoi on February 27-28, announced the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on February 24.

Vietnam has always attached importance to developing multifaceted cooperation with Armenia, said State President Truong Tan Sang.

The US is eager to provide Vietnam with technical assistance for the ongoing Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations.

Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty began an official visit to Thailand on February 23 at the invitation of General Tanasak Patimapragorn, Head of Defence for the Thai Royal Armed Forces, according to the army daily Quan Doi Nhan Dan.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong have wished for effective investment and trade co-operation between Vietnam and Laos to provide a firm foundation for boosting relations in various fields in the future.

On February 23, Politburo member and Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV)’s Central Committee Dinh The Huynh received a delegation of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) led by Achim Post, Head of the SPD’s International Politics Department.

On February 23, Deputy Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army Lieutenant General Dao Duy Minh received a delegation of young officers from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) led by Colonel Wu Yuzhang, Deputy Head of the China Defence Ministry’s Foreign Affairs Office.

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung has praised ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) Secretary General Antonio V. Cuenco for having contributed to enhancing inter-parliamentary coordination among ASEAN countries.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung received Admiral Edouard Guillaud, Chief of Defence Staff of the French Army in Hanoi on February 23.