Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has requested extra efforts to build a more transparent and stronger Party and political system.

He made the requirement while addressing the Politburo’s virtual national conference on the implementation of the Party Central Committee’s conclusion and regulation on Party building and rectification.

He stressed that the Party itself should continue improving its bravery and wisdom, make more efforts to build a more transparent and stronger Party and political system that is capable of leading the country to develop more rapidly and sustainably.

He urged Party committees and organizations at all levels, agencies and units in the political system to make specific action plans and programs to carry out the conclusion and regulation in accordance with each locality, agency and unit’s situation.

Missions and solutions should be implemented synchronously and comprehensively, Trong emphasized, asking each official and Party member to be an example to others. The criticism and self-criticism must be conducted thoroughly, seriously and carefully.

The Party chief also asked all officials and Party members to have high determination and consensus, and take drastic and feasible measures to prevent hostile forces from distorting, inciting and sabotaging.

He expressed his belief that the country will overcome all difficulties, and successfully implement the conclusion and regulation of the fourth plenum of the 13th-tenure Party Central Committee, and other resolutions and decisions to create a breakthrough in Party building and rectification.

 The United States was the leading export market of Viet Nam in the first quarter of 2021 with the revenue of US$21.2 billion.

Together with the goal of achieving US$100 billion in two-way trade this year, the two countries are also moving towards fair and sustainable trade.

Creating trade balance

Viet Nam-US relations have been vigorously growing in all fields, with economic and trade cooperation being the focus and the main driver of bilateral ties. 

Executive Director of AmCham Viet Nam Mary Tarnowka said that through the mechanism of the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA), the two countries have recently discussed and worked satisfactory solutions to many economic and trade problems.

Also, Vietnamese ministries and sectors have actively coordinated with the US to resolve many issues and bring about specific results, contributing to strongly promoting bilateral trade activities and maintaining stable trade relations, towards creating a harmonious, sustainable and mutually beneficial trade balance. 

Viet Nam is planning to import more US goods such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), agricultural products, aquatic products, automobiles, aircraft, machinery and equipment, as well as reducing tariffs on the US’s strength imports to promptly restore the trade balance between the two countries.

In the medium term, Viet Nam and the US may seek a bilateral or multilateral trade agreement to which both are signatories in order to pave the way for fair and sustainable trade.

In addition to export activities, Vietnamese enterprises need to learn about and accelerate the imports of raw materials and goods from the US to serve the production and consumption needs, and re-export commodities with higher added value, towards achieving fair and sustainable Viet Nam-US trade relations.

Impressive growth of bilateral trade ties

The economic and trade relations between Viet Nam and the US have recorded great progress with many substantial results, meeting the interests of the two countries’ governments, people and businesses.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, bilateral trade turnover exceeded US$90 billion (reaching US$90.8 billion) for the first time in history last year, towards the value of US$100 billion in 2021.

Over the past five years, Viet Nam's exports to the US have increased by 230%, while the US’s exports to the Southeast Asian country have also grown by more than 175%.

In particular, the US has become Viet Nam's largest export market, while Viet Nam has become the US's 10th largest trading partner.

The Ministry of Justice and the Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) will join together to offer legal assistance and education for women during 2018-2022.

To this effect, a coordination programme was signed in Hanoi on January 5, aiming to ensure women’s access to legal information, while improving the quality and effectiveness of including gender equality in law making, particularly those related to women. VWU President Nguyen Thi Thu Ha expressed her hope that her organisation would continue receiving close collaboration of the ministry in ensuring legal assistance for women and the inclusion of gender equality in law making, thus enhancing their position and capability in conciliation at grassroots level. Minister of Justice Le Thanh Long believes that the two bodies will better implement their assigned tasks, while helping their female staff and women in general to effectively perform their roles in society and within their families. The programme is also expected to address the prejudice against women, prevent social misbehaviors, and strictly handle violence against women and women trafficking and abuse. Under the programme, the two sides will propose practical measures to popularise and enforce the Constitution as well as newly issued laws and ordinances. They will develop a network of legal consultants to help disadvantaged women and organise training sessions for their female staff, while monitoring the enforcement of the relevant laws and policies.