Vietnam makes firm steps in post-pandemic recovery: expert
Vietnam has weathered the pandemic storm through a combination of strong yet flexible state leadership that won the confidence and trust of citizens, rapid and nimble response, and innovative use of technology, James Borton of the School of Advanced International Studies under Johns Hopkins University wrote in AsiaGlobal Online.
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has weathered the pandemicstorm through a combination of strong yet flexible state leadership that wonthe confidence and trust of citizens, rapid and nimble response, and innovativeuse of technology, James Borton of the School of Advanced International Studiesunder Johns Hopkins University wrote in AsiaGlobal Online.
According to the expert, in early 2020 when the COVID-19broke out, few expected Vietnam, a country with almost 100 millioncitizens and recognised as one of the youngest and fastest-growing economies inSoutheast Asia, to emerge as a successful model for pandemic preparedness andresponse.
He quoted Prof. Vu Thanh Van of the Academy of Journalism and Communication inHanoi as saying that effective policy communication and implementation led topublic trust in the government and resulted in citizens’ support for andcompliance with the government’s policy. The public trust in Vietnam’sgovernment during the pandemic is a good showcase for this relationship.
James Borton's article on AsiaGlobal Online (Screenshot)
James Borton also wrote that at the start of 2021, Vietnamwas struck by a fourth wave of infections, propelled by the highly transmissibleOmicron variant, which resulted in mandated closures of non-essential businessesand food and beverage outlets and limits on transportation services in citiesincluding Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Despite the economic hardships endured bycitizens, the government’s rollout of mass vaccination, which started in March2021, proved to be a significant pathway for the reopening of the country.
Another aspect of Vietnam’s COVID-19 response was thegovernment’s crackdown on pandemic-related corruption. This has includedcriminal prosecutions for abuse of power relating to the distribution ofcoronavirus testing kits.
A deputy foreign minister was arrested for allegedlyreceiving bribes in connection with the repatriation of Vietnamese strandedabroad. By allowing instances of graft by officials to be made public, the governmentand the Communist Party gained the confidence and trust of citizens not just intheir anti-COVID-19 efforts but also in their ongoing campaign against corruption.
The expert also said that the combination of an effectivepandemic policy coupled with anti-corruption measures has spurred the economytowards expansion of 7% this year as risks from the coronavirus recede.
Vietnam has also redoubled efforts to build trade andinvestment partnerships abroad.
The country’s reopening and its current trajectory towardsrobust economic recovery may be attributed to a strong sense of community andpatriotism and to the fluid and flexible yet resolute government leadership inresponse to the enormous challenges that the global pandemic posed. This pointsto the country’s emergence as a strong economic and strategic player in theregion, one of ASEAN’s leading member states and a much sought-after partner inthe world of great power competition, wrote James Borton./.
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which entered into force on January 1, 2022, is expected to boost Vietnam’s export and improve its access to large consumer markets, according Standard Chartered Bank.
Building stable labour supply chains with labourers put at the centre of all policies and emphasis laid on ensuring income and social security is one of the solutions to post-pandemic economic recovery, heard a seminar in the framework of the 4th Vietnam Economic Forum held in Ho Chi Minh City on June 5.
Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) need to beef up cooperation and investment in the post-COVID-19-pandemic period, said Joo Si-bo, president of the RoK-Vietnam economic cooperation association, at a conference in Seoul on June 24.
Tourism officials and National Assembly deputies share the view that a more open policy is needed to attract international tourists to Vietnam during post-pandemic recovery.
Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists’ Association (VJA) Le Quoc Minh has called for technology to be leveraged not to replace identity, but to enhance it—allowing Vietnamese journalism to reach both local and global audiences.
In recent years, with strong support from the Party and State, and building on its tradition as a heroic news agency, the VNA has not only actively participated in OANA but also proactively proposed various ideas for cooperation, helping shape a fresh image of effective media collaboration in the digital era, said VNA General Director Vu Viet Trang.
The education sector has been one of the foundations playing a vital role in deepening Vietnam – New Zealand ties, said Prof. Damon Salesa, Vice-Chancellor of the Auckland University of Technology (AUT).
Tien Giang province has addressed the housing needs of 608 poor, near-poor, and policy-beneficiary families facing housing difficulties. Of these, 370 houses were newly constructed while 238 underwent major renovations.
Dr Pham Minh Hung from the University of Economics and Business under Vietnam National University, Hanoi, said the fixed-term contract mechanism is a correct step, liberating the entire system from traditional constraints which have long stood in the way of innovation.
The partnership will focus on studying and recommending LRT routes that connect the city’s transport network with urban development zones, industrial parks, and TOD areas. The research will cover Thu Dau Mot city and surrounding areas, with completion scheduled before August 15, 2025.
Media must not only serve as a channel for information but also act as a vanguard in shaping public opinion, combating misinformation, upholding the Party’s ideological principles, and reinforcing unity between Vietnam and Laos.
In Vietnam, the voluntary blood donation movement was first launched on January 24, 1994. In 2008, the Prime Minister established the National Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation.
Currently, 20 Vietnamese citizens remain in Iran, including embassy staff and personnel. All are safe, mentally stable, and in regular contact with the embassy.
A VietnamPlus survey of 764 young people shows that 83.9% of Gen Z use smartphones to read news, only 12% use computers, and the rest access content via tablets.
GVB Startup 2025 attracted the participation of nearly 150 individuals and organisations from across Vietnam. The event seeks to promote bold and ambitious startup ideas and projects, contributing to the future of global innovation, and supporting startups through the provision of resources, networking opportunities, and market insights.
AI could not replace human judgment in verifying information and sensitive political events, and that humans remain the final gatekeepers of content, said Leonid Kovachich, head of the Asian department at Sputnik's international broadcasting division.
A veteran journalist of Argentina has praised the modern evolution of Vietnam’s press, which now serves a dual purpose: introducing Vietnam to the world while bringing global perspectives to domestic audiences.
The court announced that Quyet had submitted a written request to be tried in absentia, citing serious health issues. According to an official statement from Hospital 19/8, the defendant is suffering from multiple illnesses, experiencing fatigue and shortness of breath, with doctors warning of a “very high risk of death.”
A senior Party official highlighted the VNA’s consistent role over the past eight decades, noting that it remains a mainstream, uninterrupted, timely, accurate, and authoritative source of news that helps shape public opinion, strengthen public trust, and safeguard the ideological foundation of the Party.
Dr. Kobelev, born in 1938 in Ulyanovsk, was among the first Soviet scholars to specialise in Vietnam. As a former TASS correspondent during the war in Vietnam, he worked closely with Vietnamese institutions and later helped found Russia’s Centre for Vietnamese and ASEAN Studies.
The 22 million THB (680,000 USD) hall construction is slated for completion within three years, just in time for the 2028 centennial of President Ho Chi Minh’s arrival in Thailand.
Among those receiving reduced sentences were Tran Tung, former Deputy Director of the Thai Nguyen provincial Department of Foreign Affairs, whose prison term was cut to 10 years from 12, with six years for accepting bribes and four for abusing power while performing official duties.
Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) 
James Borton's article on AsiaGlobal Online (Screenshot) 
