October 16-22: Senior legislator pays official visit to Kazakhstan

Nhan Dan Online reviews some of the notable events that made the headlines over the past week.

NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and Chairman of the Mazhilis (lower house) of the Kazakhstani Parliament Nurlan Nigmatulin.
NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and Chairman of the Mazhilis (lower house) of the Kazakhstani Parliament Nurlan Nigmatulin.

1. Senior legislator pays official visit to Kazakhstan

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan paid an official visit to Kazakhstan from October 16 to 18, during which she paid a courtesy visit to the Kazakhstan Prime Minister, held talks with the leaders of the country’s Lower House and Senate, and held meetings with officials from several political parties in Kazakhstan.

At the talks and meetings, the Kazakhstani leaders affirmed their willingness to expand their cooperative relations with Vietnam. Both sides agreed to maintain close coordination at regional and international forums, and continue sharing their experience in legislative affairs and ensuring the people’s interests in the process of socio-economic development. They also pledged to increase the exchange of high-level delegations and jointly supervise the implementation of the cooperative agreements signed by the two governments.

2. Vietnam-US defence dialogue takes place in Washington DC

Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh and US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for South and Southeast Asia Joseph Felter.

Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh and the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for South and Southeast Asia Joseph Felter co-chaired the Vietnam-US defence policy dialogue 2017 in Washington D.C, on October 17.

During the meeting, the two sides informed each other on the security challenges in the Asian-Pacific region and discussed the necessary solutions to foster their bilateral cooperation within the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership. They shared their viewpoints on world and regional issues of mutual concern, whilst seeking to realise the agreements reached between the two defence ministries during Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich’s visit to the US in August 2017.

3. APEC 2017 Finance Ministers’ Meeting takes place in Quang Nam

Finance Ministers of the economies of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation pose for a photo.

The 24th APEC Finance Ministers’ Meeting – the most important event of the APEC Finance Ministers Process – took place in Hoi An ancient city in the central province of Quang Nam on October 21, with the participation of around 300 domestic and international delegates, including finance ministers and the leaders of the central banks of 21 APEC economies.

APEC finance ministers shared their experiences, gave comments on the global and regional financial situation and discussed the results of cooperation in the four priorities in the framework of Finance Ministers’ Process (FMP) and implementation of the Cebu Action Plan. A joint ministerial statement was issued at the meeting.

4. Vietnam records US$24.1 billion in trade surplus with the US

Vietnam’s merchandise trade surplus with the United States reached US$24.1 billion in the first nine months of 2017.

Vietnam exported US$3.62 billion worth of goods to the US last month, raising the country’s total exports to the world’s largest economy between January and September to nearly US$31 billion, up 9.4% from a year earlier. Garment exports were the highest earner bringing in US$9.25 billion during the period, followed by footwear, US$3.76 billion, and phones and phone parts with US$2.89 billion.

5. Vietnam wins a bronze medal at World Skills Competition

Tran Nguyen Ba Phuoc is the only Vietnamese medalist at this year’s competition.

Tran Nguyen Ba Phuoc from the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City brought home a solitary bronze medal for Vietnam in the occupation of IT software solutions, at the 44th World Skills Competition (WSC 2017) in the United Arab Emirates.

Alongside Phuoc’s brilliance, five other Vietnamese competitors were awarded with medallions of excellence, including Nguyen Van Tuan (mechanical engineering design - CAD), Tong Tho Hoa (bricklaying), Chu Van Tuoi (electrical installations), Vu Hoang Trinh (Cooking) and Nguyen Tat Toai.

6. Vietnamese doctor wins 2017 ASEAN-US Science Prize for Women

Dr. Nguyen Thi Hiep (fourth from right) at the award ceremony held in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, October 19.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Hiep, a lecturer from the International University, under the Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City, has been announced as the winner of the third annual ASEAN-US Science Prize for Women.

Hiep was awarded with US$20,000 and the recognition for her outstanding research on homecare solutions to reduce the pressure on the public healthcare system, as announced on October 20 by the US Diplomatic Mission to ASEAN.

7. Vietnam attends World Festival of Youth and Students in Russia

Representatives from the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and the Young Guard of United Russia at the meeting in Sochi, Russia, on October 18.

A 116-member Vietnamese delegation joined tens of thousands of delegates from around the world in the 19th World Festival of Youth and Students (WFYS) in Sochi, Russia, from October 15 to 22.

During the week-long festival, Le Quoc Phong, First Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee, met with the President of the World Federation of Democratic Youth, the Chairman of the Young Guard of United Russia and the delegations from Cambodia and Belarus. The Vietnamese delegation also took part in cultural exchanges, sports games, workshops and discussions on economics, politics, science-technology, health, and education during the festival.