Government News in Brief Lawmakers discuss draft documents submitted to Party Congress  Hanoi's NA deputy delegation discuss in group National Assembly deputies exchanged opinions on several draft documents to be submitted to the upcoming 12th National Party Congress during their group discussions on October 23 at the legislature’s 10th session.  The documents included the 11th Party Central Committee’s draft political report, a draft report on the 2011-2015 socio-economic performance and outlined tasks for the next five years.  Most of the deputies agreed that the documents were thorough and covered all aspects of the nation. They also clarified reasons for as well as lessons learned from shortcomings in order to set forth solutions moving forward.  Dinh Xuan Thao from Hanoi stressed the importance of uncovering the reasons for why Vietnam continues lags behind other regional countries like Singapore and Thailand, especially as that the ASEAN Community is set to be formed by the end of this year and negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement just completed.  Mentioning markets for agricultural products, Deputy Luu Thanh Cong from Vinh Long province suggested considering coordination between the State, enterprises, scientists and farmers in the documents.  According to Hanoi capital’s Deputy Nguyen Quoc Binh, together with hi-tech agriculture, organic agriculture should also be a key part of agricultural development to help protect the environment.  He also emphasised the need to highlight the role of processing and manufacturing in industrialisation and modernisation.  During their sitting, lawmakers contributed their ideas to the development of the socialist market economy.  Party building was also raised up for discussion. South Africa happy about Vietnam’s achievements The South African Communist Party (SACP) admires Vietnam for its great politico-socio-economic achievements, Christopher Matlhako, the SACP’s Secretary of External Relations, told a Vietnam News Agency correspondent. During the interview, which took place following his visit to Vietnam last month to attend the Asia-Pacific Regional Conference for Solidarity with Cuba, Chris Matlhako highlighted the Southeast Asian country’s successful implementation of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), especially those on poverty reduction. Vietnam has pursued development goals in line with national independence, socialism, and intensive and extensive socio-economic development strategies, he said. After regaining its independence and reunification, Vietnam has built on the country’s collective brainpower and huge potential to pursue the path laid out by late President Ho Chi Minh and the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), he said. As part of the African National Congress Party, the SACP has a long-standing friendship with the CPV, Matlhako said, stressing that the two sides always supported each other during struggles for independence, freedom and democracy in their respective countries. African people and the SACP in particular bear in mind Vietnam’s valuable support in the past fight against the Apartheid regime, as well as the present cause of national construction and defence, he said. According to the official, Vietnam and Africa have provided mutual support at UN forums, the Non-Aligned Movement, and other regional and international events. Hailing Vietnam’s important position in Southeast Asia, Matlhako said South Africa stood ready to serve as a bridge to step up multi-faceted co-operation between Vietnam and African nations. Sharing substantial similarities, Vietnam and South Africa have signed significant economic deals, he said. The official expressed his belief that with the fruitful traditional relations between the two Parties and peoples, the friendship and co-operation between the two countries will prosper, contributing to peace, security and development in the region and world. Tuyen Quang asked to develop tourism into key economic driver Tuyen Quang province should develop tourism into a key driver of the local economy, as the northern mountainous locality is rich with revolutionary and cultural traditions and beautiful landscapes, said Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. He made the remarks at the 16th provincial Party Congress for the 2015 – 2020 tenure, which convened on October 23. A political report at the two-day event highlighted that Tuyen Quang posted an average gross domestic product growth rate of 14.08 percent between 2010 and 2015 with an increase in the proportions of industry and construction and a decline in those of agriculture, forestry and aquaculture in the local economy. Per capita income is expected to reach 1,368 USD this year, helping the province rise from its current status as underdeveloped. Rural and urban areas have been revived as various resources have been mobilised to upgrade infrastructure, especially traffic facilities, the report said, adding that the local forest coverage stands at 64 percent – one of the highest levels among localities in Vietnam. Tuyen Quang provides universal preschool education for five-year-old children, has cut the household poverty rate down to below 10 percent and ensured political stability and social order and safety. The report also underlined local efforts in Party building through stepping up the study and following of the moral examples of the late President Ho Chi Minh, improving Party members’ sense of responsibility and officials’ capacity, and raising the number of female, young and ethnic minority officials. However, it admitted the province has a small-scale economy, low economic competitiveness, sluggish changes in the economic structure, and poor living conditions in certain remote and ethnic communities. Officiating at the congress, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong urged provincial authorities to foster changes in the economic structure, cash crop production, advanced technology application in agriculture, concentrated fruit and industrial tree cultivation, and livestock and poultry farming. Tuyen Quang should utilise forest resources effectively, transform agriculture into a stable income generator for farmers and speed up the expansion of services and industrial activities that use high and green technologies. The Party chief pointed to the importance of administrative and judicial reforms, business climate improvement and close connectivity with neighbouring provinces. Tuyen Quang should put more efforts into building roads that link with other localities to facilitate goods transportation while investing in infrastructure facilities in downtown areas to meet socio-economic development demands. He also requested the province ensure education, healthcare, social welfare and poverty reduction, especially in rural and ethnic minority communities. The General Secretary emphasised that each Party division, member and official must comply with the Party’s principles and discipline to build a strong provincial Party organisation. Meanwhile, the local administration must create optimal conditions for residents to supervise authorities’ activities and implement their right to mastery, he noted. Thua Thien – Hue asked to adjust mindset for growth Changing mindsets and working styles to suit the international integration is of the utmost importance to further improve the business climate and draw domestic and foreign investors to the central province of Thua Thien – Hue.  Politburo member and permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Le Hong Anh was speaking at the 15th Congress of the province’s Party Organisation held from October 23-24 with the participation of 345 delegates representing over 46,000 Party members in the province.  In addition to developing the local economy, the province needs to more effectively implement social welfare policies, especially for the poor in Nam Dong and A Luoi mountainous districts, he said.  The locality should tap its geographical advantages and promote its rich historical and cultural heritage to match its position as a cultural and tourism hub in the central key economic region, he said, adding that more efforts are needed to turn Thua Thien-Hue into a centrally governed city.  Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Le Truong Luu reported that the local economy saw an annual average growth of 9 percent between 2010 and 2015. Per capita income nearly doubled to reach 2,000 USD while the State budget collection increased 1.6 times to nearly 5 trillion VND (225 million USD).  The new-style rural areas building programme has reaped positive outcomes with nine communes fulfilling all targets of the programme. The household poverty rate dropped to 4.7 percent.  Regarding external business affairs, the province has maintained cooperation with 41 countries over the world. The disbursement of foreign direct investment (FDI) has reached nearly 350 million USD. VNA