Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong. (Photo: VNA)

In his article published ahead of the 89^th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (February 3), Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong wrote that despite difficulties and challenges, Vietnam’s position and strength have been enhanced and the country is thriving.

Vietnam has never had such a high position, potential and prestige like at present, the leader affirmed.

In 2018, Vietnam accomplished all 12 set targets and surpassed nine of them. The country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate hit 7.08 percent – the highest level in a decade, and its export turnover reached USD 238 billion, resulting in a record trade surplus of USD 7.2 billion.

The economy was valued at over VND 5.5 quadrillion (more than USD 240 billion), a 1.3-fold rise compared with 2015. The country remained attractive to foreign investors, with the flow of foreign direct investment (FDI) exceeding USD 30 billion, of which USD 19.1 billion was disbursed. The tourism sector served nearly 15.6 million foreign tourist arrivals, three times higher than that of 2010, he wrote.

Regarding external relations, the leader stressed that the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) was ratified by the National Assembly in November 2018 and officially came into force on January 14, 2019. Vietnam also successfully organized numerous international events, including the World Economic Forum on ASEAN (WEF ASEAN) 2018 and the 26th annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF-26). In the year, the country was voted for the first time as a member of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) for the 2019-2025 tenure.

The Party, National Assembly and Government issued a lot of policies and mechanisms related to important and urgent issues in 2018.

For the apparatus organization, the Party promulgated different resolutions and regulations, thus creating a firm foundation and strong motivation for sustainable socio-economic development.

In terms of the Party building and consolidation, resolutions promulgated by the Party Central Committee blew a new breath of fresh air in leading and steering the implementation of strategic political missions.

Notably, the fight against corruption, wastefulness, bureaucracy and negative phenomena was stepped up and gained positive results.

“This is a breakthrough in the Party building and consolidation as well as in tightening disciplines in the State apparatus and the whole political system, thus helping enhance trust of people from all walks of life in the Party’s leadership,” the leader emphasised.

In his article, he also affirmed that the reform, industrialization, modernization, socialist-oriented market economic development and international integration are a great revolutionary cause, a “giant struggle”, and a “severe self-surgery”.

Regarding the missions in 2019, the leader required the highest efforts to fulfill all socio-economic development tasks, stabilize the macro-economy, step up the implementation of strategic breakthroughs, speed up economic restructuring in line with growth model reform, ensure social welfare, and improve people’s living conditions.

Along with maintaining independence, sovereignty and a peaceful, stable environment for national development and promoting external relations, he asked for the continued implementation of the resolution of the 12-tenure Party Central Committee’s fourth session on Party building and the Politburo’s Directive No. 05 on enhancing the study and following late President Ho Chi Minh’s thoughts, morals and lifestyle, thus creating strong changes in the Party building and consolidation./.

VNF/VNA