Vietnam Report

Summary of most recent publication of the Britain-Vietnam Friendship Society: Issue 62 Fourth Quarter 2010.

Courtesy: Vietnam Business News

(LONDON) - I am sure the General, his friends and his many supporters will not object to the use of the cricketing term on reaching his centenary, an achievement that all who know of his outstanding military feats will applaud.

Described as one of the worlds top ten military commanders General Giap certainly qualified for that title in his use of military strategy that helped defeat two of the worlds major military countries France and the USA.

President Nguyen Minh Triet, who was on a state visit to Laos, in his message of congratulations for 25th August said; Gen Giap is an excellent disciple of President Ho Chi Minh and an eminent commander-in-chief.

On August 24, National Assembly, Government and Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee leaders visited the general and congratulated the former military commander on his birthday.

On behalf of the government, Prime Minister Dung said the government remembers and speaks highly of the general’s significant contributions to the cause of national liberation and reunification as well as the country’s national construction and defence.

He stressed that the government, the Party and people will continue to unite to make the country more prosperous as late President Ho Chi Minh wished. In response, Gen Giap thanked the leaders for their attention and expressed his belief that under the leadership of the Party and the State, the country would continue to reap greater socioeconomic achievements.

STONE STATUES ERECTED TO HEROIC FEMALES

The statues of ten young female volunteers - martyrs were inaugurated at the Dong Loc T-junction relic site in Can Loc district, Ha Tinh province. The statues are located opposite the Dong Loc bell tower and Dong Loc Temple on a precinct of 1,156 hectares. VND 14 billion (US$719,000) for the statues was raised from benefactors at home and abroad. The statues were sculptured by artisans from Ninh Binh province.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony, Deputy PM Nguyen Thien Nhan highlighted the great contributions of the ten young volunteers as well as all of the voluntary youth force in the Resistance War for national salvation.

The construction of the statues expressed the gratitude of the Vietnamese peoples towards the ten heroic volunteers who laid down their lives at Dong Loc T-junction to ensure transport could get through the junction during the war.

PEOPLE WALK FOR VIETNAM’S AGENT ORANGE VICTIMS

Over 300 Vietnamese and German people joined a charity walk for Vietnamese Agent Orange /dioxin victims in Bochum, Germany on September 9.

First Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union’s Central Committee Vo Van Thuong, Vietnamese Consul General in Frankfurt Nguyen Huu Trang, and First Secretary of the Vietnamese Embassy in Germany Pham Van Toan along with Bochum’s city authorities attended the event.

The participants, including 50 Vietnamese students, walked 2.5 km around Kemnade lake. Each participant, who walked one kilometer, would raise one Euro from donors for a fund for Vietnamese AO victims.

The event has been held each year since 2006 by the Vietnamese Intercultural Women’s Initiative in Germany (VIFI). Established in 1996, VIFI aims to support Vietnamese women living in Germany to achieve equality in their family and society while protecting the Vietnamese culture.

The association has also launched numerous activities to assist children and women in the homeland.

VIETNAM AND UK SIGN MAJOR DECLARATION

The signing ceremony was held on September 8 in London on the first day of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem's official visit to the UK, at the invitation of his counterpart, Foreign Secretary William Hague.

This strategic partnership, which is established in recognition of the rapid intensification of the two countries' ties since March 2008 when Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung visited Britain, will provide a framework to develop the bilateral relationship in a comprehensive way in particular for strengthening and deepening cooperation in key areas. These include the political-diplomatic cooperation; global and regional issues; trade and investment; sustainable socioeconomic development; education and training; security and defence and people to people links.

The joint declaration says the two sides will promote regular meetings and dialogue between leaders of both counries, enhance parliamentary cooperation and establish biennial strategic dialogue.

They also welcome stronger links between the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and British political parties, as well as between the CPV agencies and the UK government agencies.

On global and regional issues, the declaration commits Vietnam and the UK to closer coordination including the United Nations, ASEM, ASEAN-EU and the WTO. This will include exchanges of views in the areas of climate change and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

In trade and investment area, both sides recognise that free trade and open markets play an important part in ensuring continued global development and further intensification of the UK-Vietnam relationship.

The UK welcomes Vietnam's intention to expand its investment and to increase its exports in the UK market, in particular the footwear, garments and textiles, wooden, agricultural and aquatic products. Vietnam likewise encourages more UK exports to Vietnam. The UK will look to consolidate its position as Vietnam's number one overseas investor in financial services, and increase UK trade and investment in other key sectors.

Both sides commit to the development of a state university in Da Nang which meets international standards in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding signed earlier in 2010.

They also welcome the contribution of the Vietnamese community in the UK and agree to a regular dialogue with the representatives of the community to foster cooperation and greater understanding.

The Foreign Secretary William Hague accepted an invitation from the Deputy PM to make an official visit to Vietnam.

500kg BOMB MADE SAFE

Ha Tinh Province's Military Headquarters de-activated a 500kg bomb in Thach Tri Commune believed to have been dropped in 1972 when the US Air force attacked northern Viet Nam.

This was one of many de-activated by the military in the province, so far this year 12 such bombs ranging from 300 to 500kg have been made safe plus many thousands of shrapnel bombs.

ORBIS FLYING EYE HOSPITAL

The world’s only airborne ophthalmic surgical and training facility – concluded its surgical techniques transfer and training programme for Vietnam’s central coastal city of Da Nang in late August.

During the two-week programme, 13 leading ophthalmic experts gave lectures to ophthalmologists, nurses and technicians at Da Nang Eye Hospital. Under the programme, 109 Vietnamese and 10 Lao and Cambodian ophthalmologists received online lectures from the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital’s surgery ward as well as hands-on instruction.

In addition, experts from the two hospitals performed surgery and provided laser treatment to 56 retina and glaucoma patients. They also provided medical check-ups and treatment to 163 disadvantaged patients, mostly children.

The Orbis hospital staff joined their colleagues from the Hue Eye Hospital in offering eye examinations to more than 200 children and elderly people at the Medical Centre in Phun Loc district in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue.

Another 30 cataract patients are due to have operations and treatment from Da Nang Eye Hospital doctors in September under the sponsorship of Orbis.

Founded in 1982, the Flying Eye Hospital has conducted 269 programmes in 87 nations. It landed in Vietnam for the first time at Da Nang Airport in October 2006; this is the fourth time it has returned to the Southeast Asian nation and the third time it has visited Da Nang city.

BRITISH TRADE UNIONS RENEW LINKS WITH VIETNAM

Readers will recall the launch on May 26th of “Trades Union Friends of Vietnam”, at Bolivar Hall in London. Work carried out since by Doug Nicholls, its secretary and a small committee, led to a motion being tabled by the Bakers, Food and Allied Worker’s Union, at the Trades Union Congress held in Manchester 13 -16 September.

Four members of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) came over from Hanoi to be present at the Congress and to have a series of meetings with a number of leading trades union leaders.

On Tuesday The motion 71 (see full text below) moved and spoken to by leading trades unionists was passed unanimously. The following day, our friends, along with Doug Nicholls spoke at a well attended Fringe Meeting and answered a number of questions from the audience.

Returning to London further high level meetings were held and the evening before departure for Hanoi a farewell dinner was held for them.

MOTION 71

Congress appreciates the incredible achievements of the Vietnamese people in rebuilding their country since Vietnam's liberation 35 years ago from one of the most brutal wars in history, which destroyed the infrastructure of the country.

Congress recalls with respect the three million Vietnamese killed and four million injured in the fighting and bombing. Congress notes that over eighty million litres of defoliants, including the dioxin Agent Orange, were sprayed on forests, farms and villages and that the legacy of this terrible poison still lives in on with over three million people affected and many birth deformities and health problems still today.

Congress further notes that no reparations have been paid for this appalling damage. Despite the devastation of the country, Vietnam has rebuilt at an incredible rate and greatly improved the living standards of its population. Congress congratulates the Vietnamese trade union movement in the role that its members played in the liberation of the country and subsequent reconstruction.

Congress further congratulates Trade Union Friends of Vietnam and the Britain Vietnam Friendship Society and affiliated unions for the work they have done to maintain contacts wVietnamese workers and their families, and urges affiliates to consider their work. Congress calls on the General Council to establish closer links with the Vietnamese General Confederation of Labour.

The Vietnam Report published by Len Aldis and the Britain-Vietnam Friendship Society