I. ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh to visit Czech Republic and Republic of Poland (24 – 26 July 2014)

At the invitation of the Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek and Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh will pay an official visit to the Czech Republic (24 July 2014) and to the Republic of Poland (25 – 26 July 2014).

In both countries, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh will exchange views with his counterparts on practical measures to further tighten the traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between Viet Nam and these two countries, especially in economy, trade and investment. They are also expected to discuss regional and international issues of mutual concern.

2. Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh to attend 4th Mekong – Republic of Korea Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (28 – 29 July 2014)

Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh will attend the 4th Mekong – Republic of Korea Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Seoul, the Republic of Korea (ROK), from 28 to 29 July 2014. The meeting will be co-chaired by the ROK and Thailand.

The 4th Mekong – ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting will focus on reviewing the implementation of cooperation areas over the past year, especially the implementation of pilot projects and the Mekong – ROK Cooperation Fund. The meeting is also expected to pass the 2014 – 2017Action Plan on Six Priority Areas of Cooperation (including infrastructure, information technology and communication, green growth, water resources development, agriculture and rural development, and human resources development). The foreign ministers will discuss regional and international issues of mutal concerns.

II. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1.     Regarding the 23 July 2014 incident in Guangxi, China in which 3 Vietnamese women were killed and 2 others injured, FM Spokesman Le Hai Binh said:

“Upon receiving this information, Viet Nam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has instructed the Vietnamese diplomatic mission to China to promply work with China’s relevant national and provincial authorities to verify this incident and identification details of the victims, as well as to timely provide medical support for those injured and help with the funerals of those killed.

On 23 July 2014, the Consulate General of Viet Nam in Nanning contacted relevant authorities in Guangxi Province requiring immediate medical support for those injured to save them at any cost and soon conduct investigation into the incident.

On the morning of 24 July 2014, the Director General of the Consular Department of Viet Nam Foreign Ministry met China’s Deputy Chief of Mission in Ha Noi to discuss this incident.”

2.     Regarding the information that Finland captured a shipment of military equipment from Viet Nam to Ukraine, FM Spokesman Le Hai Binh stated:

“According to Viet Nam’s related authorities, the shipment, which contained military equipment, was transported for repair and maintenance within the framework of traditional defence cooperation between Viet Nam and Ukraine. This activity is therefore absolutely normal  and in accordance with international laws and norms.

The Vietnamese authorities are currently working with relevant parties to resolve the customs issues raised during transit in Finland.”

3. Regarding China’s recent activities of dredging navigation channels around Drummond Island of Hoang Sa Archipelago, Spokesman Le Hai Binh stated:

“Viet Nam has repeatedly affirmed its indisputable sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes. All activities of China in these two archipelagoes are illegal, null and void.”