Top 10 notable events of Vietnam in 2024 selected by VOV

1. Gathering resources in place to drive Vietnam forward into era of advancement

The achievements after 40 years of reform under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam have helped Vietnam accumulate strength and potential for breakthroughs in the next phase of development. Party General Secretary To Lam has affirmed that this is the moment of “convergence” of all advantages and strengths to help the country enter a new era, the era of national advancement following the era of independence, freedom, socialism building, and the era of renovation.

The 10th plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee defined that the era of advancement for the Vietnamese nation will begin at the 14th National Party Congress. To achieve this goal, from now on, the entire Party and people need to focus on three strategic breakthroughs, namely institutional reform, apparatus streamlining, and improvement of the quality of human resources. This should be done along with tightening management and creating conditions for development, simultaneously fostering the national spirit of self-reliance, self-confidence, and strength, linking the power of the nation with the power of the era, ensuring the country’s comprehensive and strong development, breakthroughs, and a successful rise.

2. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong passes away

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong passed away in Hanoi on July 19, after a prolonged illness, leaving profound sorrow for the entire Party, people, and international friends. The eulogy at his funeral reads, “Throughout Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong’s thought was the People and the human being. He wholeheartedly served the People, built the new socialist person, and constantly consolidated unity, first and foremost unity within the Party, the great unity of the entire nation, as well as international solidarity.”

The life and career of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong reflects the tireless struggle of a dedicated communist, who lived simply, honestly, and selflessly. He was a great example of learning and following the thoughts, ethics, and lifestyle of President Ho Chi Minh. What he has left behind, including vision and sharp political thinking, a strong anti-corruption campaign, political and ethical culture, the strength of national unity and foreign policy line can be regarded as a profound legacy, not only for the Communist Party of Vietnam but also for the nation and future generations.

3. Apparatus streamlining – A turning point in national governance

Vietnam has recorded important results after seven years of implementing the Party Resolution 18-NQ/TW dated October 25, 2017, on renewing and restructuring the political system, yielding important results. However, the apparatus remains cumbersome and overlapping in many places, thereby its effectiveness and operational efficiency have not met the requirements. At a Party Central Committee plenum on November 25, Party General Secretary To Lam requested that all Party committees, organizations, agencies, and leaders take proactive and decisive actions to fulfill their tasks, so as to complete the review of the implementation of Resolution 18 and report the results to the Party Central Committee by the first quarter of 2025.

Apparatus streamlining is a revolution that requires the courage and sacrifices of officials, civil servants, and public employees, and must be implemented objectively, fairly, and scientifically to prepare for the country’s entry into a new era.

4. National economy grows steadily, with GDP reaching 7%

Vietnam’s economy recorded its strong recovery in 2024, with GDP growth expanding 7%, and inflation controlled at below 4%, meeting the set targets. The import-export turnover reached a record high of nearly US$800 billion, with a trade surplus of nearly US$23 billion, the highest ever. In the context of a volatile global economy, this growth not only provides a foundation for development in 2025 but also demonstrates the rapid development trend of the Vietnamese economy.

5. Completing elite leadership restructuring, enhancing violation handling

In 2024, the restructuring of senior personnel within the Party and State of Vietnam was carried out with a high level of unity, aimed at enhancing leadership and management effectiveness, and ensuring stable development of the country amidst various domestic and international challenges. Vietnam elected the new Party General Secretary, new State President and new Chairman of the National Assembly, along with other leaders of the National Assembly, Government, and judicial bodies.

The Party building and rectification drive, and the fight against corruption and misconduct was a central focus in 2024. Numerous high-ranking officials of the Party and State were disciplined and prosecuted for criminal offences, reflecting the policy of “no forbidden zones, no exceptions.” This demonstrates the Party’s strong commitment to building a transparent and robust political system.

6. Typhoon Yagi wreaks havoc across the north

Typhoon Yagi, accompanied by strong winds of nearly 200kph, the most powerful typhoon in the East Sea in 30 years, slammed into northern Vietnam on September 7, causing particularly serious damage. The typhoon and its aftermath caused torrential downpours, flash floods, and widespread landslides, resulting in 323 deaths, 22 missing persons, and 1,978 injuries, with an estimated economic loss of over VND81.7 trillion. The government took proactive actions early, issuing urgent resolutions to address the aftermath, ensure infrastructure reconstruction, and stabilize people’s lives.

In times of natural disasters, the Vietnamese tradition of mutual assistance between the haves and the have-nots was strongly upheld. Charitable activities spread nationwide, providing timely support to disaster-stricken communities, helping them overcome difficulties and stabilize their lives.

7. Breakthroughs in strategic transportation and energy infrastructure projects

Strategic projects in transportation and energy have been driving economic development, ensuring sustainable energy, and affirming a strategic vision for the country’s sustainable growth. To date, more than 2,000 km of expressways have been put into operation, with a goal of completing 3,000 km by 2025. Furthermore, the 500kV Quang Trach – Pho Noi transmission line project was inaugurated in 2024 in an effort to enhance electricity transmission capacity between regions, ensure stable power supply and meet the demands of socio-economic development.

Notably, the National Assembly, at its recent year-end session in Hanoi, passed a resolution on the investment policy for the North-South high-speed railway project, aiming for completion by 2035. The legislature also decided to restart the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project to ensure energy security and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. For the Long Thanh international airport project, the National Assembly agreed to invest in constructing two runways in the north and a passenger terminal with a capacity of 25 million passengers per year and 1.2 million tonnes of cargo annually.

8. Reforming legislative thinking and groundbreaking decisions

Vietnam has made significant progress in renewing its legislative thinking, aiming for a modern, transparent legal system that meets the needs of development in the context of international integration. With two regular sessions and two extraordinary sessions in 2024, the National Assembly considered and decided on numerous important issues related to legislation, supreme oversight, and key national matters.

The legislature passed a total of 18 laws and 21 resolutions, along with groundbreaking decisions, allowing the Land Law, Housing Law, and Real Estate Business Law to take effect five months earlier than scheduled, from August 1, 2024. Important amendments to the Investment Law, Public Investment Law, and Planning Law, were passed to resolve institutional bottlenecks, promote decentralization, and unleash production potential. With a spirit of innovation, the National Assembly built a legal framework for new fields, encouraged creativity, and mobilized resources to lay the foundation for sustainable development in the new era.

9. Nationwide effort to eliminate makeshift and dilapidated housing

On October 5, the Government and the Vietnam Fatherland Front jointly launched a nationwide campaign to support the elimination of makeshift and dilapidated houses. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh called on organisations and people from all social strata to take part in the campaign, aiming to eliminate 153,000 makeshift and dilapidated houses across the country by December 31, 2025.

The Prime Minister requested ministries, sectors, and local governments to focus on leadership, promoting the role of heads of agencies, and organizing effective housing support for people with meritorious service to the revolution, the poor, and near-poor households.

10. Real estate and gold markets see significant fluctuations

2024 witnessed major fluctuations in the real estate and gold markets in Vietnam, with both markets experiencing strong and unpredictable price increases. Housing prices rose to unreasonable levels compared to people’s incomes, creating a clear imbalance between asset value and people’s ability to pay, making the market unstable and hard to control.

The gold market also went wild, exceeding the average price of the years before the COVID-19 pandemic. These fluctuations require more effective policies to control speculation, encourage long-term investment, and ensure the market develops harmoniously with the interests of the people and the economy.