Decoration before the National Convention Center to welcome the 13th National Party Congress . (Photo: nld.com.vn)

The Associated Press (AP) on January 25 ran an article, saying that almost 1,600 delegates are attending the congress this week to approve future policy and help select the nation’s top leaders.

Hanoi’s streets are lined with the Party’s hammer and sickle flags, national flags and posters to promote the congress, which is held every five years. Some 4,900 people involved with the event must each take two tests for the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.

The article cited Murray Hiebert, a senior associate of the Southeast Asia Program at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, as saying that Vietnam has grown an average of 6 percent over the past five years and nearly 3% in 2020, when most of its neighbors slumped into recession due to the pandemic.

Japan’s Nikkei Asia newspaper said the same day that the congress is an important political event of Vietnam as it takes place at a time when the country looks to leverage its economic advantage as one of the few countries that expanded gross domestic product in 2020, up 2.9% thanks to efficient handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Republic of Korea (RoK)’s media also covered the nine-day event, saying the Vietnamese Government targets economic growth of 6.5-7 percent a year during the 2021-2026 period, and aims to turn Vietnam into a middle income country.

The congress has also made headlines on Australia’s websites like canberratimes.com.au, thewest.com.au, and the leader.com.au./.

BTA