Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam News Agency(VNA) has selected the top 10 outstanding events in Vietnam in 2020.

1. Successfullyorganising Congresses of centrally-run Party organisations; completing documentsand personnel plans for the 13th National Party Congress

In implementing Directive No 35-CT/TW of the Politburo,all 67 centrally-run Party organisations conducted their congresses for the 2020-2025tenure at an earlier time than in the last three tenures in line with regulationsand with high quality amid difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic and naturaldisasters such as storms and flooding. In three sessions held throughout the year,the Party Central Committee received and studied opinions contributed by Party membersand the people to complete all documents and reach a high level of consensus onpersonnel plans being submitted to the 13th National Party Congress.

Party organisations have promoted democracy and brainpowerto identify opportunities and challenges, thus establishing orientations, tasks,and strategic breakthroughs as well as suitable solutions with a high level of feasibilityfor the next five years. The number of members in Party committees has been reducedbut they still maintained good structure and quality.

2.Vietnam a bright spot in the world in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic

With unity and determination in the entire political systemand the people, Vietnam has brought the COVID-19 pandemic largely under control.As of December 25 morning, the country had 1,433 infections with 1,281 recoveries,while the world has seen around 80 million cases and more than 1.7 million fatalities.Right from the beginning of the outbreak, leaders of the Party and State havebeen resolved to “fight the pandemic like fighting the enemy”, and remained faithfulto the motto of “preventing; detecting; quarantining; stamping out; effectivelytreating”, to “protect the health and lives of the people”. As a result, Vietnamhas been recognised by the world as a bright spot in the pandemic fight.

Besides its success in treatment, Vietnam also successfullyisolated the SARS-CoV-2 virus in February and began human trials of a COVID-19 vaccinein late December.

3. Multilateraldiplomacy makes important imprints

In 2020, Vietnamsuccessfully performed the roles of ASEAN Chair 2020, President of the 41st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-ParliamentaryAssembly (AIPA-41), and non-permanent member of the UNSecurity Council in the 2020-2021 tenure, actively making contributions to the buildingand shaping of multilateral institutions.

In a “cohesive and responsive” spirit, Vietnam organisedthe 36th and 37th ASEAN Summits and related meetingsonline and semi-online, presenting 13 initiatives to control COVID-19 and implementingthe ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework. The 37th ASEANSummit adopted more than 80 documents, the highest number passed at an ASEAN summit,including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

As a non-permanent member ofthe UN Security Council, Vietnam proposed initiatives to organise the first opendiscussion on UN-ASEAN cooperation, with the theme “Upholding the UN Charter toMaintain International Peace and Security”, and set the date of December 27 as InternationalDay of Epidemic Preparedness.

4. GDP growth expands in the context of severe global economicdownturn

As the global economy fell intosevere crisis due to the impact of COVID-19, Vietnam was one of only a few countriesto maintain economic growth, with GDP rising 2-3 percent. The economy has seen anumber of bright signs, such as a record trade surplus of more than 20 billion USDand 2,500 foreign-invested projects worth nearly 15 billion USD. About 180,000 newcompanies were set up or existing companies resumed operations, up 0.9 percent year-on-year.The disbursement of public investment posted the highest increase in the 2011-2020period, of more than 90 percent.

These outcomes result from the efforts of the entirepolitical system and all economic sectors in implementing the twin targets of preventingthe pandemic and boosting economic development, as well as from Vietnam joiningnew generation free trade agreements, including the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement(EVFTA), which took effect on August 1.

5. Severe storms, flooding, and landslides hit the centralregion, with 249 dead or missing

Seven consecutive storms hitVietnam’s central region in October and November, bringing unprecedented torrentialrains, leading to widespread flooding that caused the death or missing of 249 people.Some 50,000 ha of rice and crops were destroyed, while more than 4.5 million headsof livestock drowned. There were also 149,000 ha of forest affected, while a rangeof infrastructure and civil works were damaged.

Devastating flooding and landslidesat the Rao Trang 3 hydropower project in Thua Thien-Hue province, Nam Tra My andPhuoc Son districts in Quang Nam province and Huong Hoa district in Quang Tri killedmany and left others missing, causing devastating losses to the localities.

6. Strict disciplining of senior officials committing lawviolations continues

The Party Central Committee,the Politburo, and the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat and Inspection Commissionhanded down strict disciplinary measures to many senior officials under theParty Central Committee’s management in 2020, including two members and one formermember of the Politburo and five members and former members of the Party CentralCommittee, for their wrongdoings relating to corruption cases and other violations.

Investigations into a numberof very serious and complex cases were sped up, including those relating to theHai Thanh company, the Vietnam People’s Navy, Mobifone, Vietnam SocialSecurity, BIDV, Sacombank, and the Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel Corporation, as wellas violations in land management and the management and use of State property inHCM City and Da Nang city. The ratio of asset reclamations increased.

7. Breakthroughs in national digital transformation programme

The National Digital TransformationProgramme to 2025 and vision to 2030 was approved by the Prime Minister with theaim of making Vietnam a digital country with stability and prosperity and pioneeringnew technologies and models by 2030. The programme targets the twin goals of developinge-government, e-economy, and e-society, and forming digital technology businesseswith global competitiveness. The Government has defined “Make in Vietnam” technologiesas the foundation for digital transformation, which are expected to help the countrytake advantage of technology to post breakthrough growth and become a strong technologycountry over the next five years.

In realising the goal of developinge-government, the National Public Service Portal provided more than 2,650 onlinepublic services during the year, along with 6,700 administrative procedures at fourlevels.

8. For the first time, Vietnam launches a framework programmeof general education with several sets of textbooks

Vietnam introduced a new generaleducation programme for first graders in the 2020-2021 school year, with anumber of different textbooks that follow the same general education framework,thus realising the policy of mobilising social efforts in compiling textbooks andeliminating monopolies in textbook publishing and distribution.

Unreasonable prices of some textbooksalong with problems with the use of language in others caused public concern,however. The Ministry of Education and Training has accepted public opinion andadjusted the content of some textbooks.

9. Vietnamrecords a miracle by conducting world’s first limb transplant from a live donor

On February 24, the Central MilitaryHospital 108 announced that it had successfully performed the world’s first limbtransplant, a hand, from a live donor. It was also the first limb transplant inSoutheast Asia.

The HCM City Children’s Hospital1 also successfully separated conjoined twins Truc Nhi and Dieu Nhi, with the sistersnow able to walk on their own.

10. DakNong Geopark joins the network of UNESCO Global Geoparks

On July 7, the United NationsEducational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) recognised the Dak NongGeopark as a global geopark. In the Central Highlands, the park has some 65 heritagesites, including craters, a network of 50 volcanic caves stretching a total lengthof 10 km, and waterfalls. It also boasts interesting culture, natural geology, andtraces of early human life.

The Dong Van Karst Plateau Geoparkin Ha Giang and the Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark in Cao Bang province were previouslyrecognised as global geoparks./.