General elections open nationwide

(VNA) Official ceremonies were held at 7 am on May 22 at 91,438 polling stations throughout the country to start the voting to elect deputies to the 13 th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2011-2016 term.

This is the first time the elections for deputies to the National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels have taken place at the same time, during which over 63 million voters will elect 500 NA deputies and 301,954 People’s Council members.

Appointed ambassador vows more support to OVs in US

(VNA) The newly-appointed Vietnamese ambassador to the US, Nguyen Quoc Cuong, pledged to provide more support for the Vietnamese community in the US and create favourable conditions for businesses of Vietnamese Americans to invest in Vietnam.

Situation in Muong Nhe district stabilized

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nguyen Phuong Nga briefed the media on the current situation in Muong Nhe District, Dien Bien Province at the Regular Press Conference May 12, 2011:

East Sea sovereignty in spotlight

(VNA) As many as 80 scholars, independent researchers and representatives from relevant agencies nationwide gathered in Hanoi on April 26 for the second national workshop on the East Sea.

The workshop on disputes over sovereignty on the East Sea : history, geopolitics and international law aimed at sharing Vietnam ’s view on legal bases and history relating to national sovereignty in the East Sea area.

Nuanced debate over religion continues despite call for Vietnam sanctions

(This article appeared in The Hill, Dec ,2010)

The annual debate over the State Department’s human rights report brings with it a series of resolutions and bills trying to punish – or at least spotlight – certain countries for violations of U.S. standards. Vietnam regularly receives attention for religious rights violations. This year, on top of sanctions bills, the Congressional Human Rights Commission held a hearing on a dispute in the central Vietnamese village of Con Dau that pitted Catholic villagers against riot police.

US attitude is softer on Agent Orange problem

(VNA) The Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA) General Secretary has recognised a slight shift in the US attitude towards solving the AO/Dioxin dilemma in Vietnam.

Tran Xuan Thu, who is also VAVA Vice President, revealed the recognition at an exclusive interview with VNA on the threshold of the third hearing on the problem to be held by the US House of Representatives on July 15.

Vietnam joins world trade week in US Kansas State

(VNA) Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Le Cong Phung joined diplomats from six ASEAN embassies in the US for the 34 th Annual World Trade Week in Wichita city of US Kansas State from May 19-21.

The World Trade Council of Wichita and the Wichita State University jointly organised the week with the aim of increasing mutual understanding between Wichita and the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) member countries.

The Business Association of Overseas Vietnamese (BAOOV) has set up its branch in the USA.

(VNA) Present at the launching ceremony in Washington DC on April 12 together with many overseas Vietnamese business people were Minister, Chairman of the Government Office Nguyen Xuan Phuc and CEOs of a number of top Vietnamese business groups who are accompanying Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in his trip to the US to attend the Nuclear Security Summit on April 12-13.

BAOOV President Pham Nhat Vuong said that the association decided to form a branch in the US to promote business opportunities in Vietnam to the Americans as well as the Vietnamese American business community.

ASEAN trade officials seek stronger ties with US

(VNA) Senior trade officials from eight member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, known as ASEAN, began a visit to the US on May 2 with the aim of enhancing the bloc’s trade relations with the world’s largest economy.

The participants include Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Cam Tu, trade ministers from Indonesia , Cambodia , Laos , Malaysia and Thailand , trade deputy ministers from Brunei and the Philippines , and ASEAN General Secretary Surin Pitsuwan.

PM Dung meets world leaders outside nuke summit

(VNA) Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung held separate meetings with world leaders on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, US on April 13, local time.

During his meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, PM Dung expressed delights at the fine progresses in bilateral relations between Vietnam and Canada . The two leaders agreed to take concrete measures to further promote the bilateral ties in the future.

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