The country’s leaders met on Jan. 19 at the Presidential Palace on the occasion of the Lunar New Year festival.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Truong Tan Sang, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung joined former Party and State leaders, senior revolutionary officials and representatives from ministries, sectors and agencies in celebrating the country’s achievemets in 2011.

The Party General Secretary highlighted the success of the 11th Party Congress with the adoption of the five-year plan for 2011-2015 and the socio-economic development strategy in 2011-2020, as well as the elections of the 13th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2011-2016 term.

In the context of the global financial crisis and economic recession, the country has made great efforts to control inflation, stabilise macro economy and ensure social welfare, he said.

He added that in the past year, the country’s external activities were boosted and gained objective results, which helped protecting national sovereignty, maintaining peaceful and stable environment for national development and winning supports from international friends.

General Secretary Trong expressed his best wishes to the participants and all people in the countries and abroad in the New Year, the year of the Dragon.

He urged the whole country to continue efforts in the new year to control inflation, stabilise macro economy, ensure social welfare, maintain suitable growth, protect national sovereignty and independence and boost external relations.

The same day, General Secretary Trong, President Sang, PM Dung and Vietnam Fatherland Front President Huynh Dam paid tribute to late President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum in Hanoi on the occasion of the 82nd anniversary (Feb. 3) of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV).

They also laid wreaths at the Martyrs Monument in Hanoi. /.