Slanderous allegations against Vietnamese development achievements under fire

Slanderous allegations

Organisations such as Tiếng Dân, Việt Tân, Việt Nam Thời Báo, Radio Free Asia (RFA), and Voice of America (VOA Vietnamese) all speak ill of Vietnam, saying that it remains a poor and underdeveloped country; the state represses its people; citizens still live a hard life; and fundamental human rights are violated.

Some articles continue to assume that bypassing capitalism to move directly towards socialism in Vietnam is a mistake. They are critical of the current reform process being half-hearted, describing the socialist-oriented market economy as a mismatch between theory and practice.

These organisations make use of major political and foreign affairs of the Party and State, significant national anniversaries, issues related to ethnicity, human rights, religion, anti-corruption efforts, and social problems in a bid to distort and deny the leadership role of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

They defame, speak ill of, and undermine the personal reputations of Party and State leaders; deny the fruits of the Vietnamese revolution; and reject the significant and historically meaningful accomplishments recorded in the country’s development and construction efforts.

Marking 79 years of National Day this year, these organisations claim that Vietnam cannot develop because it is unable to keep up with the world and that the country is mired in an ideology of Marxism-Leninism and socialism. They praise capitalism and argue that Vietnam needs to change its political system towards multi-party democracy whilst moving to adopt capitalism in order to achieve wealth, democracy, and ensure human rights.

Figures speak for themselves

Seventy-nine years have passed since President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence, proclaiming the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Since then, the country has recorded significant and historically meaningful achievements, particularly when compared to the pre-reform period.

Going from once a country heavily ravaged by war with a backward and impoverished agricultural system, last year saw Vietnam be listed among the top 40 economies in the world, with its GDP value reaching US$430 billion compared to just US$26.3 billion in the late 1980s and early 1990s thanks to the Đổi Mới (Renewal) process launched by the Communist Party of Vietnam in 1986. Its GDP per capita rose to US$4,300 per year, marking an increase of 58 times compared to the early years of the reform, while the multidimensional poverty rate dropped to 2.9%.

From a closed economy, Vietnam has transformed itself into a globally integrated economy, becoming the 22nd largest trading partner globally. Last year witnessed its total import-export turnover hit nearly US$700 billion, whilst foreign direct investment fetched US$23 billion, a record high level amid global market shrinking and supply chain disruptions. It has expanded its economic and trade relations with a total of 230 countries and territories worldwide. To date, 72 countries have recognised Vietnam as a market economy.

Politically, from a country once heavily impacted by the embargo imposed by the United States, Vietnam has expanded and deepened its diplomatic relations with 193 countries and territories worldwide. It has since established a comprehensive strategic partnership with seven countries, a strategic partnership with 12 countries, and a comprehensive partnership with 12 countries. Most notably, it has established either comprehensive strategic partnerships or strategic partnerships with all five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

With regards to human rights protection, the country has now acceded to almost all UN conventions on human rights, including the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination; the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women; the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; the Convention on the Rights of the Child; and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Concerning social welfare, significant progress has been made in poverty reduction, whilst the living standards of people nationwide have continuously improved. Statistics show that since 2019, Vietnamese GDP per capita has increased by 25%, with the poverty rate decreasing by 1.5% annually. The nationwide network of preventive health care has been well-organised and closely linked with primary healthcare services. The coverage of health insurance has risen from over 81% in 2016 to 93.35% in 2023. Additionally, 85% of people suffering from disabilities in difficult circumstances receive social assistance, care, and rehabilitation services. At present, more than 90% of the rural population have access to clean and sanitary water.

Such improvements have therefore contributed to increasing Vietnamese people’s average life expectancy by nine years over the past 30 years, climbing from 65.5 years in 1993 to 74.5 years in 2023. The country’s Human Development Index (HDI) has markedly improved at 0.726 last year, a figure that is higher than many countries with similar income levels. Furthermore, the Vietnamese happiness index has risen by 11 notches, from 65th to 54th out of 143 countries and territories.

As of the start of the year, Vietnam had approximately 78.44 million Internet users, with around 72.70 million using social media, accounting for 73.3% of the country’s total population. Notably, the number of mobile service subscribers reached 168.5 million, equivalent to 169.8% of the total population. It ranked 12th in the world in terms of the number of Internet users and sixth out of 35 countries and territories in Asia.

Securing a stable environment is one of Vietnam’s highlights and strengths in today’s volatile world. The country rose by four positions to rank 41st out of 163 countries and territories in the Global Peace Index 2023, as compiled by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP).

Undoubtedly, these figures speak for themselves in proving that the Vietnamese State focuses on advancing economic development, ensuring a more equitable society, and guaranteeing people’s fundamental human rights. Judging from these facts, any slanderous allegations just strike a discordant note and quickly slip into an increasingly shrill echo chamber.