Addressing the opening session of the 13th Party Congress in Hanoi, Party General Secretary and State President Trong praised the country’s achievements in overcoming the socioeconomic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

Society as a whole had contributed to overcoming difficulties and recording impressive achievements, he said.

While the global economy suffered a recession in 2020 and recorded negative growth rate of almost 4 percent because of the pandemic, Vietnam's GDP grew 2.91 percent. While the growth was the lowest in a decade, Vietnam remained one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.

In achieving its dual goals of ensuring economic growth and containing Covid-19 Vietnam has been more than once been praised as a role model by the international community, he noted.

Trong said that the nation’s efforts in dealing with the aftermath of a series of floods and landslides, which lasted throughout last October in central Vietnam, were also noteworthy. Life had been brought back to normal in quick time for the residents, he said.

"Results achieved during the term of the 12th Party congress are of particular importance as they contribute to reinforcing trust and confidence, creating a momentum for the entire society to continue to overcome difficulties and challenges, and take advantage of favorable opportunities to take the country into a new period of development."

The Party leader said that in the 35 years since Doi Moi, the economic renovation policy adopted in 1986 that opened Vietnam’s economy to the world, the nation has recorded historically significant achievements. It had developed more strongly and comprehensively compared to the years before the policy’s introduction.

For that, Trong set the target for the nation to make efforts "to become a developed country by mid-21st century."

"With all humility, we can now say that our country has never had such fortune, potential international position and prestige as it does today," Trong said. This fact should be included in the draft document for the congress to discuss, and if possible, become a conclusion for the 13th congress, he added.

The 13th Party Congress has attracted the highest participation so far, with 1,587 delegates representing 5.1 million Party members from around the country.

The nine-day premier political event in the country will select new leadership for the Party, State and National Assembly for the next five years, besides finalizing socio-economic development policies for 2021-25 and orientations until 2030 with a vision towards 2045.