Vietnam in foreigners’ eyes

Vietnam is making positive contributions during its Presidency of the 41st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 41) for a cohesive and responsive ASEAN Community, the Foreignaffairs Asia website has said.

Chuan Leekpai, President of the National Assembly of Thailand, has expressed his firm belief that the ongoing 41st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-41) will be the most successful under the host of Vietnam.

As the 41st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-41) opened online in Hanoi on September 8, Ms. Endah Tjahjani Dwirini, Head of Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Board, the Lower House of Indonesia, expressed her trust in the leadership role of Vietnam’s AIPA 2020 President.

Experts remain optimistic that in the long-term, Vietnam’s economy will be able to bounce back from the current COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent article published by the English language news media publishing group Asia Times.

Vietnam’s robust economic performance over the past three decades has been heavily dependent on exports and foreign direct investment (FDI), with foreign invested companies accounting for 67.8 percent of the country’s total export turnover in 2019, according to the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) of Singapore.

In the past few days, Lao media such as Pasaxon Newspaper, Pathetlao Daily, Laophattana Daily News, Vientiane Times, Socio-Economic News, Lao National Radio, Lao National Television and online newspapers delivered many news items on the 75th anniversary of the August Revolution and the Vietnamese National Day (September 2).

Since September 2, 1945, the day President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence at Ba Dinh Square, Hanoi, Vietnam has experienced the most prominent period in its thousands of years of history, according to Russian experts during talks with Sputnik news agency on the 75th anniversary of Vietnam's National Day.

Many foreign media outlets recently ran articles highlighting Vietnam’s achievements over the last 75 years and its stature in the international arena on the occasion of the country’s 75th National Day (September 2).

“After 75 years of Independence under the leadership of the Communist Party, Vietnam has been thriving and become a key player in Southeast Asia with constantly developing social, culture, improved commercial and spiritual life and stable politics. Recent years have seen growing reputation, prestige and presence of Vietnam in the international arena.”

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the August Revolution and the National Day (September 2), General Secretary of the Mexican Labor Party (PT) Alberto Anaya Gutierrez visited the Ho Chi Minh Acupuncture Center in Mexico City on August 27.

Famous Egyptian journalist Kamal Gaballa had an article published on the online Al-Ahram on August 31 praising the outstanding achievements of Vietnam in the past 75 years, on the occasion of the 75th National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (September 2).

India’s The Diplomat newswire has run an article entitled “India – Vietnam relations: Strong and Getting Stronger” by scholar Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan from the Observer Research Foundation, saying that the two countries continue deepening their relationship.

Israeli press have spotlighted Vietnam’s policy for external diplomacy and its economic growth in the first eight months of this year on the occasion of the Southeast nation celebrating the 75th anniversary of its August Revolution (August 19) and National Day (September 2).

Vietnam has been always very good at taking advantage of crisis to accelerate reforms and move faster and grow better, Jacques Morisset, World Bank Lead Economist and Programme Leader for Vietnam, has said.

According to an article from the US Wilson Center, 2020 is seeing Vietnam holding two key positions simultaneously that will spotlight its foreign policy approach: the annually rotating chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Vietnam is considered one of the success stories in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and represents an ideal economic partner for Australia, said Dr Jeffrey Wilson, Research Director at the Perth USAsia Centre.

By taking the lead in the fight against COVID-19, Vietnam has increased its footprint on the world economy, thereby luring foreign businesses which are seeking ways to diversify their operations and reduce risks related to other shocks in the future.

A recent article on the Bangkok Post affirms that, despite being greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam's economy still has strong resistance and is ready to restart.

In a recent article, The Economist said a few emerging markets will still grow this year, including Vietnam.

The Global Alliance to Protect and Regenerate Nature “EndPandemics.Earth” has sent a letter of thanks to the Vietnamese Government and National Assembly for the country’s strong and drastic strides in the process of protecting the people and biodiversity.

Leaders of foreign businesses are still optimistic about Vietnam's economic prospects, although an increase in the number of new cases of COVID-19 has resulted in new social distancing measures, especially in the central city of Da Nang.

Respondents generally have positive perceptions of Vietnam and are optimistic about the future of their country, according to the British Council’s Next Generation Vietnam survey, which was released on August 19.

Vietnam has played an active role as the Chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) 2020, especially in leading the bloc in implementing the ASEAN’s initiatives and priorities in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Laos to ASEAN Ekkaphab Phanthavong told Vietnam News Agency’s correspondents in Jakarta.

German tape manufacturer Tesa plans to build a 55 million EUR (65 million USD) factory in Northern Vietnam in an effort to expand its production as from 2023, according to Germany’s Handelsblatt newspaper.

Meritorious artist Touane Mouane Chanh, Director of the Lao National Arts School, has written a new script for the Vietnamese song “Uncle Ho – an immense love” composed by Vietnamese musician Thuan Yen, in the Lao language.

Ms. Kelly Koch, 50 years old, COVID-19 patient number 83 who was successfully treated in Vietnam, has come to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi to donate plasma in an attempt to cure other COVID-19 patients.

Vietnamese telecom giant Viettel has been the only company in Vietnam to be recognised as Asia's 'Most Influential Company' at Asia Corporate Excellence & Sustainability Awards (ACES).

​The Ministry of Health of Ukraine would like to thank the people of Vietnam and Ambassador Nguyen Anh Tuan for the batch of artificial ventilators provided by Vingroup as part of its support program for the Government of Ukraine in the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic.

The Business Times on August 11 posted a story describing the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) as a significant economic milestone for Vietnam.

Vietnam is one of the countries taking very early and decisive action, and maintaining very transparent information about the COVID-19 pandemic, said Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Pranay Verma.