Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has expressed his belief that with new momentum and under the sound leadership of the Party and the effective management of the State, the Party, people and army will overcome all challenges to build a prosperous country.
The Party leader made the statement at a meeting held on the occasion of the traditional Tet holiday at the Presidential Palace, Hanoi, on February 13.
The meeting saw the presence of incumbent and former Party, State and National Assembly leaders, including former Party General Secretaries Le Kha Phieu and Nong Duc Manh, President Tran Dai Quang, former President Tran Duc Luong, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, former NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung and President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Tran Thanh Man, among others.
In his remarks, Party General Secretary Trong reviewed achievements Vietnam has recorded over the past year across fields, will all the 13 set targets fulfilled or overfulfilled for the first time.
He highlighted the country’s GDP growth rate at 6.81 percent, macro-economic stability, curbed inflation and low budget overspending, adding that the total export-import revenue hit the record high of 425 billion USD.
Besides, production and business activities of the industrial, agricultural and service sectors have recovered and developed, while progresses were seen in tourism, culture, social affairs and crime combat, contributing to consolidating political security and ensuring social order and safety, the Party chief said.
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He also stressed that 2017 is the most successful year in external affairs, citing as examples a range of events such as the Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year, the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year and APEC Year 2017.
“We have resolutely and persistently protected national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and ensured political security, social order and safety, and the country’s strategic interests, while maintaining a peaceful, stable and cooperative environment, maintaining good ties with neighbouring countries and creating a favourable environment for national construction and defence,” he said.
Such achievements have contributed to consolidating public trust, promoting patriotism and national pride, and bringing the country forwards on the path of Doi Moi, he said, attributing the results to the Party guidelines that meet the people’s aspiration, as well as national solidarity and joint efforts and consensus made by the entire Party, people and army.
The Party leader honoured the contributions of veteran revolutionaries, Heroic Vietnamese Mothers, officials, Party members, the people, soldiers, and Vietnamese expat. He also expressed thank for the support and cooperation of foreign countries, international organisations and friends.
The Party leader stressed that 2018 is a decisive year in implementing the five-year development plan from 2016-2020.
He called on the entire Party, people and army to make greater efforts to carry out the tasks set in the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress, reminding that apart from opportunities and favourable conditions, Vietnam is facing multiple new challenges.
Accordingly, priority should be given to completing the socialist-oriented market economic institutions, creating more remarkable changes in economic restructuring in combination with growth model reform, and improving productivity and economic competitiveness, the Party chief said.
At the same time, it is necessary to push forward the fundamental and comprehensive reform of the education-training sector, human resources development and scientific-technological applications in order to make the best use of opportunities generated by the fourth industrial revolution, he said.
The leader listed other tasks like strengthening people-based national defence and public security, intensifying external relations in national defence and security, safeguarding national security, social order and safety, and fighting plots and sabotaging activities of hostile forces.
He called for more efforts in building a pure, strong, effective Party and political system, as well as the resolve to combat corruption, wastefulness and other bad deeds, in order to consolidate public trust in the Party and State.
Hosts and guests raised toasts to the success of the nation’s revolutionary cause, the growth of the Party, prosperity of the country and happiness of the people.
Prime Minister Le Minh Hung emphasised the need to further improve institutions and policy frameworks, develop digital infrastructure and data resources, and create the necessary conditions for science, technology, innovation and digital transformation to become new drivers of economic growth.
Prof. Huang Rihan of Huaqiao University in China’s Fujian province said the Vietnamese leader’s address highlighted three major crises currently facing the world - the crisis of the international order, the crisis of development models, and the crisis of strategic trust.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang said that alongside the robust growth of relations between the two countries, defence cooperation has continued to develop extensively and intensively, becoming increasingly practical and effective.
Adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 24, 2024, and opened for signature in Hanoi in October 2025, the convention is the first global multilateral treaty dedicated to combating cybercrime.
The visits also took place at a time when the Philippines is serving as ASEAN Chair in 2026, Singapore is preparing to assume the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2027, and Vietnam is set to host the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in 2027.
Ngo Phuong Ly, spouse of Party General Secretary and State President To Lam, expressed her emotion at seeing the children’s optimism despite difficult circumstances, noting that both Vietnam and the Philippines place children at the centre of their development policies, from education, health care to child protection.
Party General Secretary and State President To Lam, his spouse and a high-level Vietnamese delegation departed Manila on June 1, concluding a successful state visit to the Republic of the Philippines from May 31 to June 1 at the invitation of Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. and his spouse.
Participants reviewed rental housing demand in each area, considering different market segments and target groups. They also examined the gap between supply and demand, and pinpointed issues in policy frameworks.
Vietnam and the Philippines have agreed to elevate their relationship to an Enhanced Strategic Partnership, opening a new phase of cooperation in politics, defence and security, economic ties and other key areas.
Vietnam and the Philippines on June 1 issued a Joint Statement on the Enhanced Strategic Partnership during General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and State President To Lam’s state visit to the Philippines.
Economic cooperation between Vietnam and the Philippines should move to a new level, with greater emphasis on quality, depth and substance, as the two countries seek to maximise opportunities under their newly upgraded Enhanced Strategic Partnership.
Party General Secretary and State President To Lam and his spouse are paying state visit to the Philippines from May 31 to June 1 at the invitation of President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. and his spouse.
General Secretary and President To Lam encouraged the Vietnamese in the Philippines to remain united, abide by local laws, contribute practically to the homeland and continue fostering friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
By moving from crisis response to proactive risk reduction, Vietnam has positioned itself as a responsible and mature “architect” of regional peace, said a Malaysia-based expert.
The President Ho Chi Minh monument in the ASEAN Garden holds profound historical, cultural, and diplomatic significance, reflecting the friendship between Vietnam and the Philippines, as well as the solidarity within the ASEAN community.
The trip demonstrates Vietnam's high regard for its friendship and cooperation with the Philippines, as well as with ASEAN and the Southeast Asian region.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and State President To Lam on May 30 met with leaders of major Singaporean corporations, technology companies, financial institutions and banks with long-standing investments and business operations in Vietnam.
General Secretary and President Lam expressed his hope that the community will remain united, preserve the Vietnamese language and cultural identity, and strengthen ties with the homeland.
The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in emerging and high-potential fields, including digital transformation, green economy, clean energy transition, new technologies, innovation, smart finance, supply chain resilience, financial centre development and food security.
At the A*STAR Model Factory, one of Singapore’s flagship research and application facilities for smart industry, innovation and digital transformation in production, General Secretary and President Lam expressed his impression of Singapore’s approach in creating conditions for enterprises to directly test technologies before making large-scale investments.