Vientiane (VNA) – Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh had a bilateral meeting with his Lao counterpart Khemmany Pholsena in Vientiane on August 3 on the sidelines of the ongoing 48th ASEAN Economic Minis𒅌ters’ Meeting and related meetings.
The two ministers expressed pleasure at the growing trade ties between the two countries over the recent years, with an average rise of 25.8 percent per annum in the 2010-2014 period.
Last year, two-way trade saw new progress with the conclusion of negotiations and signing of a bilateral trade agreement and the Vietnam-Laos Border Trade Agreement.
However, the ministers also pointed out that bilateral trade has seen a downturn recently, reaching 1.12 trillion USD in 2015, a drop of 12.6 percent compared to 1.25 trillion USD in 2014.
In the first half of this year, two-way trade was only 433.3 million USD, a decrease of 34.7 percent over the same period last year.
They attributed the situation to a lack of diversity in trading goods, together with poor border trade infrastructure, especially market and technology systems, as well as weak engagement of businesses of both sides in each other’s distribution networks.
The two ministers also agreed on a number of measures to boost bilateral trade, including close coordination in building a project to develop the Vietnam-Laos trade ties in the next ten years, and the popularisation of important trade deals between the two countries.
Earlier the same day, Minister Tran Tuan Anh also held a bilateral meeting with Brunei’s second Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Lim Jock Seng, during which they sought ways to foster bilateral trade ties.-VNA
Vietnam’s central Thanh Hoa province and Laos’s Houaphan province have reviewed a joint programme to protect forests and prevent and fight fires in shared border areas.
A Vietnamese delegation led by Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh attended the 30th meeting of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) Council in Vientiane, Laos on August 3.
Economic ministers and deputy ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) mulled several important matters during the 48 th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting.
Vietnam and Laos have addressed all issues relating to their common border and reached consensus on border demarcation on documents and maps, and in the field.
Ha expressed his hope that cooperation in science and technology, agriculture, and natural resources would emerge as new focal points and engines of growth in Vietnam–China relations.
Giang said he believes that building on the solid foundation nurtured over the past half-century and the strong determination of both nations, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will continue to grow in a more robust, comprehensive, and extensive manner, thus bringing more practical benefits to the two nations' people.
Highlighting the transformative potential of the draft law in revitalising Vietnam’s railway industry, Hoang Van Cuong, a deputy of Hanoi, expressed his support for Article 39, which empowers the Prime Minister to issue a list of railway-related goods and services to be assigned or ordered from domestic enterprises for production.
According to the Ministry of Public Security, Hoan, formerly Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, is under investigation for allegedly taking bribes in connection with a case involving the Hoang Long Construction and Manpower Supply JSC and related units.
Chairing a national conference on the organisation of the examination on June 18, the PM highlighted the historical significance of the examination, as the restructuring of provincial-level administrative units is underway and the two-tier local administration model is set to officially begin operations on July 1.
Right on the same day, the ministry issued its highest-level travel warning, urging Vietnamese citizens not to travel to Israel or Iran, and advised those already in these countries to swiftly consider evacuation or relocation plans.
From the struggles against colonialists and imperialists to the period of Doi moi (renewal) and international integration, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has always played a pioneering role on the ideological and cultural front, he said.
The Party leader's working session with the standing boards of the Party Committees of HCM City, Ba Ria – Vung Tau and Binh Duong, the VNA General Director's remarks on the occasion of the 19th OANA General Assembly, the launch of new NIC - Google initiatives aimed at bolstering AI entrepreneurship and digital literacy in Vietnam are among news highlights June 18.
Vietnam and Indonesia reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in combating terrorism as it remains a threat to peace, security, and stability across their respective nations, the broader region, and the international community.
The Vietnamese representative also emphasised the shared responsibility of relevant parties to build trust, enhance cooperation, and jointly manage the risks of conflict, thus safeguarding long-term peace and stability in the East Sea.
The National Assembly on June 18 passed the law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Product and Goods Quality, with 408 out of 420 participating deputies voting in favour, accounting for 85.36% of the total.
The Party leader asked the new HCM City to embrace a multi-centre and integrated urban ecosystem where each development pole functions as a link complementary to and intelligently connected with each other in a harmonious whole.
The resolutions issued by the PM as well as ministries and ministry-level agencies reassign responsibility for 346 administrative procedures - 18 from district to provincial levels, 278 to commune level, and 50 eliminated.
Legislators are due to pass several amended laws, including the Law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Economical and Efficient Use of Energy, and the Law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Product and Goods Quality.
Vietnamese localities' readiness to implement the two-tier local administration model, the evacuation of 18 Vietnamese citizens from Iran, Petrovietnam's 11th ranking in the 2025 Fortune Southeast Asia 500 are among news highlights on June 17 evening.
The General Secretary underlined the resolve to achieve a growth rate of at least 8% in 2025, laying the groundwork for double-digit growth in the following period. He noted that these are mandatory targets, with no alternative path to success.
Restructuring and improving the quality of officials, civil servants, and public employees is no longer a choice, but an urgent requirement to transition from administrative management to governance in service of the people.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Israel has advised Vietnamese people living there to proactively prepare and seek ways to leave the country via land border crossings, especially toward Jordan or Egypt, when security and safety conditions allow.
