Kyril Whittaker, British researcher of Vietnamese politics and history and member of the Communist Party of Britain (Photo: VNA)

In a recent interview granted to Vietnam News Agency in the UK, Whittaker said carrying on with the all-rounded development of Vietnam’s economy, living standards, and environmental protection, the country is well on the road to achieving its target of becoming an upper middle-income country by 2030.

Praising Vietnam’s economic achievements, the British researcher pointed out that since the country’s adoption of Doi Moi (renewal) policy in 1986, the economy has now increased 96 times.

The rapid implementation of infrastructure projects has brought about major changes in cities and provinces nationwide, the researcher said, adding that the astounding development and rapid pace of Vietnam’s poverty alleviation has been liberating the Vietnamese people from poverty at a breakneck pace.

Whittaker said he believes human rights are not only protected but fully developed to the highest potential in Vietnam, which has one of the highest participation rates of women in its labor force and its parliament. Vietnam has beautiful temples, churches and other places of faith, which are well attended and maintained and are parts of the communities, the researcher said.

He concluded that when one sees the “Era of the Nation’s Rise” in reference to Vietnam, one must realize its socio-economic grounding, pointing out it is a wholly people centered “rise”, a product of socialist orientation and collective mastery of the people where the socio-economic foundations develop the people, the nation and the Party, which in turn serves to further develop the construction of socialism and communism.