Hanoi(VNA) - The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) has selected the 10 most outstanding events of Vietnam in 2016 asfollows: 

1. The 12th National Party Congress

With the spirit of“Solidarity – Democracy – Discipline – Renovation”, the 12th NationalParty Congress was successfully held from January 20-28, 2016. The congress reviewed30 years of reform (Doi Moi) and set out development orientations of the nationin the new period. The congress defined six key tasks in a bid to enhance theParty building and rectifying wok and continue stepping up reform comprehensivelyand synchronously to build Vietnam into a strong country with prosperous people,and democratic, fair and civilised society.

2. The election of deputies tothe 14th National Assembly and People'sCouncils at all levels for the 2016-2021 tenure

The election ofdeputies to the 14th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels wasorganised publicly, democratically, legally, safely and economically, becoming afestival of the entire people. The success of the election laid a foundationfor strengthening the organisational and personnel structure of the Stateapparatus and continuing to build a socialist law-governed State of the people,by the people and for the people, with the resolve to build an upright,tectonic, active and serviceable government. 

3. Overcoming difficulties, the economycontinues to record fairly high growth

Under the leadershipand drastic direction of the Government, the determination of the entire politicalsystem and the active participation of the business community, Vietnam’seconomy has continued to record fairly high growth despite difficulties causedby drought, saline intrusion, maritime environmental incident in the central regionand negative impacts from the global economy. 

The country has successfully maintainedmacroeconomic stability, curbed inflation, ensured the economy’s majorbalances and accumulated the highest-ever foreign currency reserves. Vietnam’s businessclimate has seen remarkable improvements and the private sector has flourished,while the number of newly-established enterprises has increased rapidly.

4. Fight against corruption and negativephenomena stepped up

In the past year, manyserious economic and corruption cases went on trial and a series of violationsin personnel work were brought to light, with a number of senior officialsbeing disciplined. The 4th plenary meeting of the 12th PartyCentral Committee issued a Resolution on enhancing the Party building andrectifying work; and preventing and pushing back the degradation in politicalideology, morality and lifestyle as well as the signs of “self-evolution” and“self-transformation” within the Party. A range of specific and drasticmeasures were deployed, receiving the positive response from officials, partymembers and the people. 

5. Bustling and effective foreign affairs

Vietnam’s foreignaffairs have been promoted in 2016 with the successful hosting of the 7thAyeyawady – Chao Phraya – Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Summit(AMECS-7), the 8th Cambodia – Laos – Myanmar – Vietnam Cooperation Summit(CLMV-8), and the World Economic Forum (WEF) on the Mekong region (WEFMekong). The country actively attended regional and international forums andarranged many important bilateral visits. These activities affirmed Vietnam’sconsistent foreign policy and determination to promote intensive andcomprehensive international integration, helping to maintain a peaceful andstable environment for national construction and defence. 

6. Maritime environmental incident in thecentral region

Wastewater dischargedillegally from Taiwan’s Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh SteelCorporation seriously polluted the maritime environment of the centralprovinces of Thua Thien-Hue, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Quang Tri, causing severeimpacts on production and daily life of local people. The Government, relevantministries, sectors and localities worked hard to strictly handle violationsand support affected residents. Formosa accepted full responsibility for theincident and agreed to compensate for the losses.

7. Heavy consequences caused by naturaldisasters 

A large-scale cold spell in northern mountainousprovinces, continuous floods in the central region, drought in the CentralHighlands and saline intrusion in the Mekong Delta caused severe impactson production and daily life of local people in 2016. Administrations atall levels, sectors and the entire community join hands in supporting affectedpeople to stable their production and lives, change production models andrespond to climate change.
 
8. Vietnam’s athletes achieve exploits atOlympics and Paralympics 

In the Rio Olympics 2016in Brazil, shooter Hoang Xuan Vinh won the first-ever Olympics gold medal forVietnam after claiming the men’s 10m air pistol title and a silvermedal in the men's 50m air pistol. 

At the Paralympics 2016, weightlifter Le VanCong won the first Paralympics gold medal for Vietnam, breaking the Paralympicsand world records in the men's up-to-49kg category. 

9. Three more Vietnamese heritage honoured byUNESCO

“The royal literature on Hue royal architecture”and “Phuc Giang School Woodblocks” were recognised as documentary heritage at the Memory of the World Committeefor Asia and the Pacific (MOWCAP)’s 7th General meeting in May 2016.

Meanwhile, the practice related to theVietnamese belief in worshiping Mother Goddesses of the Three Realms wasofficially recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage of humanity inDecember.

10. Vietnam welcomes 10million foreign visitors

In 2016, Vietnam’stourism sector welcomed a record number of 10 million foreign tourists, up 25percent year-on-year, and served 62 million domestic visitors. The tourismsector’s total revenue reached 400 trillion VND (17.6 billion USD) in the year.This marked an important milestone in Vietnam’s tourism development process,towards the target of becoming a leading tourist destination in the region anda spearhead economic industry of the country.-VNA