OP-ED

Beyond legal measures, education and awareness on traffic etiquette are crucial. Encouraging a culture of patience and respect on the roads will help foster a more harmonious and safer society.

From January 25 to 10am on February 2, the country recorded 445 traffic accidents, resulting in 209 deaths and 373 injuries, while over 17,000 cases of drunk driving were detected.

The fruits of economic growth must be shared harmoniously, fairly, and equitably among all citizens, Party General Secretary To Lam told a conference reviewing the 2024 performance and setting 2025 tasks for the Government and local authorities in Hanoi on January 8.

Despite Vietnam's efforts and achievements in ensuring human rights, including the protection of freedom of religion and belief, which have been recognised and highly praised by many countries, certain individuals and organisations with hostile ideologies have continued to distort the truth, fabricate stories, and create false narratives with malicious intents.

Sabina Stein, Head of Governance & Participation, UNDP in Vietnam, has recently penned an article, lauding Vietnam’s engagement in international human rights instruments and cooperation.

The strong development of digital technology has made the protection of national sovereignty, independence, security, social order and people in the cyberspace an urgent need for every country and Vietnam is no exception. Vietnam has been working to establish a standardised legal framework to create a safe, healthy, and sustainable digital environment.

Vietnam’s Constitution clearly stipulates the equal rights of ethnic groups and the right to freedom of belief and religion, while the Party and State have consistently implemented policies that respect and protect these rights, ensuring equality among ethnic groups and providing the best conditions for minorities to preserve their cultural identities and thrive in all areas, considering this the cornerstone of national great unity and sustainable development. Yet, hostile organisations have continuously used various tactics to undermine the great national unity bloc and spread distorted allegations about religious and ethnic issues in Vietnam.

Ambassador of Spain to Vietnam Carmen Cano de Lasala and UNFPA Country Representative Matt Jackson have jointly penned an article on the occasion of Human Rights Day (December 10), saying diversity, inclusion, and non-discrimination remain at the heart of Vietnam’s development agenda.

The central steering committee for the review of the implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW, issued by the 12th Party Central Committee in 2017, on December 5 requested all units to complete their proposals for restructuring and streamlining the organisational apparatus in December 2024, in preparation for extraordinary meetings of the Party Central Committee and the National Assembly, scheduled to take place in February 2025.

The continued reform and restructuring of the political system's organisational apparatus are a critical and urgent task in the current situation as time does not wait, Party General Secretary To Lam stressed while addressing the Party Central Committee’s meeting on November 25.

Party General Secretary To Lam has emphasised that streamlining the political system must begin with specific, detailed, and practical steps.

For ASEAN, leveraging intangible assets is no longer an option, it’s an imperative. By unlocking the region’s intangible assets, ASEAN can transform this moment of promise into a legacy of tangible growth, securing its position as a global leader in innovation, productivity and prosperity.

“As we reflect on the outcomes of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits, it is evident that ASEAN is committed to building a future that is connected, resilient, and inclusive,” said Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN.

Replacing temporary and dilapidated houses with safe and sturdy ones is a meaningful and practical policy to help poor people enjoy better living conditions, showing the efforts by the whole political system in ensuring social welfare and leaving no one behind.

International organisations have maintained their robust growth forecasts for Vietnam this year as the economy has bounced back strongly despite external uncertainties and extensive damage caused by Typhoon Yagi.

On September 2, 1945, at Hanoi’s Ba Dinh Square, President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence declaring the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam).

Combating the distorted and misleading statements of hostile forces not only serves to affirm the sound policies of the Party and State towards the Overseas Vietnamese community, but also directly contributes to strengthening the great national unity in the new era and protecting the Party’s ideological foundation.

Developing the "soft power" of Vietnamese culture will contribute to bolstering the country's overall national strength, according to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

The 13th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam on August 3 elected Politburo member and State President To Lam as General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee with 100% of approval votes, demonstrating a high level of solidarity and unity in the Political Bureau and the Party Central Committee - the Party’s highest leadership agency between the two national congresses.

Ambassador Andrew Goledzinowski has affirmed that education is a foundational pillar of the Vietnam-Australia bilateral relationship in his recent article.