Starting from an underdeveloped country with low-level economic, social and law background, severe aftermath of wars and sanctions, our country ushered in the progress of development with numberless difficulties. Nevertheless, under the Party’s leadership, in spite of limitations in social life, it could be said that up to now, Vietnam has achieved comprehensive development in the economic, political, cultural, social, defence and security fields, and made significant contributions to the development of human beings, which has been acknowledged by the international community.

In the 30-year reform, thanks to sound guideline on economic development, Vietnam has gained impressive achievements highly appreciated by the international community. After 10 years of the reform (until 1996), the country had overcome socio-economic crisis; 25 years later (until 2010), it had changed from an underdeveloped country into middle-income one. In the 2001-2010 period, it witnessed the economy’s rapid growth of 7.26% per year. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 2010 per capita on purchasing reached $101.6 billion, 3.26 times as much as that of 2000. In the 2011-2015 period, due to the world’s financial crisis and economic downturn, the Vietnam’s economy encountered difficulties that slowed down its growth. However, the average growth rate was rather good, estimated to reach 5.8%. GDP of 2015 was around $204 billion, per capita income was $2,200. That development is sustainable and rather good in comparison with other countries in the region and the world. Accordingly, after 15 years of implementing the Millennium Goals (2000-2015), Vietnam was one of the 6 countries who achieved identified goals in which there were 3 goals achieved before the deadline, namely hunger eradication and poverty reduction, popularization of primary education, and promotion of gender equality and status of women.

As for hunger eradication, poverty reduction, while there remain 1.4 billion people living in grinding poverty and 900 million suffering from endless hunger, Vietnam decreased its poverty rate from 60% before the reform (since 1986) to 9.5% in 2011, 7.5% in 2013, and below 5% in 2015. Our State determined that in the 2016-2020 period, we would change the way to measure poverty, from uni-dimension to multi-dimension which bases on income and accessibility of basic social services, such as heath, education, accommodation, information, and pure water. Thus, the United Nations (UN) considered Vietnam as an example in the implementation of Millennium Goals. Mrs. Pratibha Mehta, UN Coordinator to Vietnam, said that “few countries could achieve results as Vietnam”.

In addition, Vietnam has gained achievements of utmost importance in human rights. Basic human rights in all fields have been promoted; spiritual and material life of the people has been increasingly improved. In political field alone, during the reform, Vietnam promulgated the 1992 Constitution, the 2013 Constitution, and a series of codes, laws, and ordinances to complete the socialist ruled-by-law State and heighten supreme role of the Constitution and law in social life. On that basis, organization and operation of the National Assembly, Government, juridical organs, and local authorities at levels were innovated so as to build and bring into play social democracy, ensuring all powers of the State of the people, by the people, and for the people. Policies on ethnicity, beliefs, and religion were guaranteed in reality. As a result, Vietnam was first elected to the UN Human Rights Council (2014-2016 term) by a vote of 184/192.

In the process of reform, the Party and the State of Vietnam has adopted various policies and measures to strengthen and extend international cooperation and mutual relations. Also, we have joined multilateral organizations, such as ASEAN, APEC, ASEM, WTO, particularly the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and EU. Up to now, Vietnam has ratified most of the international conventions, established diplomatic relations with 170 countries (establishing strategic partnership with 15 countries), trade relations with 230 countries and territories, and signed over 90 mutual trade agreements on encouragement and reciprocal protection of investments. Accordingly, Vietnam has brought into play internal force, and has taken advantage of external force and achievements of the world science and technology to develop and modernize the country.

It is not accidental that in the UN Summit for the adoption of 2016-2030 Millennium Development Goals held on October 2015, Vietnam was assessed as a symbol for national independence struggle as well as an example of economic development and hunger eradication, poverty reduction. That was an objective evaluation of Vietnam’s achievements under the Party’s leadership and its devotion to the development and progress of the international community, which was undeniable.

All the things mentioned above once again prove that in Vietnam, the Communist Party of Vietnam is the only force who has efficient capability and intellect to organize and lead the Vietnamese revolution to victory, building Vietnam into “a wealthy people, a powerful nation, and a democratic, equitable, and civilized society”. That will help completely refute political opportunists and hostile forces’ distortion, incitement, sabotage against our Party - a Party of the people, of the Vietnamese revolution and nation.

Thuong Vu