The 13th National Party Congress opened in Hanoi this morning, January 26.

The 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) has been a hot topic among media outlets throughout Southeast Asia in recent times, with the major political event running from January 25 to February 2.

News website channelnewsasia.com quoted Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong’s speech at the congress’ opening ceremony before nearly 1,600 delegates, highlighting that the outstanding economic development and successful control of COVID-19 pandemic were the major achievements of Vietnam last year.

Vietnam has developed fast and sustainably, reinforcing people’s trust in the Party, State and socialist administration, the top leader of Vietnam was quoted as saying, adding that the growth quality remains stable, while the macro-economy has been steady, and inflation has been kept at a low level.

Thailand’s Bangkok Post also spotlighted economic achievements of Vietnam in 2020, noting that the country posted gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 2.91 percent while many countries in the region suffered economic downturn.

Meanwhile, the US’ Washington Post quoted Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong as saying that globalization and the global integration are on the right track, but are facing the rise of nationalism, strategic competition and economic competition.

At the same time, Malaysia’s The Star newspaper quoted Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s opening speech, highlighting that the congress is taking place in the context of a mixture of opportunities and challenges, along with many new strategic issues such as climate changes, natural disasters, pandemic and impacts of advanced science and technology on socio-economic life in the country and the world.

The opening of the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam on January 26 also received attention from Japanese media.

The Kyodo News reported that the congress is the most important event of the Southeast Asian nation, during which not only personnel matter will be discussed, but political, diplomatic and economic strategies will also be decided.

It noted that under the leadership of the CPV, Vietnam has successfully controlled COVID-19 with less than 2,000 infections, while the economy still expanded 2.91 percent in 2020.

Japan’s national broadcaster NHK quoted the speech of the Vietnamese Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong as saying that in the past five years, the country maintained average economic growth of 5.9 percent.

The NHK said the congress will run until February 2 with delegates shaping the policies for the next five years and electing leaders of the party in the next tenure.

Alongside, the Nikkei Asia newspaper posted an article by Tamoya Onishi on the congress, underlining the significance of the event. It noted that each Party congress in history marked an important change to Vietnam, one example of which was the “Doi Moi” (Renewal) cause and market opening policy launched during the sixth congress in 1986.

The article said that the CPV sets a target of 6.5-7 percent of growth averagely each year in the next five years, and turning Vietnam into a developed country by 2045.

The same day, France’s AFP news agency quoted experts as saying that despite the challenging world outlook, the new leaders of Vietnam will optimise the economic and political advantages from the country’s success in COVID-19 control.

Reuters news agency on January 26 ran an article highlighting the opening of the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) in Hanoi and the Political Report by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

The leader delivered the Political Report of the 12th Party Central Committee, in which he hailed booming economic development and containment of the COVID-19 pandemic as major achievements, according to the article.

“Our country has been developing rapidly and sustainably, consolidating people’s confidence in the Party, the state and the socialist regime,” the leader is quoted as saying.

“Corruption has been gradually contained and prevented.”

The news agency added that Vietnam has seen its economy outstrip much of Asia in the past year, keeping the COVID-19 pandemic at bay thanks to stringent quarantine measures, testing and tracing.

“In the context of rapid and complicated global evolution, we have been focusing on consolidating national defence and security,” the leader is quoted as affirming.

Vietnam needs to rightly and effectively handle relations with large countries and neighbouring countries, said the top leader.

Meanwhile, an article of Xinhua news agency said that during the congress, delegates will review the party building work and the leadership of the 12th CPV Central Committee, before electing a new one for the 13th term.

They will also review the past 35 years of the country's reform, discuss the implementation of the 10-year socio-economic development strategy, and map out directions and tasks for national development from 2021 to 2025.

An article covering the 13th National Party Congress was also published in the International Analysis section of HK01, one of the largest online newspapers of Hong Kong (China).

It noted that the Congress brought together 1,587 delegates representing over 5.1 million of Party members nationwide.

The article also said that the CPV’s prestige has been strengthened in 2020 through efforts in battling corruption and COVID-19.

Singapore-based The Straits Times outlined how the nine-day event will be running with the attendance of approximately 1,600 delegates, with the purpose of the function to select new leaders and shape policy for the next five years and beyond.

The outlet also highlighted Vietnamese success in containing the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), stating that this has helped its economy exceed much of Asia over the past year, adding that the coutnry is already eyeing an average annual gross domestic product growth of 7% over the next five years.

Elsewhere, Malaysian publisher The Star has reported that the 1,587 delegates representing more than 5.1 million Party members nationwide at the congress means this will be the largest number of delegates ever in the history of the nation’s Party congresses.

It quotes Mai Van Chinh, deputy head of the CPV Central Committee’s Organisation Commission, as saying that women and members of ethnic minority groups account for 13.99% and 11.03% of delegates, respectively.

Guests present at the event will include former Party and State leaders, ambassadors, and heads of international organisations in Hanoi. They will be joined by representatives from the intelligentsia and arts community, outstanding youth union members, and religious officials, among others, it said.

Nguyen Xuan Thang, director of Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, is quoted by The Star as saying that among the documents submitted to the Congress, there are “numerous new items, especially in terms of approach.”

The agenda of the congress will largely focus on reviewing the implementation of the Resolution of the 12th Party Congress associated with the evaluation of 35 years since the implementation of “Doi moi” (Renewal) policies. This is in addition to the 10-year socio-economic development strategy from 2011 to 2020, whilst outlining the socio-economic development orientations and tasks for the 2021 to 2025 period. Along with goals and orientations to 2030 and the national development vision to 2045, it added.

According to the Malaysian news outlet, all preparations for the congress have been completed, ranging from security to logistics and reception.

Most notably, the country has gone through 53 consecutive days without any fresh COVID-19 cases among the community, with the total number of confirmed cases standing at 1,548 and 35 deaths, as of January 23.

The website of Telesur, a terrestrial and satellite television network headquartered in Caracas, Venezuela, described the congress as an important political event that takes place every five years in Vietnam.

The congress will last until February 2 under the theme of “Solidarity, Democracy, Discipline, Creativeness and Development”, it said, laying stress on the main topics of the congress which includes reviewing the implementation of the 12th National Party Congress’s Resolution in association with assessing the 35-year renewal cause, and defining socio-economic development orientations and tasks for 2021 - 2025, as well as goals and orientations for 2030 and a national development vision to 2045.

Besides, the congress will look into the Party building work implemented from the 12th National Party Congress, it said.

Meanwhile, Infobae news website and TN television channel of Argentina also covered the event, saying Vietnamese Party and State leaders paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh, who found the Communist Party of Vietnam in 1930, at his mausoleum in Hanoi ahead of the opening ceremony.

According to Infobae and TN, during the nine-day event, delegates will focus on evaluating the attained achievements, outlining orientations and tasks for national development, and electing key leaders for the new five-year tenure.

International experts note Vietnam’s success in development, integration

A number of foreign experts have praised Vietnam for its success obtained in national development and international integration, as the Communist Party of Vietnam is holding its 13th national congress to outline major directions for the country in the coming years.

Prof. Thomas Engelbert, head of the Vietnam studies faculty at the University of Hamburg (Germany), noted Vietnam has recorded significant economic success, transforming from a backward agriculture nation to one of the most successful emerging economies globally.

In addition, he said Vietnam has recorded impressive development indexes, including a sharp fall in poverty reduction, helping raise per capita income. These achievements can be put down to the government’s free trade policies and a general openness to foreign investors, Prof. Engelbert added.

With the country successfully taking on the role of ASEAN Chair 2020, its position and reputation  have been elevated regionally. It is currently a strategic partner of several Asian and Western countries in many fields, including the United States and the European Union.

In addition, Vietnam has enjoyed initial success in the fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, while many countries worldwide are struggling to cope with the disease.

Vietnam should be proud of its COVID-19 fight, said the expert. 

Meanwhile, Dr. Daniel Muller, ASEAN Regional Manager of the German Asia-Pacific Business Association (OAV), expressed his belief that Vietnam will continue to benefit from uninterrupted economic development following the successful COVID-19 control.

The two German experts also suggested that the country develop its own technology to reduce dependence on foreign investors.

Vietnamese enterprises should look to take advantage of free trade agreements (FTAs) whilst improving infrastructure in order to catch up with the world’s economic development trends, they said.

According to the website Foreign Brief of the United States, one of the main concerns regarding the ongoing congress is whether Vietnam can embrace its emerging middle power status in its next 10-year agenda. Indeed, middle powers are typically defined by two criteria, including achieving rapid economic development and leveraging growing influence in order to bridge the gap between developed and developing countries.

The country already has one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia, whilst it has expanded its role in promoting ASEAN-led platforms for negotiations among major powers, the US website added. 

In a recent interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency’s correspondents, Professor Chuan Petkaew at Suratthani Rajabhat University of Thailand affirmed that political stability has become an advantage throughout Vietnam’s development process that not all countries have.

Vietnam’s achievements in all aspects have proved the crucial leading role of the Vietnamese Party and State in the cause of national development, the scholar stressed.

He expressed his belief that the 13th National Congress of the CPV will continue to set out right directions, helping Vietnam become more prosperous and affirm its important position in resolving common issues of the region and the world.

Petkaew, who is also the co-author of the book “President Ho Chi Minh, the Founder of Modern Vietnam – Thailand Relations,” also underlined the important role of President Ho Chi Minh in the victory of the Vietnamese revolution and socio-economic development achievements in the country under the CPV’s leadership.

The professor expressed his impression on President Ho Chi Minh's moral example, affirming that his moral example is an extremely great spiritual legacy that generations of Vietnamese people need to follow.

The 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) will draw out measures for the CPV to lead the country’s post-pandemic recovery and foster its prosperity on the path to socialism, said Amiad Horowitz, a reporter of the People’s World and member of the Communist Party USA.

Talking to the Vietnam News Agency’s correspondent in Washington on the occasion of the Congress, which is taking place from January 25 to February 2, Horowitz said that not only Vietnamese people but also international friends are interested in the CPV’s plans in the next five years, as well as the path Vietnam will take in the international arena.

According to the journalist, more and more people pay attention to Vietnam as in the international arena, the nation had a successful term with the role as ASEAN Chair 2020 and a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in the 2020-2021 tenure, assumed the UNSC Presidency in January 2020 and will re-assume this role in April this year.

Vietnam has also taken part in many international activities, such as joining the UN’s peacekeeping missions and sending medical workers to countries worldwide, he said, adding that the nation has also been praised as a role model in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The CPV has drawn out and organised all plans, therefore, the role of the Party is extremely important to this process, he stressed.

Horowitz said that the CPV plays an extremely important role in Vietnam’s successes in all fields. Under its leadership, Vietnam has moved from an underdeveloped country to a developing diplomatic and economic centre.

Hailing the great significance of the 13th National Party Congress, he affirmed that the Communist Party USA supports the CPV’s implementation of important plans adopted at this congress. VNA/VOV/VNN

13th National Party Congress: Stepping up renewal process, rapid and sustainable national development

The 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) officially opened in Hanoi this morning (January 26), with the participation of 1,587 delegates representing more than 5.1 million Party members nationwide.

Int’l friends set high expectations for Vietnam’s 13th Party Congress

The 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam will take place from Jan. 25 to Feb. 2 in Hanoi.