The first highlights of 2021

CongressThe 13th Party Congress was a great success.

The 13th National Congress of the Party concluded successfully. Photo: VGP

With the motto "Unity - Democracy - Discipline - Creativity - Development", after more than 7 days of intensive work,13th National Congress of DelegatesThe Party's Congress was a resounding success. The Congress discussed and unanimously approved important documents: the Political Report; the Report summarizing the implementation of the 10-year socio-economic development strategy 2011-2020 and the development of the 10-year socio-economic development strategy 2021-2030; the Report evaluating the results of the 5-year socio-economic development tasks 2016-2020 and the direction and tasks for socio-economic development for the 5-year period 2021-2025; the Report summarizing Party building work and the implementation of the Party Charter of the 12th term; and the Report reviewing the leadership and direction of the Central Committee of the 12th term.

The Congress elected the 13th Central Committee, comprising 180 full members and 20 alternate members, who are exemplary comrades with the necessary qualities, ethics, capabilities, and qualifications to shoulder the important responsibilities entrusted to them by the Party and the people. The Congress unanimously adopted a Resolution with specific goals for 2025, the 50th anniversary of the complete liberation of the South and national reunification: To be a developing country with a modern industrial sector, surpassing the lower-middle income level. By 2030, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Party: To be a developing country with a modern industrial sector and an upper-middle income level. By 2045, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: To become a developed country with a high income.

This is a very arduous task, therefore, in his closing speech at the Congress, General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong requested: All Party committees and organizations at all levels need to focus on effectively disseminating and widely publicizing the results of the Congress throughout the Party, the people, and the armed forces; thoroughly studying and understanding the Resolution and other documents of the Congress; promptly building and implementing action programs and plans, launching a widespread patriotic emulation movement, with a spirit of innovation and creativity, overcoming all difficulties and challenges to quickly bring the Congress Resolution into life, transforming the Congress's decisions into vibrant realities.

The economy is recovering positively.

The government held its regular monthly meeting for January 2021 on the morning of February 2nd, immediately after the conclusion of the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Photo: VGP

Immediately after the 13th National Congress of the Party,GovernmentThe regular monthly meeting for January 2021 took place in just the morning of February 2nd, with a very urgent atmosphere.

Reporting at the first government meeting of the year, the leader of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Nguyen Chi Dung, stated that the industrial production index in January 2021 increased by 22.2% compared to the same period last year; agricultural production remained basically stable, meeting the needs of the people well in January and during the Lunar New Year holiday. Despite adjustments in gasoline and diesel prices and price increases for some goods due to Tet shopping demand, the consumer price index only increased by 0.06% compared to the previous month. Notably, the number of newly registered businesses in the month reached over 10,000, an increase of 21.9% compared to the same period in 2020. Import and export activities maintained impressive growth, with total import and export turnover in the month estimated at US$54.1 billion, an increase of 45.7% compared to the same period in 2020, resulting in an estimated trade surplus of US$1.3 billion. Business registrations in January continued to show positive developments.

In January 2021, nearly 10,100 new businesses were established nationwide with a registered capital of VND 155.1 trillion and 115,900 registered employees, representing a 21.9% increase in the number of businesses, a 25.9% increase in registered capital, and a 37.2% increase in employees compared to the same period in 2020. The average registered capital per newly established business in the month reached VND 15.4 billion, a 3.2% increase compared to the same period in 2020. Including the VND 240 trillion additional registered capital from 4,015 businesses that increased their capital, the total additional registered capital injected into the economy in January 2021 was VND 395.1 trillion, a 10.5% increase compared to the same period in 2020. In addition, 6,503 businesses resumed operations, a decrease of... This represents a 23.2% increase compared to the same period last year, bringing the total number of newly established businesses and businesses resuming operations in January 2021 to 16,594, a decrease of 0.9% compared to the same period last year.

At the meeting, the Government acknowledged and highly appreciated the positive results achieved in socio-economic development in the first month of 2021; however, the Prime Minister requested the continued vigorous implementation of measures to manage the macroeconomy effectively, stabilize the economy, and build confidence in both the economy and healthcare; seize opportunities and create a favorable environment to attract domestic and foreign investment, especially attracting large technology corporations to invest and do business in Vietnam; promote the development of the domestic market; the international economy with many free trade agreements already signed; and the digital economy.

Focus intensely on preventing and controlling the Covid-19 pandemic.

On the morning of January 28, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc convened an emergency meeting on COVID-19 prevention and control at the National Convention Center, where the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam is taking place. (Photo: VGP)

In 2020, Vietnam received international recognition and high praise for its disease prevention and control efforts.Covid-19 pandemicHowever, as we entered the first month of 2021, the Covid-19 pandemic continued to evolve in a complex manner. Health experts discovered a new variant of the virus that spreads rapidly in over 70 countries.

In Vietnam, during the last two days of the month (January 27-28, 2021), many positive cases were recorded in the community due to a new variant of the virus (72 cases at the POYUN factory, Republic Industrial Park, Chi Linh city (Hai Duong province) and 11 cases related to security personnel at Van Don airport (Quang Ninh province). This is the largest community transmission case to date and poses a risk of rapid and widespread spread.

On January 28th, while the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam was still underway, the Prime Minister convened an urgent meeting of relevant agencies and immediately issued Directive 05/CT-TTg on several urgent measures, including: implementing city-wide social distancing for 21 days starting from 12:00 PM on January 28th, 2021; requiring citizens to only leave their homes when necessary; temporarily suspending all public activities, schools, entertainment venues, and public passenger transport outside the city; and temporarily suspending operations at Van Don Airport. The Prime Minister also requested local authorities to review and tighten the implementation of epidemic prevention and control measures in their areas; and to strictly inspect and handle cases of violations. The Ministries of National Defense, Public Security, Health, and the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-governed cities were instructed to strengthen strict management of entry activities.

However, the epidemic situation is developing complicatedly; from January 25th to February 5th, the whole country has reached 389 cases of Covid-19 infection; just in one day alone.On February 5th, Vietnam recorded 19 new Covid-19 cases, which were community cases in Hai Duong (12), Quang Ninh (2), Dien Bien (3) and Ha Giang (1), Hanoi (1).

To cope with the complex situation of the Covid-19 pandemic, localities such as Hai Duong, Quang Ninh, Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Hai Phong, Hoa Binh, Dien Bien, Gia Lai, Binh Duong, Ho Chi Minh City… have made efforts to implement multi-layered lockdowns, trace all close contacts to carry out timely isolation and testing, and control the epidemic as quickly as possible so that people can worry less and prepare well to celebrate the Lunar New Year of the Ox in a joyful and warm atmosphere.

On February 5th, in order to alleviate difficulties for producers and businesses, the Prime Minister requested the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-governed cities to decide on the application of disease prevention and control measures appropriate to the risk level of each area, ensuring that zoning, isolation, and lockdown are carried out in the most compact areas, minimizing activities that negatively affect people's lives and business activities, especially the transportation of passengers, goods, and raw materials for production during the Lunar New Year; and to take specific measures to facilitate the consumption of goods and agricultural products, especially in epidemic areas and lockdown areas, so that people can have a joyful and peaceful Lunar New Year and a new spring.