In his report to the eighth session of the 11^th National Assembly held between Oct. 18 and Nov. 30, 2005, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai mentioned six major issues, which required the attention of all sectors and levels in early 2006. The issues focus on further consolidating sustainable socio-economic development in the renewal process in order to help Vietnam shed its low-income developing country status.

Early this year, the public paid attention to the strike held by tens of thousands of workers, mostly from foreign invested businesses in Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong province, its development and resolution. Similar to the previous scattered strikes, participants in this strike also demanded an increase in payment and income. After three or four days of discussion, employers and employees could not reach an agreement, even after the intervention of local authorities and trade union organisations.
However, on Jan. 6, the Government issued Decree No. 03/2006/ND-CP, defining the minimum wage for Vietnamese employees working in foreign invested businesses, foreign and international agencies and organisations, and foreign individuals in Vietnam. The decree was a legal document issued quickly and enforced by the highest level of authority. There remains many discussions about strikes, but the issuance of Government Decree No. 03/2006/ND-CP to redress a major relation between employers and employees confirmed the new working style of the Government and good signs for the New Year.

In 2005, the Vietnamese National Assembly adopted 29 codes and laws. These legal documents have been and will be enforced early this year. The acceleration of the law making and issuing process is aimed at helping the developing country of Vietnam handle relations by laws, not by subjective and imposing ideas, such as the case of motorbike management. The Vietnamese people are waiting for documents to guide the implementation of the Law on Anti-corruption, the Law on Thrift Practice and Waste Elimination, and the Law on Housing. It shows their wish for a State governed by law, as well as the fact that people’s general knowledge has increased and democracy has been promoted in our society.

Last year was the Year of the Rooster (At Dau lunar year) and some people were threatened by the end of the 60-lunar year cycle. What was the reason for their concern and what did they fear? Sixty years ago, in 1945 more than two million Vietnamese people died of starvation under the yoke of colonialism and imperialism. However, the same year, the Vietnamese people led by the Vietnam Communist Party launched the great August Revolution, wrested back power and became masters of their own country and destiny. That is a fact. Under the Party’s leadership, the Vietnamese people have won victory after victory. That is why their close relationship has been strengthened and the Party considers the people’s mission as its own. The statement sounds like a slogan, but it is a vivid fact. Every year, the people closely follow two National Assembly meetings. Every five years, they are particularly concerned about an important event, which is decisive in national development - the Party National Congress.

The Vietnamese people will soon celebrate the Binh Tuat Lunar New Year (Year of the Dog), which begins falls on Jan. 29, as well as the Party’s 76^th founding anniversary, which falls on Feb. 3. The biggest event of 2006 will be the 10^th National Party Congress, which will be held immediately after that.

The Vietnamese people will enter the Lunar New Year with pride of great achievements in the past 20 years of the national Doi Moi (Renewal) process and with new plans for future development in 2006.

Le Dinh Dao