Vietnam has been featured in articles and remarks from international communities prior to the local 12 th Party Congress, which convenes on January 20.

The preparatory session of the 12th National Party Congress.

On January 18, Poland’s Center for International Relations published an article about Vietnam’s economy, which highlighted the rapid growth of Ho Chi Minh City and the central city of Da Nang.

It quoted US Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius as saying that the Vietnamese are among the world’s top business minds.

The article concluded that four decades after the war, Vietnam’s per capita GDP has risen to 2,000 USD from around 100 USD, and that the Government is striving to gain market economy recognition.

On January 19, the Cuban news agency Prensa Latina reported on Vietnam’s 12th National Party Congress, calling it a milestone during the renewal progress since 1986.

According to the article, under the Party leadership, the 30-year implementation of “Doi Moi” (renovation) has gained sound socio-economic, politic and diplomatic outcomes. Particularly, Vietnam has transformed from being impoverished into a middle-income country, consolidating its position in trade and diplomacy internationally.

With a goal towards peace, stability and sustainable development, the 12 th congress will focus on reviewing 30 years of Doi Moi and tasks accomplished, as well as setting out new tasks to make Vietnam a modern industrialised country. More than 1,500 delegates representing 4.5 million Party members will take part in the event, which will last until January 28.

The same day, Granma, the official organ of the Cuban Communist Party which boasts the highest circulation in Cuba, featured major themes of the 12 th congress in its content.

It cited information announced at a ceremony to launch the press centre for the congress as saying the event will focus on building a strong and pure Party, promoting the strength of the whole people and socialist democracy, stepping up reform comprehensively and synchronously, firmly safeguarding the nation, and striving to turn Vietnam into a modern industrialised country.

Meanwhile, the local Trabajadores newspaper published an interview with Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Duong Minh on the subject. The diplomat said the 30-year reform had resulted in Vietnam realising the UN millennium development goals.

On January 20, Poldi Sosa, President of the Argentina-Vietnam Cultural Institute, expressed her hope that the congress will come up with policies that help Vietnam grow robustly, and increase its international role in the future.

After visiting the country 20 times, Poldi Sosa said she admires the achievements that Vietnam has attained throughout its renovation process.

According to her, the Government has invested heavily in social welfare programmes in recent years to improve overall living standards, with significant outcomes earned in education, gender equality, poverty alleviation, and freedom of speech and religious practice.

The Russian “People’s News” newspaper on January 20 carried a story titled “ Vietnam confirms renewal policy”.

The article stated that Vietnam’s 12th National Party Congress, starting from January 20, will continue to affirm the country’s integration into the global economy, and its pursuance of a socialist-oriented market economy.

It also highlighted the adoption of the “Doi Moi” (reform) policy at the 6th National Party Congress of the CPV in December 1986, which marked the start of Vietnam’s integration to the global economy.

The renovation has brought remarkable growth for the Southeast Asian country, the article said, adding that Vietnam has evolved to become a middle-income country from one of the poorest nations in the world.

The article cited statistics from the World Bank, that the per capita income of Vietnam increased to 2,052 USD in 2014, from only 220 USD in 1990.

Despite macro-economic difficulties, the country has gained significant attainments with a gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 6.68 percent in 2015. And Vietnam is setting a strong target for annual economic growth of 6.5-7 percent between 2016 and 2020.

The article said that Vietnam signed a free trade agreement (FTA) with the Eurasian Economic Union in 2015, and at the same time engaged in other mechanisms, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement.

China’s Xinhua News Agency on January 20 also carried a story saying Vietnam has reaped remarkable achievements during its renewal process.

The article said the 12th National Party Congress of the CPV will create a strong momentum for the country to further develop.

It noted that during the 30-years of renovation, the CPV has gradually reinforced the socialist-oriented market economy, which had created a premise for the current profound changes.

Vietnam recorded an annual average GDP growth of 7.3 percent between 1990 and 2010, the article cited, saying despite difficulties, the country still reached a GDP growth of 6.68 percent in 2015, while the inflation rate was curbed to below 5 percent.

Some of the important contents of the political report submitted to the 12th National Party Congress, are highlighting the significance of building a strong and transparent Party, intensifying corruption prevention, the article said.

The article underlined “international integration” as one of the focal points in the external affairs policy of Vietnam in recent years.

It said Vietnam and China are neighbouring countries that share a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

The two countries have witnessed significant progress in their relations, with two-way trade topping 95.82 billion USD in 2015. China has become the biggest trade partner of Vietnam over the past 12 years, while Vietnam was the second largest trade partner of China in ASEAN in 2014.

The same day, Japan’s Kyodo News Agency ran an article saying Vietnam started to convene the 12th National Party Congress on January 20, with a preparatory meeting.

It said the Congress, which is held once every five years, this time is expected to promote the country’s renewal process, and reassuring the target of bringing Vietnam into a modern industrialised society.

During the Congress, delegates will adopt the political report – which guidelines Vietnam ’s politics, economics, and diplomacy for the next five years, as well as elect new leaders.

Vietnam’s economic growth has been quite stable in recent years thanks to strong exports. This is expected to increase further in the coming years due to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement.

However, Vietnam might face a number of challenges, including territorial disputes with China on the East Sea, as well as development gaps with Singapore and Thailand, according to the Japanese news agency.

German press spotlights Vietnam’s 12th National Party Congress

German newspapers have carried a number of stories about the 12th National Party Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV).

The “Neues Deutschland” (New Germany) newspaper on January 20 posted an article by Detlef Pries saying the CPV continues to forge ahead with the “Doi Moi” (renewal) process.

The article said more than 1,500 delegates representing 4.5 million Party members to attend the Congress from January 20-28 will discuss important development orientations for the country.

It added that the CPV, which led the country in the struggle for national liberation and independence, has devoted endless efforts to create a prosperous life for people.

Vietnam ’s reform process commenced in 1986 has initiated new orientations to help millions of Vietnamese escape from poverty and maintain high economic growth for many years.

The article cited the country’s GDP growth reached 6.68 percent in 2015 and could stand at 6.7 percent in 2016, while the rate of inflation was curbed at the lowest level in the past 14 years.

It said Vietnam needs to exert more efforts to pursue a self-reliant and highly-competitive economy.

The author said the development gaps between the rich and the poor in Vietnam’s urban and rural areas will draw interest at the Congress. Delegates will make a lot of proposals regarding education and healthcare.

The same day, German’s Deutsche Welle (DW) and the German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA) ran a number of story news reflecting Vietnam’s atmosphere on the threshold of the 12th National Party Congress.

The articles said the Congress holds significant meaning in shaping the development path for Vietnam in the coming years.

On the occasion, the Vice President of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) and Deputy Chairman of the Czech Lower House’s Legal Committee, Stanislay Grospic, highlighted traditional friendship and multi-faced cooperation between Vietnam and the Czech Repbulic, especially the collaboration between Vietnamese National Assembly and Czech Parliament.

He said the CPV and the KSCM boast time-honoured relationship, adding that the KSCM is interested to follow information on the 12th National Party Congress of Vietnam and hopes the Congress will be successful.

VNA