Party General Secretary, Nong Duc Manh, began an official four-day visit to China on May 30. The visit not only shows the promising development of friendship, neighbourliness and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, but also their cultural determination to build a long-lasting strategic relationship.

Over the past two years, especially in the first months of this year, coffee prices in the Central Highlands have soared, reaching VND42,000 per kilo. This has encouraged farmers to clear forest for coffee growing land despite the warnings from the local authorities and experts.

In securing the legal corridor, Government officials would adopt an attitude commensurate with moral and social norms. These are not written down in any laws but are regulated by traditional sentiments and public opinion.

The slow progress in equitising state owned enterprises (SOEs) is attributed to many reasons such as uncoordinated procedures, cumbersome administrative formalities, and bad debts. Many people say that the current situation on the stock market is not favourable for SOE to equitise and issue Initial Public Offerings (IPO).

Vietnamese scientists are worried that the country would be facing a food crisis had the Government failed to keep land for rice cultivation.

Top priority should be given to ensuring food security and keeping food prices under control. Rice exports should be associated with domestic consumption in order to stabilise domestic prices. In addition, the agricultural sector needs to finalise a food security strategy as soon as possible.

The Great Victory of May 9, 1945 was a very important landmark in the history of Russia and the rest of the world. It marked the glory of the Soviet people and the Red Army in their patriotic war, helped to put an end to World War 2 and smashed the large and powerful fascist army.

The US Department of State on May 4 rejected a request from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) to put Vietnam back on the list of “countries of particular concern” (CPC). This is a correct decision reflecting the real situation in Vietnam and showing that the commission’s request was not objective and independent.

The recent spike in rice prices shows that the market has been badly affected by socio-psychological factors. This requires the Government and relevant agencies to make accurate forecasts and come up with prompt actions to cope with any market fluctuations.

Every Vietnamese, every family and the whole nation will bear this historic day in mind forever as it marked the complete liberation of South Vietnam and national unification.