In the year 2023, the world situation developed complicatedly, adversely affecting Vietnam; thus the country confronted more difficulties and challenges than opportunities and advantages. However, Vietnam still recorded outstanding achievements.
Attentively, the country’s economic growth rate reached 5.05%, 1.68 times higher than the general growth rate of the world economy. The average consumer price index (CPI) in 2023 increased by 3.25% against 2022, below the threshold set by the National Assembly. The state budget revenue exceeded 6% of the yearly estimate; the state budget deficit was at 0.14% of GDP, much lower than the target of 4.42% of GDP assigned by the National Assembly. It can be said that Vietnam's economy is steadily overcoming headwinds, a highlight in a generally gloomy global economic context.
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Vietnam's economic growth reaches 5.05% in 2023. (Photo for illustration: baochinhphu.vn) |
After the first half of the 13th National Party Congress’s term, the country’s economy has basically overcome the difficult period of the COVID-19 pandemic and post-COVID-19. The scale and potential of the economy have constantly expanded. The people's life is guaranteed and has been gradually improved in both material and spiritual fashion. The important role of culture, especially preserving the nation's fine traditional culture, for the sustainable development of the country has been increasingly recognized. The people's confidence has been consolidated and strengthened.
In a world full of instability, unknowns, and quite common confrontation trends, and tendency to choose sides, the profound and right bamboo diplomacy has helped Vietnam strengthen its position, increase development opportunities, and eliminate risks.
In the country's overall achievements, the Vietnam People’s Army has made important contribution. The military has always been a completely reliable support for the Party, State, and people.
In 2023, the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defense, party committees, and chains-of-command at all levels always upheld principles, led, and directed their affiliates to strictly observe combat readiness regulations, kept a close watch on situational developments and pro-actively gave recommendations to the Party and State to promptly and effectively handle situations, contributing to firmly protecting national sovereignty and territory, maintaining a peaceful environment, ensuring security and order nationwide. The resolution of the eighth meeting of the 13th Party Central Committee on national defense strategy in the new situation with many strategic forecasts, and new perspectives and contents was the basis to unify awareness and actions in performing national protection task in the coming period.
In the year, the military always attached great importance to building a politically-, ideologically-, morally-, and organizationally-strong Military Party Organization. It seriously, drastically, comprehensively, and effectively adjusted force organization to meet the requirement of building an elite, compact and strong military according to the Politburo’s resolution on the Vietnam People's Army organization in the 2021-2030 and subsequent years. The freshly-established Army Corps 12 and other reorganized units initially promoted their advantages. Together with assisting local people in disaster prevention and control, the military sent forces to help Turkey in its efforts to overcome the consequences of the earthquake, leaving a good impression in the hearts of international friends.
The year 2024 is a pivotal, extremely important year for the successful realization of the 13th National Party Congress’s Resolution. However, difficulties and challenges remain great as the growth of the world's leading economies, Vietnam’s major and important trading partners, is forecast to continue to decline, causing difficulties for the output of Vietnam’s economy in general as well as businesses’ operations in particular. Therefore, it is necessary to continue promoting administrative reform, removing legal obstacles and barriers, increasing access to preferential capital sources to free up resources for production and business. Continuity to effectively preventing and combating corruption and negative phenomena, creating a favorable and transparent investment and business environment is necessary, too.
In terms of military and defense tasks, officers and soldiers of the whole military should exert utmost efforts to successfully actualize resolutions, directives, and achieve set plans and targets. Particularly, troops should thoroughly embrace and implement profound instructions on military and national tasks and military building in the time ahead of Party General Secretary and Secretary of the Central Military Commission Nguyen Phu Trong given at the eighth session of the Central Military Commission of the 2020-2025 tenure.
It is believed that with the right guidelines, policies, and decisions, solidarity, consensus, and efforts of the entire Party, people, and military, Vietnam will develop sustainably in any circumstances and gain greater achievements in 2024 and the following years.
Translated by Mai Huong