12th National Party Congress makes headlines in foreign countries

Hanoi (VNA) – The ongoing 12th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) has been widely covered by international press in recent days.

Japan’s NHK World website on January 21 ran an article saying the National Party Congress is the most important political event for Vietnam and is held once every five years.

More than 1,500 representatives from across the country will choose the leadership and discuss national policies.

The meeting is also expected to call for further economic reforms and sustainable growth in line with recent progress in regional economic integration, especially in the context of Vietnam being one of 12 signatory countries to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement last year, and a member of the ASEAN Economic Community, which was established last month, the article said.

Sankei newspaper of Japan on January 22 quoted a political report presented by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the Congress, which called for economic reform and the acceleration of modernisation and industrialisation, and stressed the importance of anti-corruption efforts.

The article said that the Congress will elect a new leadership and put forth national development orientations in the next five years.

The political report was also cited by Japan’s Yomiuri newspapers as saying that the 30-year reform has brought about noted achievements for the country but limitations still remain.

The report highlighted the guidelines to turn Vietnam into an industrialised nation on the basis of economic transformation, reform policy and socialist-oriented market economic development.

The TPP will help Vietnam access foreign loans and expand its export activities, the article said, noting that the country aims for an economic growth target of 6.5-7 percent annually.

Also on January 22, Japan News carried a story saying many opportunities are opening up for Vietnam, but there are various difficulties and challenges ahead namely the issues of lagging behind in economic development, corruption, bureaucracy and wastefulness.

Argentina’s Resumen Latinoamericano newspaper also devoted a special page with four articles and photos featuring this important political event in Vietnam.

The four articles said that the 12 th National Party Congress is a congress of solidarity, democracy, discipline and resolve to promote the comprehensive reform, and rapid and sustainable development.

The newspaper quoted a report presented by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong assessing socio-economic achievements Vietnam has attained over the past five years.

The articles affirmed that the 30 years of Doi Moi is an important historic period in Vietnam’s national construction and defence cause. Reform was a clear-sighted and sound policy set forth by the CPV 30 years ago.

It also posted outcomes of a survey conducted by the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union’s Research Institute which revealed that 98.5 percent of Vietnamese young people are interested in the Congress, especially regarding policies to improve the spiritual life of youths and on employment for them.-VNA