Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam seems to be an only bright spot in Asia, which ablybalanced public health and economics right from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,according to Manila Times of the Philippines.

In an article published on December 3, Manila Times praised Vietnam’s efforts inthe fight against the health crisis.

The article cited the World Bank’s forecast that Vietnam’s economy would grow by2.8 percent in 2020, even as its Asian neighbours struggle to recover from theongoing crisis.

Meanwhile, the Nikkei Asia of Japan stressed that Vietnam has succeeded inkeeping the pandemic under control.

The country’s achievement in fightingCOVID-19 has helped the country reduce the pandemic’s impact on its economy asmanufacturing has resumed faster than it did elsewhere in the region, joblosses were limited, and consumer spending, which accounts for 70 percent ofGDP, has remained solid.

Vietnam’s exports grew 9.9percent on the year in October to 26.7 billion USD, it noted.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects that Vietnam’s per capita GDP islikely to reach 3,498 USD in 2020.

According to Sonny Africa, Executive Director of Ibon Foundation- a Philippines-based non-profit research, education and information-development institution,said the key to Vietnam's success amid the health crisis is its ways to notonly contain the spread of pandemic but also to keep its economy afloat.

Vietnam opened up its economy but ensured State ownership and control ofstrategic enterprises in agriculture, mining, telecommunications, railways,chemicals, water, oil, electricity, cement, steel and other heavy industries,as well as banking and finance, he said.

The scholar also took notethat Vietnam considers foreign investment a driver of development, with the FDIflows into the country increasing strongly over the past three years./.