News Analysis: Vietnamese communist party congress to generate development momentum

Vietnam has made significant achievements in the past 30 years of its "Doi Moi" economic reform process, and based on this solid foundation, the upcoming 12th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) will definitely generate further momentum for the country's development.

SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS

Within the past five years, the development of high-rise buildings in Hanoi and other localities across Vietnam have been mushrooming, and along with other infrastructural developments, the Highway 1A, the major road connecting northern and southern Vietnam, has been upgraded from two lanes to four.

Such advances have been achieved in mere five years and, compared to 30 years ago in 1986, when Doi Moi was initiated, Vietnam has made astounding progress.

In the mid eighties when the Vietnamese communist party was convening the sixth national party congress to bring about the economic reform policy, the country was in a severe socio-economic state resulting from the subsidy-based mechanism. At one point before 1986, the inflation rate was once recorded at a massive 774.7 percent.

But during the 30 years of Doi Moi, the CPV has incrementally formed a socialist-oriented market economy, which has led the country through profound changes.

Between 1990 and 2010, Vietnam's annual gross domestic product (GDP) increased by an average of 7.3 percent a year.

In the past five years, despite numerous difficulties, Vietnam still saw successive growth, with GDP in 2015 growing by 6.68 percent, and inflation staying below 5 percent.

According to data from the World Bank, in 2011, Vietnam's per capita income reached 1,260 U.S. dollars, meaning the Southeast Asian country officially became a middle income nation. Statistics from Vietnam also showed that the country's per capita income in 2015 surpassed 2,200 U.S. dollars.

CONSOLIDATED SOCIALISM

In recent years, Vietnam has made impressive progress in party building. The number of communist party members increased from 3.1 million in 2006 to over 4.5 million at present.

One of the focuses of the political report to be submitted to the 12th national party congress, "Building a pure and strong party," emphasizes the important role of party building.

Adding to its achievements in recent years, the CPV has also strengthened disciplinary measures among party members.

The political report also highlights prevention measures and the fight against "interest groups," and the continuance of anti-corruption mechanisms.

A "SPECIAL" PARTY CONGRESS

The 11th CPV Central Committee on Jan. 13 wrapped up its final meeting, the 14th plenary session, before the 12th national party congress.

During the session, regarding personnel matters, the CPVCC held discussions in a "democratic and straightforward manner," and voted to adopt the nominations of several members of the 11th CPVCC for re-election in the 12th tenure as "special" cases, along with also adopting nominations of Politburo members and CPVCC Secretariat of the 11th tenure, for re-election in the 12th tenure, as "special" cases.

Besides personnel issues, the political report and the socio-economic development report, also to be submitted to the 12th national party congress, are among the highlights of the upcoming event.

Following the reports, Vietnam has adjusted its earlier goal of "building Vietnam basically into a modern industrialized country by 2020" to "striving to soon turn Vietnam into a modern industrialized country."

NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHINA-VIETNAM TIES

Regarding diplomacy, "international integration" has been a key word relating to Vietnamese foreign policy in the past years.

It is worth mentioning that China and Vietnam are two neighboring countries with a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. The two countries have achieved remarkable development in bilateral ties, including in areas of trade and economy, culture, people-to-people exchanges, defense, and law enforcement among others.

In 2015, bilateral trade between China and Vietnam reached a record 95.82 billion U.S. dollars. China has been the biggest trade partner of Vietnam for the past 12 consecutive years, while Vietnam became the second-biggest trade partner for China in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2014.

"China and Vietnam are two close neighbors and brothers. No matter how the international situation changes, the importance of maintaining and developing the traditional friendship between the two countries is unchanged as it is in line with the fundamental interests of the two peoples," Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Hong Xiaoyong said at a reception held on Jan. 14 in Hanoi, to celebrate the 66th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Vietnam.

"China-Vietnam relations are at an important period as both nations face the future," Hong said, adding that the success of the 12th national party congress of Vietnam will bring more opportunities for the bilateral relations.

CPV's 12th national congress will officially open on Thursday and is scheduled to last till Jan. 28. Endit