Vientiane (VNA) - Vietnamese citizens living in Laos havehigh hopes for the ongoing 13th National Congress of the Communist Party ofVietnam (CPV), saying they have full faith that the Party’s wise leadershipwill take the country to new heights in the years to come.

Duong Dinh Bang, chief representative of the State-run Vietnam RubberGroup in Laos, said he is proud of what Vietnam has achieved over the years, addingthat over the last five years the country has recorded remarkable achievementsin socio-economic affairs, defence and security, and diplomacy, raising itsposition on the international stage.

He appreciates Vietnam’s success in not only containing COVID-19 butalso maintaining positive economic growth in 2020, making it one of only a fewcountries in the world to do so. This reflects the CPV’s sound leadership andthe determination of all Vietnamese people, he said.

He expects the Party will putforward innovative plans for future socio-economic development, to enable thecountry to thrive further and fulfill all of the goals set for the next fiveyears and beyond.

He proposed the government create a better business climate by establishingpreferential funds for enterprises, and develop transport infrastructurebetween Vietnam and Laos to facilitate the bilateral trade of goods. He alsosuggested the government adopt new support policies to pave the way forVietnamese investors seeking opportunities in priority areas in Laos.

Nguyen Thi Nuong, an elderly Lao-Vietnamese woman living in Vientiane,said she is always impressed by the rapid changes she sees in Vietnam everytime she visits her homeland. “Without the Party, there is no [Vietnam] today,”she said.

She highlighted anti-corruption as the country’s most significantachievement, saying the Party and Government have played an exemplary anddecisive role in such efforts. She also voiced a hope that this fight will bemore drastic and successful following the 13th National Party Congress.

Speaking highly of the attention paid by the Party and State toVietnamese religious practices in foreign countries, Most Venerable Thich MinhQuang, head monk at Phat Tich Pagoda in Vientiane, said they have provided all necessaryconditions for the development of Buddhism as well as traditional culture amongVietnamese people abroad.

Over the last five years, the Party has guided the country through allkinds of hardships to sustain economic growth and promote people’s collectivestrength in combating COVID-19, he said, adding that this has built great trustamong overseas Vietnamese monks and citizens.

Tran Minh Khoi from the Mekong River Commission (MRC), meanwhile, voicedhis hope that the new Party leadership will continue ensuring politicalstability in Vietnam, which in turn will lay a solid foundation for strongereconomic growth. He also has high hopes for the documents to be adopted by the congress,which will set out the country’s future over the next 5-10 years and beyond./.