Administrative reform and the use of talented people to serve national development are hot topics, which are capturing the attention of young people.

State President Nguyen Minh Triet’s first ever visit to Japan from November 25-29 is considered an important event in the relationship between Vietnam and Japan as it opens up a new chapter in friendship and cooperation towards strategic partnership between the two countries.

The 13th ASEAN summit and related conferences, held in Singapore from November 18-22, have reaped success with a number of declarations adopted, including the ASEAN Charter. ASEAN member states have overcome differences to have a common voice in many issues based on the principle of consensus and unity in diversity – an important factor behind the bloc’s development.

In his closing speech, NA Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong affirmed that the second meeting of the 12th NA successfully ended. According to NA deputies and voters, the NA really connected voters’ interests with national development.

Leaders from the 10 ASEAN member countries will gather in Singapore from November 19-22, 2007 for the 13th annual ASEAN summit and other relevant conferences. They will charter a new course for regional integration and cooperation moving towards the building of an ASEAN Community by 2015.

Vietnam now has eight economic groups, of which those with profitable businesses are still a small number and the remainder are looking for appropriate measures to boost their business activities.

The Prime Minister has recently issued an instruction on how to implement regulations on charges and surcharges and policies aimed at encouraging people’s contributions to the State. The decision has been welcomed by the people as it meets their interests and aspirations.

Prime Minister of the Union of Myanmar, General Thein Sein, arrived in Hanoi on November 9 for a two-day official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

The October Revolution is forever a song of victory and the unending pride of the working class and labouring people throughout the world. It will be forever seen as a revolution which liberated mankind and human society.

Instead of saying “Good morning” to their colleagues at the office, people complain about traffic congestion. They can count numerous reasons for traffic jams, but no one thinks that the main cause is their own behaviour.

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on November 1 began to disable its nuclear facilities in exchange for fuel oil under an agreement reached at the six-party talks in Beijing last February. The positive move has raised high hopes for the complete denuclearisation process on the Korean peninsula in the near future.

Vietnam has become the world’s economic partner but in order to keep pace with its development level and become an advanced economy within the next two decades, the country should remove barriers, which are hindering its economic development.

One of the most important solutions for fulfilling the set targets in 2007 is to improve the investment environment, competitive edge and sustainability of the national economy and speed up the economic growth rate.

National Assembly deputies spent two days last week discussing the Government report on socio-economic development in 2007 and plan for 2008. Through discussion, most NA deputies expressed hope for high, sustainable economic development with improved social security policies.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung is attending the annual China-ASEAN Expo and Business and Investment Summit in Nanning City and paying official visits to Guangxi province’s Zhuang Autonomous Region and Yunnan province from October 27-29.

The Ordinance on Belief and Religion, which took effect on Nov. 15, 2004, makes clear the rights and obligations of religious individuals and organisations as well as the responsibilities of State management agencies in ensuring the rights and obligations of individuals and organisations in religious affairs.

204 full members and 167 alternate members were elected to the 17th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China at the recent Party National Congress in Beijing. The congress was an important event of the Party, State and people of China. It has charted out the future path for the nation.

Under a decision signed recently by the State President, more than 8,000 inmates who have performed well in prison will be freed in the coming days before their prison terms expire. With a large number of the inmates to be released, this year’s amnesty has drawn great local and international attention.

Vietnam will officially perform as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council as of January 1, 2008. This is a great honour that also comes along with heavy responsibility. In the new position, Vietnam will spare no effort to fulfil its important role.

Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh’s visit to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) from October 16-18 is an important event, adding new impetus to bringing the ties of time-honoured friendship and cooperation between both countries’ Parties and people to a higher plane of stability and effectiveness.

The Party and State have recently paid special attention to helping entrepreneurs develop strongly for the benefit of national industrialisation and modernisation and international economic integration.

To achieve the 8.5 percent GDP growth rate set for this year, Vietnam will have to work harder to achieve a GDP growth rate of 9.4 percent in the last quarter. This will be a difficult task and poses a great challenge for ministries, sectors and localities, say experts.

The banking system plays a very important role in national development and any risks it takes affect the national economy. In the face of fierce competition with foreign banks in the post-WTO period, experts say that the domestic banking system should renew its structure, sharpen its competitiveness and minimise all possible risks.

President of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Roh Moo-hyun walked across the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone on the Korean Peninsula for talks in Pyongyang with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) leader Kim Jong Il. The move shows that the two sides are on track to move towards unification, reconciliation and cooperation.

The official visit to France by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has not only left a fine impression of the Vietnamese land and people, but has also cemented the traditional friendship and opened up new prospects for comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

The visit to France by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung aims to affirm Vietnam’s policy of attaching importance to French Vietnamese external relations, establish relations with France’s new leaders, increase bilateral relations and boost economic relations.

The 62nd session of the United Nations General Assembly, which opened in New York on September 18 and will last for nearly a month, will spend much time on the high-level general debate from September 25 to October 3. With speeches to be delivered by 193 speakers, including 100 heads of State and Government, 2007 is considered the busiest year for this international organisation.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has joined global leaders at high-level debates of the 62nd session of the United Nations General Assembly, which opened at the UN Headquarters in New York on September 25. The event will mark Vietnam’s full integration into the international community’s political and economic activities.

Tax plays a crucial role in forming the State budget. Once Vietnam fully implements its WTO commitments on tax cuts, economic specialists suggest that the country increase budget revenue from new sources of tax to ensure equality among taxpayers.

By adopting the so-called “Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2007”, the US House of Representatives has made another wrong decision against Vietnam, showing that the US legislative body still holds biased and negative views about the human rights situation in Vietnam. Radio the Voice of Vietnam has this comment.