The year 2012 saw Vietnam working hard to struggle against impactsfrom the world’s economic slowdown and internal difficulties, whileaccelerating its international integration process.
The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) has selected the top ten events during a hectic year as follows:
1. The Resolution of the 11th Party Central Committee’s fourthmeeting on urgent issues in Party building was deployed widely anddeeply in the spirit of strictness, willingness to learn, and in aconstructive manner among the Party, from top leaders to each member ofthe Party, aiming at heightening the leadership and combative capacityof the Party and consolidating people’s trust in the Party.
2.The 13 th National Assembly (NA) approved a number of important lawsand resolutions at its third and fourth sessions. They are the Law ofthe Sea of Vietnam, the Resolution on organising a referendum ondraft amendments to the 1992 Constitution and the Resolution onconducting votes of confidence on officials holding important positionselected or approved by the NA or People’s Councils.
3. Themacro-economy was kept stable and inflation rate was kept at a singledigit, at 6.8 percent for 2012 compared to nearly 19 percent in 2011.The country earned a record export value of nearly 115 billion USD andexported 8 million tonnes of rice, the largest ever volume.
Thegovernment has continued to take measures to restructure the nationaleconomy. However, difficulties remained such as bad debts, a frozen realestate market and large numbers of businesses halting operations ordissolved, leaving negative impacts on the country’s socio-economicdevelopment.
4. The year 2012 was marked by hecticdiplomatic activities with 49 high-ranking foreign delegations visitingVietnam while 37 high-ranking Vietnamese delegations made visits toother countries and attended international conferences.
In particular, 2012 is designated as the Vietnam-Laos Solidarity andFriendship Year to mark the 50 th anniversary of the two countries’diplomatic ties (September 5, 1962-2012) and the 35 th year since thesigning of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Cooperation Treaty (July 18,1977-2012). Many practical activities have been conducted, reflectingthe special solidarity, friendship and comprehensive cooperation betweenVietnam and Laos .
5. The Ho Chi Minh CommunistYouth Union, the largest organisation of young people in Vietnam,held the 10 th National Congress, themed “Youth: aspirations forbuilding the nation”, in Hanoi from December 12-14. The congressshowed the political determination of Vietnamese youth to undertake avital role in building and defending the country in the renewal process.
6. Drastic, uniform measures were employed toconsolidate the observance of traffic law and traffic safety rules. Inparticular, many vital transport infrastructural facilities were builtin big cities during 2012, which was billed as the Year of TrafficSafety. These measures have helped reduce traffic congestions as well astraffic accidents, their fatalities and injuries by 5-10 percentcompared to the targets set by the National Assembly.
7.The Son La hydropower plant was accomplished three years ahead ofschedule. The six-turbine Son La hydropower plant with a combinedcapacity of 2,400 MW was entirely designed and built by Vietnam andis the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia to date.
However,in the wake of a series of incidents at hydro power dams, especially atthe Song Tranh 2 hydro power project in the central province ofQuang Nam, the Government has instructed that inspections beconducted at small- and medium-sized hydropower plants nationwide toassess their safety, economic efficiency and environmental impacts.
8.For the first time ever all Vietnamese students competing ininternational competitions on school subjects have won medals, includingfive golds, 15 silvers and 11 bronzes and the first prize at the IntelInternational Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF).
9.The unique practice of worshipping Hung Kings in the northern midlandprovince of Phu Tho was recognised by UNESCO as an IntangibleCultural Heritage of Humankind on December 6. This is the first ritualheritage in the world that has been recognised by UNESCO.
10. The Vietnamese football squad was disqualified right in the firstround of the ASEAN football championship, AFF Suzuki Cup 2012, whichtook place in Singapore from November 24 to December 22. The teamearned only one point after three matches, which was the heaviestfailure for the squad since it first competed in the event. It reflectedthe serious crisis in the country’s professional football that callsfor a strong and complete overhaul.-VNA
The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) has selected the top ten events during a hectic year as follows:
1. The Resolution of the 11th Party Central Committee’s fourthmeeting on urgent issues in Party building was deployed widely anddeeply in the spirit of strictness, willingness to learn, and in aconstructive manner among the Party, from top leaders to each member ofthe Party, aiming at heightening the leadership and combative capacityof the Party and consolidating people’s trust in the Party.
2.The 13 th National Assembly (NA) approved a number of important lawsand resolutions at its third and fourth sessions. They are the Law ofthe Sea of Vietnam, the Resolution on organising a referendum ondraft amendments to the 1992 Constitution and the Resolution onconducting votes of confidence on officials holding important positionselected or approved by the NA or People’s Councils.
3. Themacro-economy was kept stable and inflation rate was kept at a singledigit, at 6.8 percent for 2012 compared to nearly 19 percent in 2011.The country earned a record export value of nearly 115 billion USD andexported 8 million tonnes of rice, the largest ever volume.
Thegovernment has continued to take measures to restructure the nationaleconomy. However, difficulties remained such as bad debts, a frozen realestate market and large numbers of businesses halting operations ordissolved, leaving negative impacts on the country’s socio-economicdevelopment.
4. The year 2012 was marked by hecticdiplomatic activities with 49 high-ranking foreign delegations visitingVietnam while 37 high-ranking Vietnamese delegations made visits toother countries and attended international conferences.
In particular, 2012 is designated as the Vietnam-Laos Solidarity andFriendship Year to mark the 50 th anniversary of the two countries’diplomatic ties (September 5, 1962-2012) and the 35 th year since thesigning of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Cooperation Treaty (July 18,1977-2012). Many practical activities have been conducted, reflectingthe special solidarity, friendship and comprehensive cooperation betweenVietnam and Laos .
5. The Ho Chi Minh CommunistYouth Union, the largest organisation of young people in Vietnam,held the 10 th National Congress, themed “Youth: aspirations forbuilding the nation”, in Hanoi from December 12-14. The congressshowed the political determination of Vietnamese youth to undertake avital role in building and defending the country in the renewal process.
6. Drastic, uniform measures were employed toconsolidate the observance of traffic law and traffic safety rules. Inparticular, many vital transport infrastructural facilities were builtin big cities during 2012, which was billed as the Year of TrafficSafety. These measures have helped reduce traffic congestions as well astraffic accidents, their fatalities and injuries by 5-10 percentcompared to the targets set by the National Assembly.
7.The Son La hydropower plant was accomplished three years ahead ofschedule. The six-turbine Son La hydropower plant with a combinedcapacity of 2,400 MW was entirely designed and built by Vietnam andis the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia to date.
However,in the wake of a series of incidents at hydro power dams, especially atthe Song Tranh 2 hydro power project in the central province ofQuang Nam, the Government has instructed that inspections beconducted at small- and medium-sized hydropower plants nationwide toassess their safety, economic efficiency and environmental impacts.
8.For the first time ever all Vietnamese students competing ininternational competitions on school subjects have won medals, includingfive golds, 15 silvers and 11 bronzes and the first prize at the IntelInternational Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF).
9.The unique practice of worshipping Hung Kings in the northern midlandprovince of Phu Tho was recognised by UNESCO as an IntangibleCultural Heritage of Humankind on December 6. This is the first ritualheritage in the world that has been recognised by UNESCO.
10. The Vietnamese football squad was disqualified right in the firstround of the ASEAN football championship, AFF Suzuki Cup 2012, whichtook place in Singapore from November 24 to December 22. The teamearned only one point after three matches, which was the heaviestfailure for the squad since it first competed in the event. It reflectedthe serious crisis in the country’s professional football that callsfor a strong and complete overhaul.-VNA
