Vietnam deeply appreciates and expresses gratitude for the support of international friends in the nation-building process, especially in 2023.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the event. Photos: Nhat Bac

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh made the remarks at a meeting with international donors and foreign-invested enterprises operating in Vietnam ahead of the 2024 Lunar New Year on January 26.

At the meeting, Pham Minh Chinh, on behalf of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the leadership of the Communist Party and the State of Vietnam, extended sincere feelings, warm greetings, and best wishes for the New Year to ambassadors, heads of development cooperation agencies, international organizations, associations, foreign enterprises, and investors.

The Prime Minister reflected on the global scenario in 2024, noting general peace but acknowledging localized conflicts, delayed global harmony with regional tensions, and general stability with localized conflicts and challenges such as poverty, war, sacrifice, losses due to natural disasters and pandemics.

He emphasized that global issues such as war, energy shortages, resource depletion, climate change, and an aging population are matters of global concern.

"Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen international solidarity, promote multilateralism, and work together for the well-being and happiness of people," he said. The Prime Minister stressed the importance of joint efforts to eradicate poverty and war worldwide, ensuring that no one is left behind.

In the context of the 20th century, when Vietnam suffered great losses and sacrifices in its struggle for national salvation and faced economic embargoes, Chinh emphasized Vietnam's deep understanding of the value of peace. He affirmed that Vietnam does not want any place in the world to experience war and its people to endure poverty.

He added that Vietnam's development path is based on three pillars: building a democratic socialist society, a socialist state under the rule of law, and a market-oriented socialist economy.

“Throughout this journey, Vietnam is not trading progress and social justice for the pursuit of mere economic growth. People are at the center, the subject, the goal, the motivation, and the resource of development," he said.

He concluded by stressing that the world should work together to ensure a global existence free of poverty and war. He called for concerted efforts to leave no one behind and create a more prosperous world in the spirit of "harmonious interests, shared risks," where the victory of one is the victory of all.

The Prime Minister greets representatives of international organizations and donors.

Echoing Chinh's view, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung acknowledged the challenges and achievements of 2023 and expected more challenges than benefits in 2024. However, he remained confident that with Vietnam's concerted efforts and effective cooperation with foreign diplomatic missions, development partners, international organizations, associations, enterprises, and foreign investors in Vietnam, the socio-economic situation in Vietnam will continue to achieve even greater achievements in 2024.

"The goal is for Vietnam's economy to continue to progress and become a regional powerhouse in Asia," Dung said.

Representatives of international organizations, sponsors, and foreign investors congratulated Vietnam for overcoming adverse conditions and achieving significant milestones in a challenging global context. This, they said, proved that Vietnam had made the right choices and followed the right development path. They expressed their appreciation for the Vietnamese Government's attention, cooperation, and receptiveness, which instilled solid confidence among investors in Vietnam.

They also commended Vietnam's development strategy, especially its commitment to green and sustainable development, addressing social welfare and environmental concerns, and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. They expressed their readiness to support and accompany Vietnam in achieving its goals of becoming a developing country with modern industry and high average income by 2030 and a developed country with high income by 2045.