As many as 243 outstanding delegates from five Central Highland provinces of Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Lam Dong attended a village chiefs conference in Pleiku City on March 30.

Vietnam wants to strengthen cooperation with Cambodia, particularly in the field of the media, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung while receiving Cambodian Minister of Information, Khieu Kanharith, in Hanoi on March 30.

For the first time Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung chaired an online Cabinet meeting in Hanoi on March 30, assessing the country’s socio-economic development in March.

State President Nguyen Minh Triet praised Gia Lai province for its efforts to overcome difficulties, maintain steady growth and ensure social welfare during a visit on March 29.

Vietnam will send its experts to work in Laos, under an agreement signed in Luang Prabang on March 28 between the two countries.

The northern mountainous province of Hoa Binh should make the best of its internal resources to maintain steady growth during the economic slowdown, said Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung.

Vietnam will pay huge costs to treat smoking-related diseases if drastic action is not taken right now, a conference in the central highland city of Da Lat has warned.

A Vietnamese diplomat to the United Nations Security Council has expressed concerns about the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in northern Sri Lanka mainly caused by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and called on parties concerned to respect international laws on humanitarianism and human rights.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and leaders of nine ministries and three provinces of Ninh Binh, Quang Binh and Thua Thien-Hue took part in an online conference on March 27 to assess socio-economic development in the three provinces in the first quarter of this year. 

Vietnam has affirmed its support for ongoing mediation efforts made by the UN-AU Joint Chief Mediator, Djibril Bassole, and by Qatar on behalf of the Arab League in promoting the Darfur peace process.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has asked the Vietnam Cement Industry Corporation (VICEM) to work out a concrete strategy for a regional and international VICEM trademark.

The special friendship and comprehensive cooperation is an invaluable asset of Vietnam and Laos that should be preserved and continuously developed by generations of the two countries.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has expressed his hope that the Netherlands will share experience in responding to climate change with Vietnam, especially in dealing with rising sea levels in Ho Chi Minh City and coastal localities. 

Vietnam welcomes the serious engagement over the past month of Palestinian factions in a dialogue process mediated by Egypt which has led to the establishment of five committees working on national reconciliation issues.

A ground-breaking ceremony for a road upgrade project linking Vietnam’s north-western provinces and Laos’ northern provinces was held at the Panghok international bordergate of Laos on March 26.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has asked the Vietnam Railways Corporation (VCR) to develop a long-term development strategy with the aim of becoming a strong economic group in future.

The friendly relationship between Vietnam and Singapore is developing well, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung while receiving newly-appointed ambassador Simon Wong Wie Kuen in Hanoi on March 25.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has asked Vietnam Airlines to make the best of the domestic and regional aviation markets to meet the country’s requirements for development and become one of powerful airlines in the region.

The Party greatly values and has high hopes for Vietnam’s young generation, especially the role of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCMCYU), said a senior Party official at a meeting in Hanoi on March 24 to mark the union’s 78th anniversary.

The Guinness World Records organization has recognized two world records set by the Ba Na Cable Car System in the central city of Danang – the longest single-string cable car system with the biggest height gap between its departure and arrival stations.

Vietnam-Japan cooperation is flourishing in various fields, from the economy and politics to culture and education, said a senior diplomat.

Vietnam consistently and constantly fosters friendship with China, aiming to make the two countries good neighbours, good friends, good comrades and good partners, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

The Vietnam Paper Corporation should draw up its development strategy to form the core of the country’s paper industry in the next 10-15 years, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

The Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Prime Minister Han Seung-soo on March 23 received a high-level delegation from Hanoi to discuss the economic climate in both countries as well as ways of boosting RoK-Vietnam relations.

The Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) and the China People’s Liberation Army (PLA) have agreed to further strengthen their cooperation, especially in personnel training, joint patrols and search and rescue activities.

State President Nguyen Minh Triet inspected the implementation of a national highway upgrade project in the central city of Da Nang on March 23. 

Vietnam’s participation in ASEAN summits gives the country the chance to put forward useful opinions on the region’s development and get ready for playing its role as ASEAN President in 2010.

Vietnamese embassy in Italy officially inaugurated its consulate office in the city of Turin on March 20.

A delegation from the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), attended the 13th International Seminar on “The Parties and a New Society” in Mexico from March 19-21.     

The community cultural affairs department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism launched a campaign entitled “Truong Son Road - Legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail” to mark the 50th anniversary of the opening of Truong Son Road.