Though COVID-19 has sent the global economy into one of its worst recessions ever, Vietnam posted GDP growth of 2.91 percent in 2020 thanks to its solid control of outbreaks and timely support to both enterprises and local people.
Vietnam’s diplomatic sector overcame numerous challenges throughout 2020 to create, grasp and optimise new cooperation opportunities, thus contributing to the country’s progress towards development, stated Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.
Experts have been optimistic about Vietnam’s economic growth in 2021 based on the latest situation, as well as the sound decisions and policies adopted by the Party and Government.
Foreign media view 2020 as a truly special year for Vietnam as the country has not only performed the dual role of ASEAN Chair and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC) but also done a good job of concurrently containing COVID-19 and sustaining economic growth.
Though 2020 is a challenging year for Vietnam with the rise of COVID-19, the 14th National Assembly (NA) has taken innovative approaches and managed to complete an enormous workload to fulfill all its three missions in lawmaking, supervision and major decision-making.
Vietnam Ambassador to the UK Tran Ngoc An and UK Ambassador to Vietnam Gareth Edward Ward signed the free trade agreement between the two countries on December 29 in London. The two countries’ ambassadors were authorised to sign the deal as leading officials of the Vietnam Gov't and Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh were unable to travel to the UK to sign directly amid Covid-19.
The Sputnik news agency of Russia recently published an article that reviewed commentaries on Vietnam posted by Russian and other countries’ press outlets, reflecting Vietnam’s COVID-19 combat and achievements in different areas, especially diplomacy and economy.
Defence diplomacy is not only an external task of the Ministry of National Defence or the army but also associated with national independence, sovereignty, and interests of Vietnam, as well as security and peace in the region and the world.
Vietnam posted a record trade surplus of 20.1 billion USD in the first 11 months of this year despite the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy, according to the General Statistics Office.
Vietnam’s textile and garment exports is set to fall 15 percent to 34 billion USD this year, the first drop in 25 years, over Covid-19 impacts. With the Covid-19 situation remains serious in the U.S. and some European countries, exports to these markets will continue to face difficulties due to a shortage of orders, the Ministry of Industry and Trade said in a recent report.
Vietnam’s exports rose 4.7 percent year-on-year in the first ten months of this year to over 229 billion USD, for a trade surplus of a record 18.7 billion USD, according to latest report by the General Statistics Office.
The Eurasian Times has recently published an article on Vietnam’s success in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), saying the Southeast Asian nation has emerged an FDI hub in Asia.
The industry and trade sector is exerting all-out efforts to achieve the target of 300 billion USD in export turnover this year in the context that the COVID-19 pandemic is seriously affecting global trade.
Politburo member and National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan on October 13 asked Khanh Hoa province to strive to become a driving force for growth in the south-central and Central Highlands regions.
To fully tap potentials of the European market brought by the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, more links should be made between producers and localities in selecting favourite rice varieties of European consumers and deploying hygienic production process.