Vietnamese and Chinese officials shared experiences in coping with the global financial crisis at the 5th theoretical workshop which opened in the Chinese city of Xia Men, Fu Jian province, on December 12.

Vietnam will work closer together with the Republic of Korea (RoK) to promote friendship and cooperation in all areas, says Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

A festival of Vietnam-India is being held in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh with the aim of expanding cooperation and strengthening relations between the two countries.

Vietnam is ready to boost relations with the Vatican in the principle of respecting international law in the interest of world peace, cooperation and development.

On the morning of December 11 (Hanoi time), State President Nguyen Minh Triet met with speaker of the Italian Lower House Chamber of Deputies Gianfranco Fini and Mayor of Rome Gianni Alemanno as part of his visit to Italy.

The central highland province of Kon Tum can develop coffee and rubber growing areas but afforestation development is the most effective, long-term measure for local people to strike gold, said Party leader Nong Duc Manh during his working visit to the province from December 10-11.

The 25th ASEAN Council of Teachers’ Convention opened in Hanoi on December 11.

Vietnam does its utmost to develop bilateral ties with the Republic of Korea (RoK) deeply and effectively in all fields, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said at a meeting with Park Jin, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs, Trade and Unification Committee of the RoK’s National Assembly in Hanoi on December 11.

Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong and his delegation arrived in India on December 9 to begin a study tour of the country focusing on religion and ethnic minorities.

A ceremony was held in the south central province of Khanh Hoa on December 10 to present the order and medals of friendship to several organisations and individuals who have actively contributed to joint operations between Vietnam and Russia  in the oil and gas industry.

Vietnamese and Singaporean diplomats conducted first-time exchanges at ministerial assistant level in Hanoi from December 10-12 in order to boost mutual understanding and tighten cooperative relations.

Vietnam -Laos Friendship Association President Vu Trong Kim led a delegation to visit Laos to promote ties between the two countries from December 9-15.

Vietnam considers Italy an important European Union partner and wants to boost friendship and all-round cooperation with Italy, says president Nguyen Minh Triet.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung will pay an official visit to Russia on December 14-15, according to a communiqué released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Vietnam considers people an important factor behind national development, therefore, the Party and State have gradually finalised the legal system and developed many programmes to promote the citizens’ fundamental human rights.

South Africa’s Honorary Consulate General was inaugurated in Ho Chi Minh City on December 10.

The Vietnam National Assembly (VNA) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) jointly opened an Asia-Pacific regional conference in Hanoi on December 10 to strengthen the role of parliaments in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

The 15th ASEAN Transport Ministers Meeting (ATM) opened on December 10 in Hanoi following the 28th ASEAN Senior Transport Officials Meeting.  

Vietnam has welcomed an agreement reached recently between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders on the opening of the Liminitis-Yesilirmak buffer zone crossing, said a diplomat.

A high-level military delegation led by Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh, has left Hanoi for official visits to the US and France from December 10-12.

The Prime Minister has decided to draw over VND1,000 billion from the government’s financial reserves this year to help 51 provinces invest in numerous dyke and dam reinforcement projects.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung met with the leaders of Laos and Cambodia in Vientiane on December 9 before attending the opening ceremony of the 25th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 25).

Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet arrived in Rome on the afternoon of December 9, beginning a State visit to Italy at the invitation of his Italian counterpart Giorgio Napolitano.  

A delegation of the Communist Party of Vietnam, led by Secretary of the Party Committee of Tuyen Quang province Nguyen Sang Vang, paid a working visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) from December 2-8.

The sustainable development of the Central Highlands is of great national strategic significance, Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh said in Dak Lak province on December 9, citing the region’s important role in the history of national construction and defence.

Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Nguyen Phu Trong paid a working visit to the southernmost province of Ca Mau from December 8-9 to examine its preparations for the 11th National Party Congress.

The 65th anniversary of the Vietnamese People’s Army Day was celebrated on December 9 by the Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnamese National Defense Attache in Australia.

The Vietnam- Japan relations are flourishing in the areas of politics, economics, culture and education, said Japanese Consul General in HCM City Ikuo Mizuki on December 9 at a ceremony to celebrate the 76th birthday of Emperor Akihito and Japan’s National Day (December 23).

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung expressed wishes that the Vietnamese sports delegation will compete in a noble and honest sprit to gain the highest achievements, actively contributing to promoting solidarity and friendship among countries in the region.  

The Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Chairman Huynh Dam, has sent Christmas greetings to the Catholic and Protestant communities for the Christmas holiday.