Vietnam's diplomatic sector experienced the year of 2007 with colorful activities and proud achievements. The Website of Vietnam Communist Party (CPV) has released the list of top ten outstanding events on foreign affairs over the past year, as followed:
1. The election of the 12th National Assembly and the appointment of the new cabinet were successfully held and highly appraised by the international community.
2. The year of 2007 witnessed a fruitful crop of diplomatic activities with a series of historic visits made by President Nguyen Minh Triet, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, Party Chief Nong Duc Manh and other senior officials to nations in the region and in the world, including China, Singapore, India, South Korea, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), ASEAN nations, the United States, Russia, France, New Zealand, and the Vatican. The visits significantly contributed to develop and reinforce bilateral and multilateral relations and boost the mutual cooperation in various socioeconomic fields.
3. Vietnam's economy was estimated to grow 8.5 per cent in 2007, the highest during the past ten years. After one year joining the World Trade Organization (WTO), the country also posted the high record figures of foreign direct investment (FDI), official development assistance (ODA) and export value, respectively US$20.3 billion, US$5.4 billion and US$48 billion.
4. Vietnam was officially elected a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the two-year term of 2008-2009 October 16. With a majority vote of 183 out of total 192, the country proved its status and role being improved in the international community.
5. Leaders of Vietnam and ASEAN nations jointly approved the ASEAN Charter in the plenary session of the 13th ASEAN Summit in Singapore. This is considered as a landmark in the bloc's development, creating a legal and institutional framework for ASEAN to promote unity and accelerate integration toward the formation of an ASEAN community by 2015.
6. Vietnam and the United Nations have signed, for the first time, a common action plan at country level in order to promote the "One UN Initiative" till 2010.
7. In 2007, Vietnam and Laos celebrated the 45th anniversary of founding diplomatic relations and 30th anniversary of signing the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Cooperation Treaty.
8. The government's Decision dated August 17 to exempt visa for overseas Vietnam helped to build a bridge between Vietnamese nationals residing abroad and the country. As a result, the total overseas remittance flocked into the country in 2007 is estimated to reach US$5 billion.
9. Last year, the country also witnessed the flock of the world's leading economic corporations such as Taiwan's Honhai, Switzerland’s Trustee Suisse, South Korea's Keangnam, Singapore's Banyan Tree Group to seek business and investment chances.
10. Many cultural events took place throughout the past year, contributing to advertise Vietnam's best images and culture to foreign friends. The typical events were the performance of Hue royal music on the occasion of President Nguyen Minh Triet's Japan visit, the Da Lat Flower Festival and the online election for Ha Long Bay as a new world heritage. (Website of CPV)
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