Currently, the international and regional situation is changing rapidly, complexly and unpredictably; the impact of climate change makes natural disasters and epidemics increasingly severe. These factors not only negatively affect people's lives but also affect the economic development of each country.
However, under the wise leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, over the past year, Vietnam has achieved positive progress in socio-economic development and foreign relations.
VNA reporter in Vientiane had an exclusive interview with Mr. Dao Xuan Lai, Deputy Chief Representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Laos, about those meaningful achievements of Vietnam.
Regarding socio-economic development, Mr. Dao Xuan Lai said that Vietnam has made a breakthrough in development, has innovated economic thinking, from a planned economy to a socialist-oriented market economy. This is the key point in the success of Vietnam's economy.
He said that after nearly 40 years of Doi Moi, the size of Vietnam's economy has reached 430 billion USD by 2023, among the 40 largest economies in the world and especially among the top 5 economies in ASEAN. The average gross domestic product (GDP) per capita has reached nearly 4,300 USD and the poverty rate according to the multidimensional poverty standard is now only 2.9%.
These are very encouraging results, especially with Vietnam's starting point being a backward agricultural economy, reaching only 26.3 billion USD in the 80s of the last century.
Vietnam has deeply integrated into the international community, creating an open economy and increasing export turnover as well as attracting investment. Vietnam's open economy is very large, one of the five most open economies in the market.
Vietnam has economic and trade relations with 230 countries and territories. In particular, Vietnam has participated in more than 500 bilateral and multilateral agreements, including 17 free trade agreements, including the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
This is a very encouraging sign, especially since Vietnam's total export turnover is estimated to reach 800 billion USD this year, double the GDP, and Vietnam focuses on attracting foreign investment.
Regarding foreign direct investment (FDI), in the first 11 months of 2024 alone, Vietnam attracted about 31.4 billion USD, especially in the processing and manufacturing industry.
According to Mr. Dao Xuan Lai, in the transformation of the economic growth and industrialization model, Vietnam has shifted from reducing the agricultural sector to a more modern service and industrial sector. When the Vietnamese economy shifts like that, it will help promote the increase of added value of the economy as well as the economic sectors of Vietnam.
It is important that Vietnam's economy ensures inclusive development, leaving no one behind. Vietnam has created a mechanism of autonomy for the people, the participation and benefit of the people as well as businesses, so that businesses and people do not rely on and expect from outside. Especially promoting agricultural development, promoting the development of small and medium enterprises in Vietnam.
Regarding integration and diplomacy, Mr. Dao Xuan Lai affirmed that Vietnam has made very positive progress. Vietnam's international position and prestige in the region as well as in the world are increasingly enhanced. Vietnam has made positive and responsible contributions to maintaining peace, cooperation, development and progress in the world. The Party, National Assembly, Government and people of Vietnam have been implementing an independent and comprehensive foreign policy, imbued with the identity of "Vietnamese bamboo".
Vietnam has established increasingly deep relations with all 193 countries and territories that are members of the United Nations (UN), including special relations with 3 countries, comprehensive strategic partnerships with 5 countries and strategic partnerships with 13 countries. This creates a very good premise and the Vietnamese National Assembly is also a member of Asian parliaments and the Inter-Parliamentary Union General Assembly. The Vietnam Fatherland Front and Vietnamese organizations also participate in practical foreign cooperation mechanisms with 1,200 people's organizations and foreign partners.
From the United Nations perspective, Mr. Dao Xuan Lai highly appreciated Vietnam's active and responsible role. Vietnam has participated in more than 70 international organizations, associations and forums, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and especially the United Nations.
Not only actively participating, Vietnam also has very practical contributions, especially when participating in the United Nations peacekeeping force, such as in South Sudan. These are very encouraging achievements in economic development as well as diplomatic integration of Vietnam.
Responding to the question about Vietnam's direction in the coming time to continue to maintain and develop the outstanding achievements that have been achieved, Mr. Dao Xuan Lai recommended that in terms of socio-economic development, Vietnam needs to continue to maintain political stability, macroeconomic and social stability. That is the "key" to creating trust with countries that Vietnam has cooperative relations with, as well as with international enterprises, so that they continue to invest in Vietnam.
Mr. Dao Xuan Lai also emphasized that Vietnam needs to focus on improving labor productivity, because this is a decisive factor in improving the competitiveness of the economy, as well as each enterprise. This point is very important, so the state will have to invest more strongly in training, improving the capacity and quality of workers.
In particular, Vietnam needs to create mechanisms and policies to promote innovation, research and application of more effective technologies, or increase investment in production capital more strongly, as well as reform wage policies.
Assessing that Vietnam is carrying out a “revolution” in technology and administration, Mr. Dao Xuan Lai believes that this process will help Vietnam promote salary and income reform to motivate workers to improve work performance. More specifically, it is necessary to build mechanisms to help limit financial barriers so that businesses have conditions to develop more strongly.
He said that according to current estimates from the World Bank, Vietnam's labor productivity is still relatively low, only about 30% of Singapore's. These are the details that the government and businesses need to address. In addition, Vietnam needs to further promote its key role in the global supply chain and assert a larger role in becoming a leader and participating more deeply in the higher value product chain.
Above all, Vietnam must focus on new economic sectors, emerging economies, such as digital economy, digital technology economy, artificial intelligence (AI) or semiconductors. Vietnam must focus more on developing “Made in Vietnam” products to be able to export and become a leader in a number of new fields.
Commenting that Vietnam is currently focusing too much on labor-intensive industries and developing low-cost production advantages, Mr. Dao Xuan Lai said that Vietnam needs to change and transition to developing industries with better added value.
Regarding ensuring a balance between socio-economic and environmental development, this is an area that Vietnam needs to focus on, especially in the context of climate change and environmental impacts today. Ensuring a balance between socio-economic development and the environment, green growth and green economy are new potentials that Vietnam can promote, avoiding the "trap" of relying too much on resource exploitation for development.
Vietnam needs to focus on sustainable values to promote a green economy, using renewable resources, of which Vietnam's strengths are solar and wind energy, and promoting a circular economy. These directions will help Vietnam's economy develop more sustainably to move towards the vision and achieve the goal by 2045.
Regarding integration and diplomacy, Mr. Dao Xuan Lai affirmed that Vietnam's diplomacy has been playing a pivotal role. Vietnam continues to promote its position and multilateral diplomatic methods, is ready to be friends with many countries and proactively cooperate with many countries, as well as international organizations and associations.
In the era of Vietnam, diplomacy continues to play a proactive role, but Vietnam needs multi-sectoral cooperation and multi-sectoral diplomacy based on the experiences that Vietnam has had, namely vaccine diplomacy, agricultural diplomacy, and tourism diplomacy.
Vietnam needs to further promote economic diplomacy, thereby opening up new markets, creating conditions for exporting “Made in Vietnam” products, creating new markets for domestic enterprises to export goods, thereby being more proactive in adapting to and leading global supply chains.
Vietnam has certain technologies and is moving towards being able to proactively produce some new products. Vietnam is currently participating quite actively in a number of international and regional discussions. Vietnam needs to be more proactive and participate more deeply in dialogue activities with many countries in the world.
Regarding participation in seminars and development orientation for countries, in nearly 40 years of development, Vietnam has a lot of experience in attracting investment, orienting investment in business development, as well as institutional reform, and such experiences are very good lessons for Vietnam to contribute to developing countries.
Vietnam has had certain cooperative relationships, such as cooperation with African countries in technology transfer and agricultural development. There are many other areas such as industry, education and even defense, where Vietnam still needs to participate more actively.
Regarding global crises, including climate and environmental crises, Vietnam has been actively proposing strategies and practical measures. According to Mr. Dao Xuan Lai, Vietnam should be more proactive in participating in assessments and contributing its voice to global crises. He affirmed that Vietnam still has a lot of potential to enhance its position and prestige in the international arena in the coming time./.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/goc-nhin-chuyen-gia-nhung-thanh-tuu-an-tuong-cua-viet-nam-nam-2024-post1001630.vnp
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