President Truong Tan Sang offer flowers at the Lang Son martyrs cemetery

That is the message of patriotism, bravery and independent spirit. That is also the message of the first Vietnam declaration of independence, the Nam Quoc Son Ha, and Emperor Quang Trung’s message “Fighting to prove the owner of Vietnam”

During these historic days of February, there are two events, happening at the both ends of the country.

The first event, on the occasion of the Tet 2016 holiday, on February 16, President Truong Tan Sang and members of his entourage had visited poor and ethnic groups, the armed forces at the border area of Lang Son province.

In the visit, President, the entourage and representatives of the province had offered incense and flowers at the martyr cemetery of Lang Son city to pay tribute and gratitude the great work of more than 400 heroes and martyrs, who died in the fights to protect the country, including more than 300 martyrs who died in the war against Chinese invasion in 1979.

At the same time, at a class in Phu Quoc island, the Southwest pole of Vietnam, Mr.Nguyen Duy Khanh, a literacy teacher of th An Thoi high school and his students commemorated the 37^th year (17/2/1979-17/2/2016) of the war against Chinese invasion at the North bordering area.

Although not being announced, the people in the North bordering area also brought flowers to pay tribute the martyrs of the war against China invasion 37 years ago with the President Truong Tan Sang. This is the message of patriotism, bravery and independent spirit. That is also the message of the first Vietnam declaration of independence, the Nam Quoc Son Ha, and Emperor Quang Trung’s message “Fighting to prove the owner of Vietnam”.

The paying tribute of the President and the students in Phu Quoc island has transferred the message of Vietnam people.

Although there were a lot of reasons that made us set aside a part of the national history but facing with the history, no one had been forgotten. No one could escape from the history.

Setting the history aside doesn’t mean forgetting. The history is always the history because of the veracity, the objectivity and its science.

Therefore, the day of February is always the history of the great national protecting war of Vietnamese people.

In recent days, China continues its old plot, calling for the harmony, friendship but acting like the robber, slowly invading the territory of Vietnam.

They illegally deployed the system of the advanced surface-to-air missiles on Woody Island in the Paracel archipelago. However, missiles or some things that are more advanced than missile cannot win the will of the heroic Vietnamese people.

The King Tran Nhan Tong in his will wrote: “You shouldn’t forget that the big country are the ones who do the bad things. They grant themselves the right to do different from their saying.”

Therefore, the lesson of February 17 1979 is always a message of the great bravery of Vietnamese people which was shown by the paying tribute to the martyrs of the President and the students in Phu Quoc island./.

                                                      Ambassador Jean-Noel Poirier

Jean-Noel Poirier, French Ambassador to Vietnam, understand well about Vietnam, he has been observed Vietnam for more than 30 years, knowing Vietnam by his work and his life. On the occasion of New Year holiday and the spring’s arrival, the Ambassador has shared his simple but deep assessment about the profound vitality of Vietnam.

“In the comparison of the development of Vietnam at the present and in 2000 when I took office to the Consulate General of France, it now has changed dramatically. In 2000, the big companies of Vietnam such as Vincom, Masan, Bitexco... hadn’t been existed yet”

At that time, Vietnam was in trouble in the foreign relationship, Vietnam had to prove its ability and sincerity to the international community. Yet the 12-year period between my two tenures, this nation has made miraculous changes.

Compared to France, Vietnam has younger society. this is easily seen in the statistics. But one thing that I do impress is the development desire in each of Vietnamese people and the entire country. There are a lot of evidences to prove my thought.

Nowadays, Vietnamese are curious about new things, especially new technologies. Young Vietnamese like using Facebook, social networks and smartphones... However, Vietnamese still keep the traditional culture, such as worshiping the ancestor, respecting the old or the social principals.

In my opinion, there are two factors that make Vietnam develop faster, including the human factor and the social operating structure.

Firstly, the human factor, I understand that due to the social circumstances had led to the individualism in each Vietnamese. In the past, Vietnamese were very difficult in their life, so they had to put their own interest above the interest of the community.

To solve this problem, I think the measure is on the national level. It means the Government need to enhance the principal obey in the public activities, especially in the traffic.

The developed countries like France have been experienced such period. When I was 12 years old, the rate of deaths due to traffic accidents in France was 15.000 people per year that is now at 3.000 people.  By the time, the people’s awareness has been raised and the problem has been solved.

Secondly, the social operating structure, this is not a difficult one. The Vietnam administrative system is still young, establishing after the war and really grown up in the Doi Moi and international integration period. The social structure has been in the period of developing. Therefore, when the Doi Moi hasn’t ended yet, we shouldn’t be too pessimistic about the final result.

In contrast, Vietnam is a lesson to follow for France in particular and Europe in general. Vietnam highly respects the education as the basement of development; Vietnamese people are very hard working. The national unity is intense in Vietnam, Vietnamese people are proud of their root. While in France there is a part of community has split from the nation, led to bad sequences.

I have had four Tet holidays in Vietnam. I really like the special Tet’s atmosphere. The city is quieter than everyday that makes us have more space and time to see and think about life. This time is precious for ones who live in the cities, especially the crowded Hanoi.

The unique of Vietnam is the high respect of society and nation. On the Tet holiday this unique is shown clearly, everyone from North to South of Vietnam, the rich or the poor, being different in viewpoint all experiences a common Tet. This is a precious tradition of Vietnamese./.

Nearly  30  years after “Doi moi” (Renewal) initiated in 1986, Vietnam has gotten out of a post-war serious socio-economic crisis, gradually doing away with poverty and backwardness, embarking upon national industrialisation and modernisation and taking an initiative in international integration.

At the international workshop entitled “Economic Reform for Growth and Sustainability: International Experiences and Lessons for Vietnam”, jointly organised by the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Helen Clark, UNDP General Director, confirmed that the socio-economic achievements attained  by Vietnam over nearly 30 years were very impressive.

She held that with the average annual growth rate of 7.3% from 1990 to 2010, Vietnam was a first-rank fast- growing economy with an average per-head income at the end of these two decades increasing by nearly five fold over that at the beginning of the period. The rate of extremely poor people dropped from 63.7% in 1993 to 4.3% in 2010.

Over 97% of the Vietnamese families have been supplied with electricity or other energy sources. Important progress was also recorded in gender equality, education, employment and healthcare.

Helen Clark evaluated Vietnam as having many advantages such as a relatively young and competitive work force, rich natural resources and a geographical position in the centre of a dynamic region. She believed that with its clever policy selection, Vietnam has a bright future.

After 30 years of “Doi moi”, some cities in Vietnam such as Ho Chi Minh City have become new-styled and modern urban areas of regional stature. Photo: Nguyen Minh Tan Vietnam has exported many agricultural and aquatic products which are prestigious brand names in foreign markets. Photo: VNP’s file From a rice importer in the 90s,  Vietnam has now become one of the top rice exporters in the world. Photo: VNP’s file In terms of healthcare, medical treatment is provided for ethnic groups in every hamlet in remote areas. Photo: Hoang Ha/VNP The education sector has seen basic and comprehensive reforms, meeting the demand for society’s development. Photo: Hoang Ha/VNP Vietnam promotes research and high - tech application to agricultural production. Photo: Anh Tuan/VNA The model of growing F1 hybrid gourd at the Hi-tech Agricultural Area in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Thanh Vu/VNA

 
In February of this year, the Vietnamese Embassy in France coordinated with the Asia Studies Centre of the International French Relations Institute (IFRI) in organising the seminar  “Vietnam Economic Reform: The Role of New Strategic Partners”.

At the seminar, attorney Oliver Massmann, General Director of Duane Morris Vietnam LLC law firm, provided through his speech the participants with Vietnam’s economic picture with positive and encouraging results in 2014. He spoke of the positive changes in Vietnam during his 25 years’ living and working there.

From an extremely poor country which had to import rice when he arrived in the country in 1990, Vietnam has become one of the top rice-exporting countries in the world. He expressed optimism about the current reforms and his belief that many reforms would be furthered in the coming period, which will help Vietnam take firm steps forward in the future.

Later, in April of the same year, an international workshop themed “Vietnam– 40 Years  of Reunification, Development and Integration (1975-2015)” was jointly organised by the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City), Thu Dau Mot University (Binh Duong province), the University of Social Sciences and Humanities University (Vietnam National University - Hanoi) and the Sciences School of Hue University.

The workshop attracted many scientists and research institutions with more than 300 allocutions, including 20 presented by scholars from the United States, France, Australia, Brazil, the Republic of Korea, China, India, and Malaysia.

Many scholars and researchers at the workshop shared this assessment: For 30 years now, Vietnam has travelled on “Doi moi” road, recording many achievements in various domains, including economics, society, culture, politics, security and defense.

At present, Vietnam is embarking upon industrialisation and modernisation, having developed at a fast rate and on a larger and more comprehensive scale as required by the progressive development of  national history. However, a number of scholars and researchers pointed to the challenges of a globalisation trend, which should be comprehensively identified by Vietnam for appropriate solutions.

Addressing the workshop, Prof., Dr.Tsuboi Yoshiharu, from the Waseda University of Japan, held that the international environment around Vietnam developed quickly, such as the ASEAN Economic Community being in the process of formation and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) talks have neared the end.

To him, Vietnam should adopt a longer vision with 30-year or 50-year plans instead of 5-year or 10-year plans as before. He said that Vietnam could put forward a specific vision for 50  years to come so as to become a nation playing an important role among the ASEAN countries and having a position in the world.

Students in difficulty nationwide could get preferential loans from the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP) with a maximum amount of 1.25 million VND (54 USD) per month from January 9, instead of the current 1.1 million VND (48 USD), under a decision recently issued by the Prime Minister.

According to the VBSP, the adjustment is aimed at bringing appropriate support to students based on the rising cost of living and the tuition-fee increase roadmap set by the Government.

Nearly 3.3 million students have been given preferential loans from the VBSP. (Photo for illustration)

In order to create favourable conditions for students in repayment, the decision also stipulates that borrowers could postpone all loan repayments (both principal and interest) until they had commenced their first job and income after graduation – but not exceeding a 12-month limit.

The current interest rate is 0.55 percent per month or 6.6 percent per year.

Since the loan programme for students was launched nine years ago, nearly 3.3 million students have been given preferential loans from the VBSP.

The programme's current total outstanding loans are 24.7 trillion VND (nearly 1.1 billion USD), of which overdue debt accounts for only 0.54 percent
.

Recent years, we have heard more and more of phrase “prisoner of conscience” which hostile forces use as a tool to protest against Vietnam’s Party and State. So, what is prisoner of conscience? Let find out that.

Firstly, Prisoner of conscience (POC) is a term coined by Peter Benenson in a 28 May 1961 article ("The Forgotten Prisoners") for the London Observer newspaper. The article launched the campaign "Appeal for Amnesty 1961" and first defined a "prisoner of conscience. In early 1962, the campaign had received enough public support to become a permanent organization and was renamed Amnesty International.

Under British law, Amnesty International was classed as a political organization and therefore excluded from tax-free charity status. Most POC often associated with the human rights organization Amnesty International, the term can refer to anyone imprisoned because of their race, sexual orientation, religion, or political views. It also refers to those who have been imprisoned and/or persecuted for the non-violent expression of their conscientiously held beliefs.

The phrase is now widely used in political discussions to describe a political prisoner, whether or not Amnesty International has specifically adopted the case, although the phrase has a different scope and definition than that of political prisoner.

Amnesty International has pressured governments to release those persons it considers to be POC. But, we don’t know if they exclude those people who have conspired with a foreign government to overthrow their own.

 Yes, they have also tried to pressure Vietnam by claiming many criminals who violate laws as POC. Who do they consider as POC or political prisoners? We can list out some examples from these human rights organizations’ allegations: Cù Huy Hà Vũ, Le Cong Dinh, Nguyen Dan Que, Nguyen Van Hai, Nguyen Van Ly, Phan Thanh Hai, Ta Phong Tan, Vi Duc Hoi, Tran Huynh Duy Thuc, etc, and recently Nguyen Van Dai. Who are they? Ironically, they are all perpetrators who seriously violated Vietnam’s laws and was arrested and judged by Vietnam’s authorities. And, if that makes those criminals POC, then there are a lot of POC in the world, in all countries, including the United States and Western nations. But, these countries and self-claimed human rights organizations led by them have often misused this POC term to deceive the general public protesting the Vietnamese government. I think these criminals’ settlements are Vietnam’s internal affairs as other countries, so they should keep their noses out of that, right!?

Vietnam's Foreign Ministry always affirm that there are no so-called POC in Vietnam in responding to fabricated, groundless and untrue allegations and reports by these hostile organizations, especially from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Freedom House, the AFP (France), the Vietnamese language department of Radio BBC (Britain), etc.

It is an undeniable truth that, over the past years, the Vietnamese State has been making considerable efforts in promoting democracy and protecting the legitimate interests of the Vietnamese people.

The Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, which was passed in 2013 by the 13th National Assembly, made great advances in restructuring the legislature and reflected the State’s determination to ensure democracy and human rights in Vietnam. All fundamental rights of citizens are guaranteed by the Constitution. These rights include the freedom of opinion and speech, the freedom of the press, the right to assemble, the right to form associations and hold demonstrations, and the right to practice or not practice beliefs and religions. All citizens are equal before the Constitution and the law in terms of rights and duties. All acts in violation of the law are dealt with according to the law.

So there’s no POC in Vietnam as paranoids said. In Vietnam, all prisoners are criminals who have committed offences as regulated in the Penal Code. All offenders are brought to trial and tried in a just and public manner at court, and whether they are sentenced to jail or not depends on the offences and based on the law.

And, if for any reason who claims these criminals above as POC aims to distort the Vietnamese achievements in ensuring human rights./.

Vietnam demands China end its wrongful activities on Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago, said Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Le Hai Binh on February 19.

He made the remarks in reply to reporters’ queries on China’s construction of a military helicopter base on Quang Hoa Island and its deployment of HQ-9 surface-to-air missiles on Phu Lam Island of Vietnam’s Hoang Sa Archipelago.

“ Vietnam is deeply concerned over China ’s aforementioned activities, which seriously violate Vietnam ’s sovereignty of the archipelago and threaten peace and stability in the region, as well as navigation and aviation security, safety and freedom in the East Sea ,” he said. “ Vietnam demands China immediately end these wrongdoings.”

The same day the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a diplomatic note to the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi to protest against China’s infringements on Vietnam’s sovereignty on Hoang Sa Archipelago.

Vietnam’s permanent mission to the UN also sent a diplomatic note to the UN Secretary-General proposing the official circulation of the Vietnamese foreign ministry’s diplomatic note.-VNA

For 30 years after the Doi Moi (renovation), Vietnam has gained many achievements on all aspects, especially on human rights and social werfares. Let look back these encouraging goals!

Vietnam has spent almost 40 years at war over the past seven decades, but is finally living in a state of peace and development. The country’s accomplishments in guaranteeing people’s right to an adequate standard of living, citing the national poverty rate has dropped dramatically to merely 4.8 percent from 60 percent in the 1990s.

Vietnam’s achievements in human rights over the past 30 years in various areas, helping to bring a life of comfort and happiness for each of Vietnamese citizens. Vietnam has been consistent in its policies to better respect and promote civil rights and freedom.

The ultimate revolutionary goal of the Vietnam Communist Party throughout the national people’s democratic revolution and the Doi Moi and international integration process is to ensure human rights. The State has set up the mechanisms and policies to ensure the implementation and prevent any infringement of any human rights.

Nowadays, under the socialist regime in Vietnam, human rights have been improved in both quality and quantity. Throughout the Party’s national congresses, including the 12^th Congress recently,  the Party affirmed the importance of building the socialist democracy and state power belongs to the people. Especially, “constructing a socialist state ruled by law and of the People, by the People and for the People is of urgent demand. The State must effectively institutionalize and implement civil rights and human rights”. This is one of the key principles specifying the nature of socialist state ruled by law in Vietnam.

The 2013 Constitution devotes 36 out of its 120 articles to human rights and fundamental rights and obligations of citizens. For the first time in Vietnam’s constitutional-making history, the Constitution prescribes that “the State ensures and promotes the people’s ownership; recognizes, respects, protects and ensures human rights and rights of citizens,” adding that the stipulation is in line with international human rights standards and has its root in the essence of human rights and the nature of Vietnam’s socialist regime.

Vietnam has enhanced international cooperation in human rights in a serious and open-minded manner, thus significantly contributing to ensuring basic rights and freedom of Vietnamese citizens.

It’s noted that the country has joined most major international treaties in human rights and actively work to fulfil relevant international commitments, stressing that through the cooperation, Vietnam has made positive contributions to establishing human right values on both regional and global scales.
As a result, Vietnam was deemed by the United Nations (UN) one of the most successful countries in the world in realizing the poverty eradication goal, the first of the eight Millennium Development Goals set by the UN.

International comunities affirmed such achievements, which have been proven through the country’s legal documents which cover all issues regarding human rights and citizens’ rights, and through the enforcement of Party and State policies to actualize human rights in all areas of social life. Vietnam has made positive contributions to establishing human right values on both regional and global scale.

To further promote and protect human rights, Vietnam should prioritise building and completing its legal system on human rights and citizens’ rights in line with new principles and regulations of the 2013 Constitution./.

Starting from an underdeveloped country with low-level economic, social and law background, severe aftermath of wars and sanctions, our country ushered in the progress of development with numberless difficulties. Nevertheless, under the Party’s leadership, in spite of limitations in social life, it could be said that up to now, Vietnam has achieved comprehensive development in the economic, political, cultural, social, defence and security fields, and made significant contributions to the development of human beings, which has been acknowledged by the international community.

In the 30-year reform, thanks to sound guideline on economic development, Vietnam has gained impressive achievements highly appreciated by the international community. After 10 years of the reform (until 1996), the country had overcome socio-economic crisis; 25 years later (until 2010), it had changed from an underdeveloped country into middle-income one. In the 2001-2010 period, it witnessed the economy’s rapid growth of 7.26% per year. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 2010 per capita on purchasing reached $101.6 billion, 3.26 times as much as that of 2000. In the 2011-2015 period, due to the world’s financial crisis and economic downturn, the Vietnam’s economy encountered difficulties that slowed down its growth. However, the average growth rate was rather good, estimated to reach 5.8%. GDP of 2015 was around $204 billion, per capita income was $2,200. That development is sustainable and rather good in comparison with other countries in the region and the world. Accordingly, after 15 years of implementing the Millennium Goals (2000-2015), Vietnam was one of the 6 countries who achieved identified goals in which there were 3 goals achieved before the deadline, namely hunger eradication and poverty reduction, popularization of primary education, and promotion of gender equality and status of women.

As for hunger eradication, poverty reduction, while there remain 1.4 billion people living in grinding poverty and 900 million suffering from endless hunger, Vietnam decreased its poverty rate from 60% before the reform (since 1986) to 9.5% in 2011, 7.5% in 2013, and below 5% in 2015. Our State determined that in the 2016-2020 period, we would change the way to measure poverty, from uni-dimension to multi-dimension which bases on income and accessibility of basic social services, such as heath, education, accommodation, information, and pure water. Thus, the United Nations (UN) considered Vietnam as an example in the implementation of Millennium Goals. Mrs. Pratibha Mehta, UN Coordinator to Vietnam, said that “few countries could achieve results as Vietnam”.

In addition, Vietnam has gained achievements of utmost importance in human rights. Basic human rights in all fields have been promoted; spiritual and material life of the people has been increasingly improved. In political field alone, during the reform, Vietnam promulgated the 1992 Constitution, the 2013 Constitution, and a series of codes, laws, and ordinances to complete the socialist ruled-by-law State and heighten supreme role of the Constitution and law in social life. On that basis, organization and operation of the National Assembly, Government, juridical organs, and local authorities at levels were innovated so as to build and bring into play social democracy, ensuring all powers of the State of the people, by the people, and for the people. Policies on ethnicity, beliefs, and religion were guaranteed in reality. As a result, Vietnam was first elected to the UN Human Rights Council (2014-2016 term) by a vote of 184/192.

In the process of reform, the Party and the State of Vietnam has adopted various policies and measures to strengthen and extend international cooperation and mutual relations. Also, we have joined multilateral organizations, such as ASEAN, APEC, ASEM, WTO, particularly the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and EU. Up to now, Vietnam has ratified most of the international conventions, established diplomatic relations with 170 countries (establishing strategic partnership with 15 countries), trade relations with 230 countries and territories, and signed over 90 mutual trade agreements on encouragement and reciprocal protection of investments. Accordingly, Vietnam has brought into play internal force, and has taken advantage of external force and achievements of the world science and technology to develop and modernize the country.

It is not accidental that in the UN Summit for the adoption of 2016-2030 Millennium Development Goals held on October 2015, Vietnam was assessed as a symbol for national independence struggle as well as an example of economic development and hunger eradication, poverty reduction. That was an objective evaluation of Vietnam’s achievements under the Party’s leadership and its devotion to the development and progress of the international community, which was undeniable.

All the things mentioned above once again prove that in Vietnam, the Communist Party of Vietnam is the only force who has efficient capability and intellect to organize and lead the Vietnamese revolution to victory, building Vietnam into “a wealthy people, a powerful nation, and a democratic, equitable, and civilized society”. That will help completely refute political opportunists and hostile forces’ distortion, incitement, sabotage against our Party - a Party of the people, of the Vietnamese revolution and nation.