Government News 22/6 President's Office launches official website on Press Day The President's Office launched its official website yesterday, in part, celebrating the 90th anniversary of Viet Nam's Revolutionary Press Day. The page www.vpctn.gov.vn now offers online viewers access to news on activities and instructions of the President, the Vice President and other senior officials in the President's Office. Addressing attendees at the launch ceremony, Head of the President's Office Dao Viet Trung requested the editorial board closely follow President Truong Tan Sang and his deputies' activities and cover the office's affairs in line with the law. Collaboration with other agencies and reporters is expected, he said, highlighting its necessity towards ensuring high quality content and design for the website. After two years of a pilot project, the page attracted 733,000 visits. Luxembourg continues to support ASEAN Community building efforts Luxembourg will continue to support ASEAN Community building efforts to demonstrate its commitment to deepen relations with the region, the country’s new Ambassador to ASEAN Robert Lauer has told ASEAN Secretary-General Le Luong Minh. According to the ASEAN Secretariat, during the presentation of his Letter of Credence Ambassador Lauer said that Luxembourg attaches great importance to its relations with ASEAN both bilaterally as well as in the ASEAN-EU framework. He stated that Luxembourg follows with keen interest the developments in ASEAN, particularly its regional integration efforts. Ambassador Lauer expressed his Government's continued support and encouragement to the ASEAN Community building efforts and looked forward to seeing the realisation of the Community at the end of this year. He also stressed that the regional integration experience of the European Union could serve as a valuable lesson for ASEAN to learn from. Secretary-General Minh congratulated Ambassador Lauer on his appointment as the Ambassador of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to ASEAN. He stated that the accreditation reflects Luxembourg's commitment to forge closer relations with ASEAN and welcomed his Government's goodwill and support for ASEAN Community building. He updated Ambassador Lauer on the progress of the ASEAN Community building and that ASEAN is making steady progress towards building an integrated, well connected, and people-oriented ASEAN Community by the end of this year. HCM City, Cambodia forge stronger collaboration Politburo member and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Le Thanh Hai and President of the Cambodian Senate Say Chhum have agreed to continue promoting cooperation in all fields between Vietnam and Cambodia as well as between Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh. According to Spokesperson of the Cambodian Senate Mom Bunneang, during the talks with the Ho Chi Minh City leader in Phnom Penh on June 18, the Senate President stated that Cambodia and Vietnam have shared a sound traditional relationship and are working together to foster ties in the spirit of friendship and solidarity. He spoke highly of socio-economic achievements that Vietnam has gained, expressing hope for stronger collaboration between the two sides in giving vocational training for the youth. He also proposed that Ho Chi Minh City continue to provide health care support and free medical services for the needy in Cambodia . On his part, Hai congratulated Say Chhum for his election as the leader of the Cambodian Senate. He agreed with the host on continuing the diverse and effective affiliation between the city and Cambodia , especially in providing scholarship to Cambodian students. Over the past years, Ho Chi Minh has set up a strong partnership with Cambodia and Phnom Penh in particular. The city has held annual trade, investment and tourism fairs in Phnom Penh and other Cambodian localities. Volunteer doctors from the city have provided free health checks and medical treatment to hundreds of thousands of poor Cambodian people. Party chief pins high hope on Vietnamese journalists Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has pinned high hopes on Vietnamese journalists in the national “doi moi” (renewal), development, and protection in his article on celebration of the 90th Revolutionary Press Day (June 21). He wrote that the more developed society is, the more important the press is, which is both a great honour and an enormous responsibility of the sector. To prepare for the establishment of a political party to lead the revolution, President Ho Chi Minh published the first issue of the Thanh nien (Young People) newspaper on June 21, 1925. The late leader, who went by the name Nguyen Ai Quoc at the time, believed it was vital to disseminate Marxism-Leninism and gather resources to start a revolution and that the press served as a salient tool to do so. The revolutionary press is also an effective means to promote social development, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong noted. Over the past 90 years, Vietnam’s revolutionary press has continually been at the Party and people’s side during struggles for national independence and socialism. It has greatly contributed to “doi moi” for almost three decades by reflecting every aspect of life from all corners of the country; fighting against corruption, wastefulness, and negative phenomena; supporting the protection of national sovereignty; refuting distorted arguments; and providing feedback on Party guidelines and State policies and laws. The press has also played a critical role in promoting Vietnam to the international community and helping local people gain a better view on regional and global situations, the Party chief added. He highlighted the comprehensive development of the press, citing a report of the Ministry of Information and Communications that Vietnam currently houses 849 print newspapers, 67 radio-television stations, 98 online newspapers and magazines, and one national news agency. The number of people working in the press sector increased from 31,000 in 2009 to 35,000, including nearly 18,000 journalists, and almost 96 percent of the staff holds bachelor’s degrees or higher. In his piece, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong asked each journalist and press outlet to uphold the sector’s glorious 90-year tradition and build on their political firmness, sense of social responsibility, obligations to citizens and job morality to fulfil their missions. He also urged them to be steadfast in the contemporary era of heavy information flows to ensure properly-oriented reports while meeting the public demand as well as possible. “Revolutionary journalists must have revolutionary spirit to fight the bad and protect the good for the sake of the entire nation and people. It is also the spirit to fuel self-renovation and self-improvement”, the General Secretary wrote. Congratulations to Cambodia’s new Senate President National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung has conveyed his congratulations to the new President of the Cambodian Senate Say Chhum. Say Chhum, First Vice President of the Senate and Cambodian People’s Party’s secretary- general, was elected as Senate President on June 9, replacing Chea Sim who passed away a day earlier. In his message dated June 13, NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung said he firmly believes that the Senate President Say Chhum will continue to make contributions to consolidating and developing the good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive and sustainable long-term cooperation between two countries, as well as the partnership between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Cambodian Senate. Congratulations to new Cambodia People’s Party chiefs Secretary General of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong sent his congratulations on June 20 to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen over his election as President of the Cambodia People’s Party (CPP). Hun Sen, previously Vice President of the CPP, is elected to the position to replace Chea Sim, who passed away on June 8. The same day, Politburo member and Standing member of the Party Central Committee Secretariat Le Hong Anh also sent his congratulatory messages to two newly-elected Vice Presidents of the CPP: Senate President Say Chhum and Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sar Kheng. President Ho Chi Minh remembered in Argentina The Communist Party of Argentina inaugurated a reading room named after Vietnam’s President Ho Chi Minh on June 19 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This is among activities to honor the late President on the occasion of his 125th birthday anniversary (May 19, 1890). The facility showcases a wide range of local newspapers, magazines and photos published during the 1960s and 1970s, reflecting the support local people provided for Vietnam’s struggles against invaders. Documents on the relationship between the Communist Party of Argentina and the Communist Party of Vietnam can also be found here. Addressing the ceremony, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Argentina Patricio Echegaray expressed his admiration for the late President, and hailing the solidarity, friendship, and the co-operation between his Party and the Communist Party of Vietnam. Vietnamese Ambassador to Argentina Nguyen Dinh Thao briefed local delegates on Vietnam’s socio-economic development, the country’s business climates and incentives for foreign investors. A documentary on Vietnam was screened during the event. VNA/VNS