The first sweet fruit is that the country has maintained strong economic growth, with year-on-year increase of 6.78%, in the context of the global fragile economic recovery. It has been successful in minimizing negative impacts of the global financial crisis and economic downturn to attain stability and strong growth momentum.

Việt Nam manages to maintain a strong economic momentum throughout 2010

Local media like Việt Nam News Agency, the Voice of Việt Nam, and New Hà Nội (Hà Nội Mới) picked it out as the country’s top economic event.

The first sweet fruit is that the country has maintained strong economic growth, with year-on-year increase of 6.78%, in the context of the global fragile economic recovery. It has been successful in minimizing negative impacts of the global financial crisis and economic downturn to attain stability and strong growth momentum.

Local media like Việt Nam News Agency, the Voice of Việt Nam, and New Hà Nội (Hà Nội Mới) picked it out as the country’s top economic event.

Next, grass-roots Party congresses held successfully in the whole country, a good preparation for the upcoming National Party Congress, are considered the most remarkable political event this years.

The congresses focused on reviewing large-scaled performance of the country during the past five years and shaping orientations and tasks of sectors and localities in 2011-2015 period.

The draft documents to be submitted to the upcoming 11^th National Party Congress were first shown to the public for discussion and comments. 

PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng and other ASEAN leaders to the 17th ASEAN Summit, Hà Nội, October 28, 2010 – Photo: VGP

The third highlight should be Việt Nam’s fulfillment of the ASEAN Chairmanship Year. State President Nguyễn Minh Triết noted that “2010 is a salient year of diplomatic achievements. Particularly, Việt Nam took over the ASEAN Chair at a time when the association’s role is becoming increasingly important and the member countries are working towards to the realization of ASEAN Community by 2015.

Việt Nam became the center of the world’s attention through successful organization of ASEAN Summits, East Asia Summit, and other 100 meetings and political events of the Association.

In terms of culture, the successful organization of the 1000^th founding anniversary of Thăng Long – Hà Nội sent the message of love and thirst for peace of Việt Nam to the world community.

The event is also a milestone in the city’s modern history. Its long-lasting traditions will be a launching pad for Hà Nội to develop stronger and more sustainable in the future.

The next is a series of heritages have been recognized by UNESCO, including the Thăng Long Imperial Citadel recognized as a world cultural heritage site, the Saint Gióng Festival in Phù Đổng and Sóc Temples, an intangible cultural heritage of humanity, and the 82 doctoral stone steles at the Temple of Literature, Việt Nam’s first university, recognized as a world documentary heritage.

Noticeably, professor Ngô Bảo Châu is the first Vietnamese mathematician who won the Fields Medal. The noble prize will surely consolidate the belief that Vietnamese people are intelligent enough to seize the world’s peaks of science and technology.

A group of men upholding red flags parade at Ba Đình Square on the closing day of the Grand Ceremony of 1000th birthday anniversary of Thăng Long - Hà Nội, December 10, 2010 – Photo: VGP

Seventhly, administrative procedure reform continued being the most important component of administrative reform, playing a driving force for economic growth. In the year, the World Bank ranked Việt Nam among top ten innovative economies. Its business environment advanced ten ranks against 2009.

The two important constructions were put into operation, namely the first turbine of the Sơn La Hydroelectricity Plant and Dung Quất Oil Refinery Plant

The first turbine with total capacity of 2,400MW came into operation on December 17, providing electricity to the national grid two years ahead of schedule.

Meanwhile, the oil refinery plant with total investment of over US $3 billion and designed capacity of 6.5 million tons per year will meet one third of the country’s petroleum demand.

Another highlight is that the Central Region suffered from extremely heavy rain and flood during the past 100 years. Prolonged torrential flood in October and November in almost the central region caused serious economic damages and human losses.

Last but not least, the Government decided to restructure Vinashin Group, demonstrating its continued efforts to turn the ship-building industry into the spearhead sector of the national economy and carry out the country’s maritime strategy.