Vietnamese people should also feel lucky as they can join their families to celebrate the traditional Lunar New Year festival 2021 when many countries across the world are trying their utmost to struggle against the COVID-19 pandemic.
But it was not easy for the nation to successfully control the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, the country had to mobilize a large number of human and material resources to prevent the disease. Further, the country suffered heavy human and material losses caused by natural disasters in 2020.
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Vietnam is one of a few countries in the world that successfully controlled COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 |
Facts in 2020 have once again showed that, in the hardest time, the Vietnamese people have always stood united, joined their strength and will to overcome all difficulties. What the Vietnamese people have achieved last year has been admired by the rest of the world. Vietnam also earned much respect of people around the world when it earmarked a large amount of human and material resources to cure not only Vietnamese but also foreign COVID-19 patients, and charged no medical fees on Vietnamese and foreign patients at hospital in quarantine zones.
Under the direction of Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, the entire political system from Central level to local resolutely implemented measures to prevent and control the pandemic. Each citizen became a fighter on the anti- COVID-19 pandemic front.
Joining the common efforts, thousands of public security officers and soldiers, particularly those working in border localities, went to every family to disseminate information about the disease and ask people to make medical declarations. Their efforts contributed significantly to effectively controlling the pandemic in the country.
In addition to its success in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Vietnam also gained outstanding achievements in the economic field. Vietnam was among the 10 countries with the highest GDP growth rate and the 16 most successful emerging economies in 2020.
Last year, Vietnam’s economy enjoyed a growth rate of 2.91%, contributing to an annual average GDP growth of 5.9% in the last five-year period.
Thanks to the Party’s sound guidelines and the Government’s timely policies and solutions, enterprises continued their normal production and business activities, thereby creating jobs and improving incomes for their employees. Furthermore, several policies effectively supported people and businesses affected by the pandemic, and ensured social security and welfare.
In terms of sustainable development, Vietnam was ranked from the 88th in 2016 to 49th in 2020, much higher than other countries with the same economic development level.
Regarding foreign affairs, Vietnam has highly been appreciated by the international community as it has the successfully fulfilled its ASEAN Chairmanship 2020, Presidency of the 41st ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 41), and non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council.
Especially, the country completed negotiations on and signed the European Union-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) last year. These two important agreements are expected to create great opportunities for Vietnam’s economic development in the time to come.
The world has passed the year of 2020 with unforgettable imprints of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recession. In this circumstance, Vietnam has emerged as a country with successes in both controlling the pandemic and developing its economy. This is a firm basis for all Vietnamese people to welcome the Lunar New Year of 2021, Year of the Buffalo with much expectation and high hope.
Translated by Hoang Linh