Talking to the media on the occasion of the 2013 Lunar New Year, the Party leader said that in 2012—the second year of implementing the Resolution of the 11^thNational Party Congress—the Party issued many guidelines and policies to address some of the country’s major issues.

He affirmed that with the great efforts made by the Party, armed forces, and people, Vietnam has gradually overcome numerous difficulties and challenges and recorded significant results in all aspects.

Trong said thanks to the maintenance of political security, social order and safety, national independence, and sovereignty in 2012, the macro economy grew stable with the inflation rate staying at the single-digit level of 6.81 percent compared to 18.13 percent in 2012 and the GDP growth rate above 5 percent.

The country posted a record export turnover of nearly US$115 billion, and emerged as the world’s leading rice exporter with close to 8 million tonnes sold.

The foreign currency reserves also hit a record high, foreign exchange rates were stable, and people’s trust in the Vietnam dong improved. Social security was protected with annual per-capita income reaching approximately US$1,500.

Vietnam attracted more than US$13 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) and nearly US$6.5 billion in official development assistance (ODA), showing investors and partners’ confidence in Vietnam’s development prospect, Trong noted.

Another bright spot in the national economic picture was the tourism industry which boasted of serving more than 6.8 million international visitors and 32.5 million domestic tourists and earning VND160 trillion in revenue.

The Party leader spoke highly of initial achievement recorded in the movements such as “Building new-style rural areas” and “Studying and following the moral example of President Ho Chi Minh”, as well as the implementation of  the Party building resolution of the 11^th Party Central Committee’s 4^th plenum, which is promoting the practice of democracy in broad sections of society.

External relations developed both bilaterally and multilaterally in a proactive spirit, across the political spectrum from the Party relationship to State diplomacy, to people-to-people exchanges with the aim of strengthening the friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between Vietnam and other countries. Vietnam consolidated its international position and prestige and helped create a peaceful, stable, and favourable environment for national construction and defence.

The Party leader stressed that all these achievements were made in the context of a year full of difficulties beset by complex and unpredictable regional and global developments. The financial crisis and economic downturn negatively impacted Vietnam’s national construction and development.

Many shortcomings and weaknesses remained to the overcome, such as unsteady macroeconomic growth, high lending interest rates, large volumes of bad debts, excess inventory levels, and a frozen real estate market.

A large number of cash-strapped businesses had to dissolve or suspend operations, putting a clamper on poverty reduction and job generation efforts.

There is no denying that such negative development are bringing pressure to bear upon certain population levels, especially poor people and low-income earners and that the gap between rich and poor is widening.

The Party chief also citied other urgent problems like social evils, environmental pollution, food hygiene and safety violations, and traffic accidents in addition to complicated developments in the East Sea, with hostile forces seeking every possible means to sabotage the Party and State and cause socio-political instability in the country.

Trong emphasized that economic restructuring in conjunction with growth model renewal is a major undertaking that needs to be implemented concurrently in all agencies and sectors at all central, local grassroots levels.

In the immediate future, he said, the focus will be on restructuring three particularly important areas: public investments, the commercial bank system, and State-owned economic groups and corporations.

“Judging from significant gains in 2012, the entire Party, armed forces, and people will have strong faith and determination to advance steadily on the way to all-round development,” Trong concluded.