During the past 60 years, the incentive policy for those credited with revolutionary services have been constantly renewed and perfected, becoming a major policy in the Party and State’s political and social system. Currently, 8.2 million are enjoying a regular monthly allowance.

Vietnam and Laos are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Friendship and Cooperation Treaty between the two countries (July 18) and the 45th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic ties (September 5). These are two milestones, opening up new stages of development in bilateral ties.

Indicators to assess the civilization of a country are many, including those to evaluate the people’s sense of consumption in a scientific manner.

Each Party and State agency must correctly, fully and truly realise its functions defined by the law. They must co-ordinate with each other and respect each other’s functions.

During his July 4-6 visit to India, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has sent a message to the Indian business community that Vietnam is a safe, stable and efficient investment environment and that the Government will create favourable conditions for Indian businesses to operate successfully in the country.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung is paying an official visit to India from July 4-7 at the invitation of his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh. The visit aims to reaffirm Vietnam’s consistent policy of consolidating and strengthening relations of traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation with India, particularly when India’s role and prestige is increasing in the region and across the world.

The recent visit to Yongbyon reactor by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Deputy General Director Olli Heinonen is another clear sign of progress toward resolution of the nuclear crisis on the Korean peninsular after Pyongyang’s request to transfer its US$25 million frozen in a Macau bank has been met.

This comment was made by most US and international news agencies and media when covering the official visit to the US by Vietnamese State President Nguyen Minh Triet.

With its coffee shipped to 71 countries and territories, Vietnam has become the world’s largest robusta coffee producer and exporter, making up 43 percent of the global market share. However, Vietnamese coffee is offered at low prices abroad.

Addressing the 3rd Congress of the Vietnam Journalists’ Association on Sept. 8, 1962, Ho Chi Minh said, “Journalists are also revolutionaries. The pen and paper are your offensive weapons. To fulfill your role, you, journalists should revolutionize ethics.”

State President Nguyen Minh Triet and his wife pays an official visit to the US from June 18-23 at the invitation of President George W. Bush and his wife. The visit, the first of its kind by a Vietnamese State President, takes place at a time when bilateral relations have been expanding into many fields.

Several western media agencies have recently made unfair comments about the issuance of regulations on speech and provision of information in Vietnam, reflecting their ill-intentioned prejudice against press activities in the country.

Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh returned to Hanoi on June 5, concluding his official visits to Chile, Brazil, Venezuela and Cuba. During his visits, Mr Manh reached agreement with leaders of the four Latin American countries to expand bilateral cooperation in economics, trade and investment for common development.

According to the Ministry of Industry, Vietnam’s industrial development has yet to keep pace with the global trend. The development of policies for the industrial sector has been mostly based on the command model and has not taken full advantage of sectors, regions or the nation as a whole. In addition, Vietnam’s industrial development has been rather spontaneous and scattered.

Over the past decade, ASEM has played an important role in consolidating the partnership between Asia and Europe in politics, economics, culture and other areas.

“Working as a Government official does not mean enjoying privileges or special advantage!” For President Ho Chi Minh, this was not a slogan. In his deeds he always showed that Government officials, even the State President, should not have privileges.

Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh left Hanoi on May 24 for official visits to Chile, Brazil, Venezuela and Cuba at the invitation of the leaders of these four Latin American countries. The visits will help deepen Vietnam’s international relations with these countries in a stable and sustainable manner and in conformity with the growing global trend of peace, cooperation and development.

President of the Republic of South Africa Thabo Mbeki pays an official visit to Vietnam from May 24-25 at the invitation of State President Nguyen Minh Triet. The visit to Vietnam, the first by a South African President, is aimed at boosting political, economic, scientific and technological, and military relations between the two countries.

With the remarkable success of the 12th National Assembly election, the new legislative body is expected to fulfil its tasks and continue to institutionalise national construction policy in the new period which was adopted by the 10th National Party Congress.

The relations of friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and China have been developing rapidly in all areas, bringing practical benefits to the two sides. To date, Vietnam and China have signed 52 State-level agreements, laying a firm legal foundation for long-term cooperation.

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)'s recent recommendation for putting Vietnam back on the list of "countries of particular concern" (CPC) for religious freedom is utterly groundless and unacceptable as it is out of tune with the real religious situation in Vietnam and the fine development of Vietnam-US relations.

The historical significance of Victory Day over Fascism (May 9) and the great contributions by former Soviet soldiers in the 20th century have been acknowledged and respected by humankind. Despite misleading views about the issue, the values of the victory remain fresh and will be unchanged forever.

The US Congress and Government should not allow those forces that lack goodwill towards Vietnam to undermine the fruits so far reaped by the two countries. The Human Rights resolution recently passed by the US House of Representatives is just a piece of outdated thinking and a wrongful act against the development of bilateral relations.

The Hanoi Police’s Security and Investigation Agency on April 21 arrested Tran Khai Thanh Thuy on the charge of propagandising against Vietnam when she was caught distributing more than 30 articles with content opposing the Vietnamese Party and State. Thuy was found to be a close aide of Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thi Cong Nhan, who, in the game of lawyers, carried out activities in an attempt to overthrow the Vietnamese State.

Material gathered by the security agency shows that Le Thi Cong Nhan, under Nguyen Van Dai’s instructions, actively lent a helping hand to Dai’s activities in an attempt to overthrow the Vietnamese State.

Several international human rights organisations and overseas reactionary forces have accused Vietnam of human rights violations after the Hanoi Investigation Police arrested Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thi Cong Nhan on March 6 on the charge of “propagandising against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam” under the Criminal Procedures Code. However, their outlawed activities and insidious schemes strongly refuted their accusations.

Our State is of the people, by the people and for the people. The people master the country, the State acts as the people’s tool to govern the country and State officials are the people’s servants. State properties all belong to the people, and State power comes from the people. This is the very important political and humanitarian nature of our State. Former National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Van An has sent an article on application of this thinking to VOVNews.

In 2006, rice and fruit vegetable growing areas accounted for 74 percent and 15 percent of the country’s total cultivated areas respectively. Meanwhile, the fruit and vegetable market is 10 times bigger than the rice market. It is a big question whether we continue to seek a large share of a “small cake” (rice) or a small share of a “big cake” (fruit and vegetables) on the agricultural product market of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Several officials from the US Department of State on April 10 expressed their concern about the Vietnamese State’s reaction to Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez’s acts during her two-day visit to Vietnam late last week. In a move to justify and support Sanchez’s performance, they said that the US should continue to deal with the human rights issue in Vietnam. Yet the US public, including a large number of overseas Vietnamese residents, strongly opposed Sanchez’s acts in Vietnam.

Relying on certain principles to clarify and handle issues involving contradictory opinions between the Government and National Assembly agencies is the general lesson drawn from actual operation of the NA. VOVNEWS will bring you excerpts from an article written by former NA chairman and deputy to the 11th NA, Nguyen Van An, analysing the issue.