Vietnam's top ten events in 2001
HANOI - Following are top ten events selected by Viet Nam News Agency (VNA) in 2001:
1. The ninth national congress of the Communist Party of Viet Nam held in Ha Noi from April 19-22.
The congress, viewed as that of wisdom, democracy, unity and renewal, charted a new course of national
development in the first two decades of the 21st century, a strategy for socio-economic development between
2001 and 2010, and the orientation and tasks of socio-economic development plan for 2001-2005.
The congress elected a 150-member Party Central Committee and Nong Duc Manh as General Secretary of
the new Party CC.
2. The National Assembly approved a resolution on amendment and supplement to a number of articles of
the 1992 Constitution and passed important laws on organization and operation of the National Assembly, the
Government and other state bodies.
3. Viet Nam registered a high growth rate of gross domestic product (7 percent), the second highest in
Asia, this year against the backdrop of unstable and complicated world developments and global and regional
economic downturn.
Viet Nam was considered as a country of political and social stability and accordingly it received
international donors' pledge to maintain financial support at almost the same level as in 2000.
The country also saw a continued rise in foreign direct investment (FDI) which made up about 40 percent of
total social investment, and positive results in economic restructuring with foreign trade turnover almost
reaching the GDP level while Viet Nam's seafood export surpassed the level of 2.2 million tonnes to earn USD
1.8 billion, an all-time high to date.
4. Important successes were also made in Viet Nam's open-door foreign policy. These were prominently
seen in Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh's official visits to Laos (July) and China (December) as well
as Russian President V. Putin's visit to Viet Nam (March).
5. The Viet Nam-U.S. trade agreement was approved by the two countries' legislative bodies and was later
ratified by U.S. President G. Bush and Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong. The agreement came into
force at 15:00 hrs (Washington time) on Dec. 10, 2001 immediately after the two sides exchanged letters of
approval.
6. Viet Nam-Russia oil and gas joint venture enterprise (Vietsovpetro) pumped up the 100 millionth tonne of
crude oil in mid-November and posted an output of 13 million tonnes in 2001.
7. Vietnamese archaeologists unearthed Lung Leng site in central highland Kon Tum province, finding a
natural museum containing artefacts dating back to the Palaeolithic Era (between 20,000-30,000 years ago).
They also discovered a house on stilts built by ancient Vietnamese in central Quang Nam province about
2,000 years ago (Pre-Champa period).
8. The first state awards in art and literature were presented to 174 best works and groups of works which
have made active contributions to the people and army's spiritual life and national defence and construction.
9. Viet Nam won 135 medals, including 33 gold, at SEA Games-21 in Malaysia, obtaining the fourth place
in Southeast Asia. At the SEA Games, Viet Nam's female soccer team won the gold medal.
10. An earth quake measuring five degrees on the Richter scale hit Dien Bien basin in northern border Lai
Chau province, damaging about 80 percent of local people's houses, public offices, schools and hospitals.
The losses were estimated at more than VND 200 billion.
Vietnam News Agency - December 25, 2001.
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