Government News 23/6 NA approves law on promulgating normative legal documents National Assembly (NA) deputies adopted the law on promulgating normative legal documents and the resolution on lump-sum social insurance payments for workers at the NA’s ninth session on June 22. Lawmakers also exchanged views on the Maritime Code of Vietnam with a focus on maritime development policies, State management on maritime issues, maritime inspections and banned maritime activities. Issues relating to seaports and ships were also under discussion. They then scrutinised the draft revised Law on Statistics. State statistics activities, bans on statistics collection and the use of statistics data, and international cooperation in statistics were among the opinions of deputies. On June 23, the NA will continue its plenary sitting, debating the draft revised law on administrative litigation and the draft law on referendum. Deputy PM receives outgoing ADB Country Director Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai affirmed the increasingly important role of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Vietnam’s socio-economic development, especially in poverty reduction and clean water supply. Receiving outgoing ADB Country Director Tomoyuki Kimura on June 22, Hai said that Kimura had a successful working tenure in Vietnam and made great contributions to enhancing cooperation between the country and the ADB. He expressed his wish that the outgoing ADB Country Director would continue to develop the ties in his new position. Kimura congratulated Vietnam on its socio-economic development achievements, stressing the need to continue reforms in order to maintain sustainable development and efficient poverty reduction. He confirmed that the ADB will stay by Vietnam’s side during the country’s development process while talking with the host about the bank’s major policy and strategy orientations to support member states and Vietnam in particular. Indian newspaper spotlights Vietnam-India prospects through CLMV India’s online newspaper, The Economic Times, ran an article on June 21 by Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury highlighting prospects for India and Vietnam to forge stronger connections through the Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV) Summit that is being held in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar from June 22-23. The article quoted Indian government sources, saying that better economic integration among CLMV countries will facilitate India's Act East Policy, which centres on the four countries. India has strong links with each of the CLMV countries, it reported. India's Ministry of Commerce has requested US$16.1 million in budget allocations for a Project Development Fund to invest in the CLMV manufacturing hubs, it stated, adding that India already has strong investments in some of the CLMV countries. There are as many as 84 projects funded by India in Vietnam. Major Indian investment in Vietnam includes large projects in oil exploration, power generation and chemical manufacturing. India has also contributed US$1 billion to CLMV countries for power, irrigation and manufacturing projects, noted the article. Trade between India and CLMV countries grew ten-fold from US$1.1 billion in 2004 to US$11.2 billion in 2013, noted the article. The author asserted that Vietnam has the strongest economy among the CLMV countries and has witnessed high growth rates in recent years. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung will be attending both the CLMV and Ayeyawaddy-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Co-operation Strategy Summits in Nay Pyi Taw to outline his country's plan for economic integration through infrastructure and outside investment. Over recent years, Vietnam's combined trade turnover with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand rose from US$7.1 billion in 2009 to US$12.8 billion in 2012, he noted. In the run up to the seventh CLMV summit, Vietnam has also made significant contributions to strengthening integration among the four countries. The Single Window or Single Stop Inspection model has been implemented since February 2015 at the Lao Bao (Vietnam)-Densavan (Laos) border gates. Vietnam, Laos and Thailand are co-ordinating to expand the East-West Corridor (EWC) to the economic hubs of all three countries, which could also help connect India through Myanmar. Hanoi has also pushed to implement most of the CLMV 2014 Action Plan ahead of this Summit, which includes promoting regional tourism events. Looking back to the last ACMES Summit in Laos in 2013, the article noted that at the summit, PM Dung emphasised that joint efforts by ACMECS need to support the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community by 2015 and ensure sustainable regional development. The Vietnamese PM also felt that ACMECS co-operation programmes should focus on promoting regional connections through the East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC), the North-South Economic Corridor and the Southern Economic Corridor (SEC). Kien Giang, Cambodian province foster affiliation Southern Kien Giang and Cambodian Kep provinces signed a joint development plan after reviewing their sound collaboration over the last two years at a conference held on June 22. In 2013 and 2014, the two localities worked together to co-ordinate border security and curb contraband, drug and human trafficking. In 2014, their searches returned the remains of 14 volunter Vietnamese soldiers, who died in Kep during war time, to their families in Vietnam. In the last two years, joint activities in culture, sports, tourism and health also took place. Kien Giang and Cambodian border provinces, including Kep, recorded a 2013-2014 bilateral trade revenue of more than US$ 267 million. Under the new pact, the two provinces will continue their mutually beneficial ties and annually review cooperation outcomes before signing new agreements. Addressing the function, Chairman of Kien Giang People’s Committee Le Van Thi said the bilateral engagement requires additional efforts from both sides to maintain a stable and constantly improving life for the two peoples, as well as contribute to the overall socio-economic development of Vietnam and Cambodia. Mexican state seeks improved economic affiliation with Vietnam With the hope of forging a partnership with Vietnam, the eastern Mexican state of Yucatan is working to attract Vietnamese investors, Yucatan Governor Rolando Zapata Bello stated during a recent meeting with Vietnamese Ambassador to Mexico Le Linh Lan. He instructed local agencies to work closely with the Vietnamese Embassy in Mexico in searching for potential fields of cooperation and connecting businesses on the two sides. The Vietnamese diplomat emphasised the similar climate, geographic and cultural features between Vietnam and Yucatan, which lay a foundation for future collaboration, particularly in tourism and agriculture. The Trans-Pacific Partnership is expected to further stimulate Vietnam-Mexico trade ties once it is signed, Lan declared. She went on to brief her host on Vietnamese socio-economic affairs in the first six months of 2015 and activities planned to celebrate the two countries’ diplomatic relations as they enter their 40th year. Yucatan covers 43,000 square kilometres and has a population of more than two million people. It boasts an agricultural economy among the leading Mexican states in poultry, egg and beef production. During her trip to the state from June 19-21 at the invitation of Yucatan State administration, Ambassador Lan cut the ribbon to open a local Lotus Festival. The Vietnamese Embassy brought to the festival Vietnam’s traditional products made with lotus seeds and lotus-themed handicrafts. VNA/Nhan Dan