(VOVworld) –Vietnamese newspapers’ colorful New Year edition covers the jubilant celebrations throughout Vietnam and overseas, leaders’ New Year messages, national traditions, and Vietnam’s socio-economic performance.

Delegates read spring newspapers 2017 in Khanh Hoa province (Photo:www.baokhanhhoa.com.vn)

In the national daily Nhan Dan (People) newspaper, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong repeated his determination to build a purer and stronger Party to lead Vietnam’s renewal, international integration, and sustainable development. Party leader Trong said the most prominent impression of 2016 was the 12^th National Party Congress and the appointment of State leaders. Mr. Trong said the people believe in the leadership of the new Party and State apparatus and that never before has Vietnam enjoyed a more prominent global stature than it does now.

In an interview in the Saigon Giai Phong (Liberated Saigon) newspaper, President Tran Dai Quang said that in 2017 Vietnam will continue to ensure macro-economic stability and make progress in restructuring the economy, reforming the growth model, improving national competitiveness, encouraging start-ups, boosting growth, and ensuring social welfare. He underlined additional tasks: safeguarding independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, international integration, and creating a peaceful and stable environment for national development.

Talking to the Tuoi Tre (Young Age) newspaper, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc stressed start-up ecology, including policies effecting Vietnam’s economic, cultural, and social environment. He promised more incentives to improve Vietnam’s investment climate and competitiveness to achieve the goal of 1 million businesses by 2020.

Publications of the Party and mass organizations gave wide coverage to Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements in 2016 and prospects for 2017. The Saigon Giai Phong newspaper reported that Vietnam’s GDP increased 6.2% last year. Although it fell short of the 6.7% target, this growth rate was high given the global economic recession. Last year, the macro-economy was stable with low inflation (4.7%), and foreign currency reserves reaching a record high 41 billion USD. The export surplus was 2.68 billion USD and foreign investment reached a record high of 15.8 billion USD.  This year, Vietnam targets a GDP growth rate of 6.7%, inflation of less than 4%, and a trade turnover increase of 7%.

In 2017, Vietnam will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Year for the second time. Spring newspapers are highlighting these landmark events, which will culminate in the APEC Summit Week in Da Nang in November.

Other topics of spring newspapers include Vietnamese customs for celebrating the Lunar New Year. The Thanh Nien (Youth) newspaper featured royal cakes and 20 types of sugar-coated fruits produced in the Nguyen dynasty from 1802 to 1945. The Tuoi Tre newspaper discussed the Hue people’s custom of welcoming the first full moon of the year on two hills named Thien An and Vong Canh.

In the spotlight are Vietnam’s sports achievements. In 2016, Vietnam for the first time was given an Olympic gold medal by shooter Hoang Xuan Vinh and a Paralympics gold medal by weight lifter Le Van Cong. Swimmer Nguyen Thi Anh Vien won a gold medal at the Asian Swimming Championship. The national futsal team and the U19 football team earned tickets to the World Cup.

Spring newspapers are covering what the Party and State have done to ensure that the poor, policy beneficiaries, soldiers, and islanders will enjoy a happy Tet.

People’s New Year resolutions, parallel sentences, anecdotes, and satire are also included in spring newspapers.