From left: National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in a group photo

The article, by Andrea Fais, reviewed the election of Nguyen Phu Trong as General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam for the third consecutive time at the 13th National Party Congress last February, as well as the election of National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh for the 2016-2021 tenure at the ongoing 11th meeting of the 14th NA.

Analysts believe that despite the difficulties posed by COVID-19, the new leaders will be able to cope with any future challenges, according to the article.

Vietnam’s GDP grew 2.91 percent last year thanks to steel, electronics, and computer exports, amid uncertain global supply chains.

The article highlighted the Vietnamese Government’s goals as stated in the inauguration speech of the newly-elected Prime Minister. The Government will give top priority to building action programmes to cement the Resolution adopted at the 13th National Party Congress; maintaining efforts to develop a law-governed socialist State of the people, by the people, and for the people; mobilising resources to grow the country; removing bottlenecks facing sectors, localities, enterprises, and people; and persistently protecting national sovereignty and independence.

It commended the Government’s measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, describing them as among the most effective in the world.

Vietnam can be optimistic about its economic prospects in 2021 and 2022, it said, stressing that when the US and Europe emerge from their COVID-19 state of emergency, Vietnam should be ready to meet import demands.

In particular, it should capitalise on the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) to boost shipments to Europe./. VNA