French newspaper hails Vietnamese efforts in containing COVID-19
VOV.VN - French newspaper Les Echos has recently published an article titled "COVID-19: an exception to Vietnam", in which it describes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the country, noting that the death toll is low while economic activities have been able to restart, adding that the nation should be proud of its containment efforts.
The country has recorded a total of 1,077 infections and 35 deaths as of September 29, whilst going more than 27 days without any new cases involving community transmission from a population of approximately 100 million people.
Upon the first cases of COVID-19 being detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan, the Vietnamese Government rapidly intensified disease control measures nationwide, including travel restrictions, the suspension of flights, and border closure with China, whilst simultaneously putting new arrivals into quarantine.
As a result of these restrictive measures, cross-border trade was severely affected, although the country’s GDP in the third quarter of the year still recorded an annual increase of 2.62%. According to the General Statistics Office (GSO) of Vietnam, the nation’s 2% growth target for this year is well within reach.
The past nine months have seen Vietnamese exports increase by 4.2%, whilst production has also increased, with the possibility that it will maintain the same pace as the previous year.
A survey indicates that 81% of Vietnamese people believe that the national economy will be able to maintain its growth momentum. According to the GSO, the Vietnamese Government currently prioritises public investment, something that will be maintained moving into next year, while household spending will begin to restart and will last until the Lunar New Year Festival on February 12, 2021.