Vietnamese, Chinese Party chiefs hold phone talks
Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Wednesday held phone talks to exchange New Year greetings and discuss the two nations’ relationship.
The two sides’ comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership needs to be further promoted for the benefit of each country and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world, Mr. Trong said.
During the phone talks, the two leaders also exchanged views on major orientations to strengthen the friendship and cooperation between the two countries in the time to come, especially high-level exchanges.
PM, WB official discuss financial reforms
PM Nguyen Tan Dung has hailed the World Bank (WB) for its assistance in reforming the financial and banking sector in Viet Nam, and pledged to hold the sector to international practices and standards.
Meeting WB Country Director Victoria Kwakwa, the PM asked the WB to evaluate Viet Nam’s business climate and help highlight which sectors need further reform and in what areas.
Kwakwa said Viet Nam has done an impressive job in streamlining administrative procedures, especially those related to taxation and social insurance.
The WB asked for more concrete information regarding the financial sector from the State Bank to craft an action plan tackling any existing obstacles.
Government, VFF coordination effective in 2014: PM
The Government and the Viet Nam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee organized a joint session to review what PM Nguyen Tan Dung declared “practical and effective coordination” in 2014.
Participants highlighted that the Government enhanced mechanisms and policies relating to ethnic, religious, and overseas Vietnamese affairs, helping consolidate national solidarity. It also provided favorable conditions for the VFF to enhance Viet Nam’s relationships with people around the world.
VN, Qatar holds first political consultation
Deputy Foreign Minister Vu Hong Nam and Assistant Foreign Minister of Qatar Mhammed Bin Abdullah Bin Mutib Al Rumaihi organized a first political consultation conference between the two ministries.
They exchanged measures to enhance the two nations’ relationship, especially in politics-diplomacy, trade, investment and labor.
The two sides agreed to strengthen delegation exchanges at all levels, especially the high-ranking level, affirming to increase the exchanges between the two countries’ businesses to raise the two-way trade turnover.
ADB finances US$234 million to improve competitiveness, transport in VN
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the State Bank of Viet Nam has signed two loan agreements, worth US$234 million, to support reforms improving Viet Nam’s competitiveness and develop a sustainable urban traffic system in Ha Noi.
The first loan, including a policy loan valued US$230 million for the competitiveness enhancement program will support the economic management competitive credit program.
The second agreement, worth US$4.2 million, is aimed at improving the effectiveness of other ADB-financed projects, including the Ha Noi urban railway number 3 through activities to upgrade the connections between railways and other public and private transport vehicles.
VN invests nearly US$20 bln overseas
As of December 31, 2014, Viet Nam invested US$19.78 billion in 930 projects overseas.The nation’s registered and additional capital abroad reached US$14.85 billion and US$4.93 billion, respectively.
These projects mainly focus on oil and gas, telecommunications, agriculture and forestry in Cambodia with 23 projects (accounting for 21%), Myanmar with 16 ones (14.7%), Laos with 13 ones (12%), the US with 12 ones (11%) and Singapore with nine ones (8.2%).
PwC ranks VN 22nd largest economy by 2050
Viet Nam is predicted to stand in 22nd place among the world’s largest economies by 2050 in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms, according to a report by the accounting and consultancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
The Vietnamese economy is projected to rise as high as 28th place in the world rankings by 2030, and 22nd place in 2050 after Thailand (21st) and the Philippines (20th).
(Source: VNA/VGP)
By Thuy Dung
Đăng ký: VietNam News