1. Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association elects new president
Truong Thi Mai, Politburo member, Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC) and Head of the CPVCC’s Mass Mobilization Commission, has been named President of the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association for the 2013-2018 tenure.
A ceremony to introduce the position was held in Hanoi on May 23 by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Associations.
2. Third plenary session of the 14th National Assembly opens
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NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan speaks at the opening session.
The third plenary session of the 14th National Assembly officially opened in Hanoi on the morning of May 22.
At the third session, 13 bills and five draft resolutions were considered and adopted, and five other draft laws were tabled for discussion. The NA spent 6.5 days to review, discuss and pass decisions on Government reports regarding the supplementary assessment of results on socio-economic development plans and the State budget in 2016, the implementation of the socio-economic development plan and the State budget for the first months of 2017, the approval of the State budget settlement in 2015; compensation and resettlement during construction of Long Thanh International Airport, and adopting the resolution on the NA monitoring programme in 2018, whilst also conducting a Q&A session.
The session also examined and passed decisions on a number of important socio-economic matters and conducted supervision over the implementation of laws and policies on food safety in 2011-2016.
3. Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh visits Spain
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh led a Vietnamese delegation on a trip to Spain from May 23-25 on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties.
During his three-day visit to Spain, he met King of Spain Felipe VI, talked with Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Alfonso Dastis, and participated in the Vietnam-Spain business forum and the opening ceremony of Vietnam Days in Spain and Vietnamese Culture Space event.
4. Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh visits Portugal
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Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (left) and Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of a political consultation mechanism between the two foreign ministries (Source: VNA)
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh lead a Vietnamese delegation on a trip to Portugal.
Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh met President of the Portuguese Parliament Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, held a working session with Portuguese Minister of Economy Manuel Caldeira Cabral and talked with Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva to discuss a range of specific measures aimed at boosting relations between Vietnam and Portugal.
Following the talks, the two officials witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of a consultation mechanism between the two foreign ministries, and another one on training and information-document exchange between the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
5. Special Envoy of RoK President visits Vietnam
Park Won-soon, Special Envoy of the RoK’s President Moon Jae-in, paid a visit to Vietnam.
During his visit, Park Won-soon met President Tran Dai Quang, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Chairman of Hanoi municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung.
6. Action month launched to fight against child abuse
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An action month for children themed ‘Enforcing Child Law and Preventing Child Abuse’ was launched in Hanoi on May 27 by the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and the Hanoi municipal People’s Committee.
This year’s action month for children included communications campaigns to disseminate Child Law, the programme on child protection for the 2016-2020 period, and the decree on defining a safe, healthy and friendly environment for children, plus a campaign to prevent violence in schools.
7. Vietnam, Japan exchange project 2017 kicks off
The Vietnam – Japan Exchange Project (VJEP) 2017 has been launched recently, aiming to establish sustainable relations between the youth of Vietnam and Japan.
Themed “Sustainable Development” and “Cultural Exchange”, the programme will allow participants to discover and introduce the customs of Vietnam and Japan, while improving their knowledge, English and other skills. Fifteen outstanding candidates will be chosen, after multiple rounds, to participate in the project. Interested individuals can email the organisers at vjep2017.aaee@gmail.com for more information.
8. Danish Film Week kicks off in Da Nang
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Poster of the "Royal Affair" film
The first-ever Danish Film Week kicked off in the central city of Da Nang on May 26, providing local audiences with the chance to enjoy well-known Danish movies.
Recently produced films, including “Royal Affair”, “The Hunt” and “A Hijacking” are being screened during the week. A lot of these films have won awards or have been nominated at international film festivals, including the Oscar Academy Awards and the Cannes Film Festival.
9. Nhan Dan Newspaper National table tennis championships concludes
The 35th Nhan Dan (The People’s) Newspaper National Table Tennis Championships - PetroVietnam - Ca Mau Fertilizer Cup 2017 officially wrapped up at Hai Duong Gymnasium in the northern city of Hai Duong on May 21 after seven days of competition.
The annual event offered players the chance to sharpen their skills and vie for slots in the national teams, in preparation for future international and regional competitions, notably the 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Malaysia this August.
10. Festival honours hundreds of southern specialities
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The 2017 Southern Culinary Festival officially opened on May 24 in Ho Chi Minh City, honouring over 250 foods and 100 sweet soups and cakes from the southern provinces and cities.
The festival brought together nearly 40 units and enterprises showcasing food and beverages at 70 booths.
The annual event aims to promote the flavour of Vietnamese food, particularly flavours found in the southern region, to both domestic and foreign visitors.
