Hanoi (VNA) – Party General SecretaryNguyen Phu Trong on January 25 chaired a get-together and extended New Yearwishes to all veteran revolutionaries, leaders and former leaders of the Party,State, the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF), and the whole people, soldiers andoverseas Vietnamese.
Attendees at the event included former Party GeneralSecretaries Le Kha Phieu and Nong Duc Manh, President Tran Dai Quang, formerPresident Tran Duc Luong, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, National Assembly(NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, former NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung and VFFPresident Nguyen Thien Nhan, and others.
Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong highlightedthe country’s noticeable events in 2016, the first year of the implementationof the 12th Party Congress’s Resolution, such as the successful organisation ofthe Party Congress, and the elections of deputies to the 14th National Assemblyand to the People’s Councils at all levels for the 2016 - 2021 tenure.
He emphasised outstanding economic achievementsrecorded in the past year, including maintaining macro-economic stability, curbinginflation and an economic growth rate of 6.21 percent.
Currency reserves reached 41 billion USD, the highest level so far; thedisbursement of foreign direct investment reached 15.8 billion USD; 110,000 enterpriseswere newly established; the number of international tourists hit record of 10million and the volume of local tourists was 62 million.
Besides, social welfare and people’s spiritual andmaterial life were improved, while efforts on poverty reduction, policiestowards those who rendered service to the country, and people’s healthcare wereimplemented.
Encouraging results were also recorded in externalactivities and international integration, helping improve the country’sprestige and position on the international arena.
Security and defence were strengthened, while thefight against corruption and wastefulness was increased with severe corruptioncases brought to trial.
The results achieved in the past year are veryimportant, thus contributing to the implementation of the next five-year plan(2016-2020), the Party leader said.
Party leader also expressed his gratefulness to peopleand soldiers, overseas Vietnamese who made contributions to the country’srevolutionary cause. He also extended his thanks and best wishes to soldierswho are safeguarding the country’s sovereignty.
He took this opportunities to thank internationalorganisations and friends for their help and support for Vietnam in its development.
The Party chief indicated that 2017 is the second yearof the implementation of the 12th Party Congress’s Resolution in the context ofthe country’s extensive international integration.
He called on the whole political system and people tomake great efforts in completing assigned tasks to move Vietnam forwards on allsectors from the economy, international integration to culture, education,science-technology and the environment.
💯 The same day, NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Nganextended her New Year wishes to senior officials and employees of the NA Officeand thanked them for efforts they made in 2016.-VNA

▨ Pre-Tet visits paid to former State leaders, the poor
A Hanoi delegation visited former Party, State and National Assembly leaders on the threshold of the Lunar New Year (Tet).